In this episode of the How to Program with Java podcast I will be covering two topics which I haven't specifically focused on before.
Encapsulation
Java is an Object Oriented Programming language, and along with it comes the four major principles of Object Oriented Programming. Encapsulation is one of these major principles and in the podcast I explain exactly what it is, and why you are (likely) already familiar with this concept.
Final Keyword
I've touched on the final keyword before in a previous podcast but I did not go into depth on the subject. There are some interesting things that you'll need to be aware of when you use this keyword. The main thing you'll need to remember is that the final keyword refers to an Object's reference. So declaring a variable as final will mean that once the reference is assigned, you won't be able to change it… but this does not mean that you won't be able to change the properties WITHIN that object. This is very important to remember and can cause some confusion.
Questions from Listeners
In this episode, I had a question come in from a listen in Denver by the name of Josh. Here's what he asked:
“I was wondering if in the future you can provide us with information on Java certifications. I just listened to your podcasts on the interview questions and thought that having one or more Java certifications would be huge to our future programming success.
I just wonder how difficult it would be to prepare for some of these certifications. How long and what are the best materials that would get us ready for these exams.” – Josh
As I mention in the podcast, they are some fairly in-depth and lengthy exams, and I would recommend that you use the official Oracle study guides that go along with the most popular certifications (please note that the links below are affiliate links):
Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 7 Programmer Study Guide
– This is the guide for the “entry level” Java Certification
Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 7 Programmer Exams 1Z0-804 and 1Z0-805: A Comprehensive OCPJP 7 Certification Guide
– This is the guide for the “2nd level” of Java Certification
I would recommend that you start with the “entry level” certification and see how comfortable you feel once you go through the study guide. If you're able to take and pass the exam with relative ease, then it would make perfect sense to move onto the next “2nd level” exam to further impress possible employers.
As always, I hope everything in this podcast is/was extremely useful to you, and I invite you to join my mailing list by filling out your email address and first name below… you'll receive a free eBook gift as well as weekly updates from me that will help you on your journey to become a Java programmer!
Happy Learning!