Java Programming 1 - Java Developer

Overview Learning objectives What you’ll learn Module listing Key facts FAQs What our customers say Get in touch

Course overview

The Java Programming 1 – Java Developer course develops the core skills needed to write, structure and maintain Java applications. It helps you build confidence in producing clearer, more reliable Java code that can be developed, tested and maintained by a technical team. You’ll practice key concepts including syntax, object-oriented programming, file handling and database connectivity, using coding exercises that reflect tasks developers carry out at work.

Develop Java skills for junior developer roles

This five-day live virtual classroom course is for programmers with basic coding experience who want to build a stronger foundation in Java development. Through guided exercises, you’ll learn how to create structured Java applications, work with object-oriented principles and handle data through files and databases. It also helps you build the Java knowledge needed to contribute to application development, code maintenance and database-connected Java projects, and prepare for the Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer 1 exam.

Learning objectives

Write, compile and run Java
Model data with classes
Control logic and program flow
Use arrays and collections
Manage exceptions and debugging
Apply encapsulation and inheritance
Work with files and streams
Access databases through JDBC

What you’ll learn

Over five-days, you’ll learn how Java code is built from the foundations up, then apply those skills through structured coding tasks. The course progresses from language basics into object-oriented design, error handling, file input and output, collections and JDBC. Each area is taught with practical use in mind, enabling you to write code that is easier to understand, adapt and maintain.

Java foundations

You’ll understand how Java programmes are structured, compiled and run during this course. You’ll work with syntax, variables, data types, operators and basic input and output, giving you the building blocks needed to read existing Java code and write your own with more control. This foundation will ensure you understand what the code is doing and why.

Objects and structure

Learn how Java uses classes, objects, fields, methods and constructors to organise application logic over five days. You’ll also work with encapsulation, composition, inheritance and polymorphism, helping you create code that separates responsibilities clearly. These skills are valuable when working on shared codebases, where structure affects how easily other developers can test, reuse and extend what you build.

Logic and data

During the course, you’ll practice using decisions, loops, arrays, collections and standard library APIs to control how Java applications behave. You’ll also learn how to store, process, format and validate data using core Java features. This helps you move beyond simple scripts and start building programmes that respond properly to different inputs, conditions and user requirements.

Files and exceptions

This course will help you develop the skills you need to read and write files, manage resources and handle errors in a controlled way. You’ll practice exception handling to ensure that your code can respond to issues without failing unpredictably. This is a key step in writing Java applications that are more reliable, easier to troubleshoot and better suited to everyday development tasks.

What’s included

Instructor-led training over five-days
Live virtual classroom environment
Hands-on exercises and live labs
All relevant course materials

Full module listing

Click on each day below to see the breakdown of the modules that you'll cover on the course.

Day one

Day two

Day three

Day four

Day five

Day one

Session 1: PLATFORM, PROGRAM STRUCTURE, & BASIC IO

The Java language
The Java platform
Program structure incl. modules, packages, and classes (brief)
The main method
Java syntax
Reading from stdin and writing to stdout
Reading from and writing to a text file
Compilation and execution

Session 2: CLASSES & OBJECTS

What is an object
What is a class
Classes
Fields
Methods
Constructors
The this keyword
Instantiation
The dot notation

Session 3: VARIABLES & DATA TYPES

Instance fields
Local variables
Primitives
Literals
Default types
Suffixes and underscores
Casting
References
Null pointer
Arrays (brief)
Strings (brief)
Primitive wrappers
Autoboxing and autounboxing
Constants
Type inference
Varargs
Shape

Day two

Session 4: DECISIONS, LOOPS, & ARRAYS

Relational and logical operators
If statements
Switch statements
Switch expressions
The ternary operator
Arrays
While loops
For loops (both kind)
Branching statements (break, continue, return)
Nesting
Infinite loops

Session 5: STATIC MEMBERS & ENUMS

Static members
Static fields
Static initialisers
Static methods
The static context
The main method
Static imports
Enums
Enum fields, constructors, and methods
Shape

Day three

Session 6: STANDARD LIBRARY APIS

The Math class
BigDecimal
Number formatting
String
StringBuilder
Pattern matching
The java.time package
ArrayList
HashMap

Session 7: EXCEPTION HANDLING & DEBUGGING

Exceptions
Checked vs unchecked exceptions
The call stack
try and catch
Exception objects
Stack trace
finally
Handling multiple exception types
Try with resources
Throwing exceptions
Custom exceptions (brief)
Assertions
Debugging
Shape

Day four

Session 8: ENCAPSULATION

Encapsulation and data hiding
Access modifiers
Private fields and public methods
Getters and setters
The Java Bean specification
Constructors (for controlling instantiation)
The this keyword
Records

Session 9: COMPOSITION & AGGREGATION

Composition
Aggregation
Composite associations
Aggregate associations
The problem with getter methods (refs vs copies)
Shape

Day five

Session 10: INHERITANCE & POLYMORPHISM

Inheritance
The purpose of inheritance
Single vs multiple inheritance
What is inherited?
Extending a superclass
Shadowing
Overriding
Subclass constructors
The super keyword
Polymorphism
Upcasting and downcasting
The instanceof operator
Pattern matching with switch
Final classes and methods
Sealed classes
The Object class incl. toString, hashCode, and equals
Abstract classes and methods
Extending an abstract class
Interfaces
Implementing one or more interfaces
Extending and implementing
Interface polymorphism
Interface default, static, and private methods

Session 11: JAVA DATABASE CONNECTIVITY (JDBC)

JDBC
Third-party libraries
Loading the driver
Establishing a connection
Transaction management
AutoCommit
Creating a statement
PreparedStatement
CallableStatement
Executing a query/update
Batch updates
Processing a ResultSet
Closing resources

Key facts

Certification

This is a skills and knowledge-based course without formal accreditation.

Who it's for

Aspiring Java developers, software developers, web designers, programming enthusiasts and engineering graduates looking to develop Java programming skills.

Prerequisites

Learners should have a basic understanding of programming concepts, including variables, logical operations and file handling. Familiarity with using the command line is also beneficial.

Exam information

No exam is included, but the course helps you prepare for Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer 1 exam.

Optional extras

There are no optional extras with this course.

Pre-course

No formal pre-course work is required.

FAQs

Java Programming 1 develops the core Java skills needed to write structured applications, apply object-oriented programming principles and work with data through files and databases. The course is designed for learners with existing coding knowledge who want to build practical Java capability and prepare for Oracle certifications.

Is this course suitable if I am new to Java?

Yes, provided you already understand basic programming concepts. You should be familiar with ideas such as variables, loops, arrays and file handling before joining. The course introduces Java as a language, but it is not designed as a first programming course for someone with no coding experience.

What Java skills will I practice on the course?

You’ll practice writing and running Java code, creating classes and objects, controlling programme flow, using arrays and collections, handling exceptions, working with files and connecting to databases through JDBC. These skills help you read existing Java code more confidently and write applications that are easier for a team to test, update and maintain.

Does this course help me prepare for an exam?

Yes. The course supports preparation for the Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer 1 exam. It does this by building knowledge across core Java topics such as syntax, object-oriented programming, exceptions, standard library APIs, file handling and JDBC.

What experience should I have before booking?

You should have some previous coding experience and understand common programming concepts such as variables, logic, loops and arrays. Basic command-line knowledge is also useful. This level of preparation helps you focus on learning Java syntax and structure rather than learning programming principles for the first time.

How will this course help me at work?

The course helps you build the Java knowledge needed to write structured code, understand object-oriented design and work with data stored in files or relational databases. That can help when maintaining Java applications, reviewing code, fixing errors, or joining projects where Java is used as part of the application stack.

What our customers say

“Great course. Alan has been courteous and informative throughout. Highly recommended and will absolutely be coming back for more courses.”

Bradley, Java Programming 1 / Java Developer learner

“The instructor was particularly good and very knowledgeable and anything he didn't know he would investigate and come with the explanation. That is not my first class with him, and this is one of the reasons I book with this company.”

Caroline – Government

Why study with TSG?

25+ years' experience

Trusted by individuals, businesses and public sector organisations for over 25 years.

20,000+ learners trained

Join a network of learners focused on developing their software testing skills

98% customer satisfaction

TSG trainers are frequently rated as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ by our learners

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