Java Programming: The Fundamentals

Ready to kickstart your Java development journey with the essential skills businesses need? This beginner-friendly course builds your foundational skills in Java programming, tools, and core concepts, setting you up for success in more advanced training and future job roles.

You will learn:

Build a strong foundation in Java programming to confidently progress toward advanced, job-ready development skills.
Set up professional Java development environments using JDK, JRE, and IDEs, a key skill for workplace productivity and debugging.
Apply core Java concepts like data types, control flows, arrays, and strings to write clean, efficient code used in real-world applications.
Use exception handling with try-catch and identify exception types, vital for building reliable, production-grade Java applications.

Course Overview

Over 90% of Fortune 500 companies use Java, and entry-level Java developers can earn over $100,000 per year (Netguru). This beginner-friendly course helps you build foundational Java skills from scratch, and is ideal for aspiring developers, career switchers, or anyone looking to add a powerful, versatile language to their resume in just 4–5 weeks.

During the course, you’ll gain essential skills for tasks like writing clean code, managing control flow, debugging, and working with integrated development environments (IDEs). You’ll learn how to set up the Java environment with JDK, JRE, and an IDE. Plus, you’ll explore core concepts like data types, variables, operators, conditionals, loops, arrays, strings, methods, and exception handling to create efficient, functional programs.

Through labs and coding exercises, you’ll get hands-on experience applying what you learn in real time. Then, in a final project that simulates a real-world Java development scenario, you’ll pull all your knowledge and skills together.

By the end, you’ll be able to write Java programs confidently and showcase your essential Java programming skills to employers. Enroll now and launch your Java development journey with IBM.

Prerequisites

This course is designed for beginners who have a background in programming and software development concepts and now want to build a strong foundation in Java. No prior experience with Java is required, but familiarity with basic coding principles and problem-solving will help you get the most out of the course.

Related Professional Certificate

This course is part of the IBM Java Developer Professional Certificate. If you’re looking to build job-ready skills in Java development, we recommend you enroll in the full Professional Certificate program and work through the courses in order. Within a short period, you’ll gain hands-on experience in deploying Java applications using industry-standard practices, design patterns, and cloud-native technologies.

Course Syllabus

Module 0: Welcome

Video: Course Introduction
Reading: General Information
Reading: Learning Objectives and Syllabus
Reading: Grading Scheme
Reading: Helpful Tips for Course Completion

Module 1: Introduction to Java Environment and Ecosystem

Module Introduction and Learning Objectives
An Introduction to Java: Its History and Evolution
Using the Java Ecosystem
The Java Virtual Machine, Development Kit, and Runtime Environment Explained
Installing and Running Your First Java Program
Using Key Java Features
Commercial and Open Source Java Compared
Practice Quiz: Introduction to Java Environment and Ecosystem
Module 1 Summary: Introduction to Java Environment and Ecosystem
Module 1 Glossary: Introduction to Java Environment and Ecosystem
Module 1 Coding Cheat Sheet: Introduction to Java Environment and Ecosystem
Module 1 Graded Quiz: Introduction to Java Environment and Ecosystem

Module 2: Basic Programming Constructs in Java

Module Introduction and Learning Objectives
Structuring Java Code and Comments
Exploring Data Types in Java
Explore Data Types
Introduction to Operators in Java
Using Advanced Operators in Java
Lab: Using Operators
Working with Arrays
Practice Quiz: Basic Programming Constructs in Java
Module 2 Summary: Basic Programming Constructs in Java
Module 2 Glossary: Basic Programming Constructs in Java
Module 2 Coding Cheat Sheet: Basic Programming Constructs in Java
Module 2 Graded Quiz: Basic Programming Constructs in Java

Module 3: Control Structures and String Handling

Module Introduction and Learning Objectives
Using Conditional Statements
Introduction to Loops in Java
Array Manipulation and For Loops
Working with Strings in Java
Working with Strings
Using Packages and Imports
Implementing Functions and Methods
Create Custom Functions and Methods
Practice Quiz: Control Structures and String Handling
Module 3 Summary: Control Structures and String Handling
Module 3 Glossary: Control Structures and String Handling
Module 3 Coding Cheat Sheet: Control Structures and String Handling
Module 3 Graded Quiz: Control Structures and String Handling

Module 4: Robust Exception Handling

Module Introduction and Learning Objectives
An Introduction to Exceptions
Using Finally Block
Using Multiple Try Catch
Exception Handling Practice
Checked and Runtime Exceptions Compared
Practice Quiz: Robust Exception Handling
Module 4 Summary: Robust Exception Handling
Module 4 Glossary: Robust Exception Handling
Module 4 Coding Cheat Sheet: Robust Exception Handling
Module 4 Graded Quiz: Robust Exception Handling

Module 5: Final Project and Final Exam

Reading: Module Introduction and Learning Objectives
Final Project Overview
Final Project
Final Project Environment
Final Exam: Java Programming: The Fundamentals

Module 6: Course Wrap-Up

Video: Course Wrap-Up
Reading: Course Glossary
Reading: Course Coding Cheat Sheet
Reading: Congratulations and Next Steps
Reading: Thanks from the Course Team
Copyrights and Trademarks

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Java Programming: The Fundamentals

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