Skills South African Java Developers Need In 2022

As more jobs move online and more service providers try to grow their online presence, the need for developers increases with time. South Africa's internet economy has been no expectation. It continues to grow yearly, even with a steady percentage of people leaving the country to seek better compensation for their skillset.

As more people enter the job market, particularly the lucrative field of java development, the competition heats up, and the best jobs get filled fast. Today knowing Java isn't enough to get a job as a Java developer. That's only 10% of what you need to know, and now we'll cover the other 90%.

We've compiled common IDEs, frameworks, and some "tricks" on OOP in general and backed everything up with useful material in the form of links.

Basic theory

It all starts with OOP. The alpha and omega of all issues affect object-oriented programming languages. Be prepared for trivial questions from the category "3 (or even 4) principles of OOP" and for more complicated tasks, for example, to explain what happens in the code written in a hypothetical programming language.

Queries about OOP principles, access modifiers, collections, etc., are often heard. But the fun part starts once you get to the actual language.

Java abounds with libraries that offer more flexibility, but you can also stumble on Java Core.

These are just a handful of questions about the language:

• What happens if hashCode() is not overridden when equals() is overridden?
• Why is the clone method declared as protected? What is the difference between final, finally, and finalize()? Tell us what these are.
• What happens if the only constructor of a class is declared as final?
• Tell us about all the methods of the Object class.
• What is the difference between equals() and ==?
• Abstract class and interface: is there a difference?
• When is it better to use ArrayList, and when is it better to use LinkedList?
• And so on to infinity. To become at least a Java intern, you need to know
• Java Core well. But when you understand all the subtleties of this language, you can safely move on to the study of frameworks.

English

It is a must. If things are bad - take a course. You can find some on smartyafrikaners.com. If you're okay but want to get better - an English series with subtitles to help.

Don't think that it is only needed to be able to read something like "toString" or "valueOf". Documentation, various problems whose solutions have been waiting for you on Stack Overflow for a long time, and valuable English-language materials will come in handy.

But the employer, first and foremost, wants you to be able to communicate freely with your foreign colleagues. In general, even if your dream job is in Germany before you learn "Deutsch zu sprechen", master English: it is one of the pillars of the IT field, without which you cannot become a Java developer.

IDE

IntelliJ IDEA is everyone's favorite, comfortable, "light-hearted" development environment. But it is very unhealthy, especially for beginner programmers. Once you get used to "easy" code in IntelliJ IDEA, you can hate NetBeans and Eclipse forever (and experience with the latter IDE is not rare).

Started with IntelliJ? Well, try to "break your fingers" under Eclipse: it is a valuable experience for the user of this IDE and the programmer in general. But in general, it is ideal if you master all 3 IDEs: it will broaden your resume and come in handy in life. At the same time, learn hotkeys, which will speed up code writing/testing and debugging.

Operating system

Docker came along, and somehow everything became easier all at once, but knowing MacOS and/or Ubuntu is still a priority if you want to become a Java-dev. Working with them is easier and more pleasant due to the native console with the corresponding commands.

If you look horror at console programmers' work and call them real professionals in their field, try to reach their level. Just install the right OS and use it: with time, the knowledge and skills will come by themselves.

Databases

The vast majority of companies emphasize knowledge of MySQL, the universal tool for working with databases. But knowledge doesn't mean one-day experience or "Yes, I've done this before." You have to understand queries and be able to optimize the structure. Complicated? Start by at least simply installing the DBMS and learning CRUD (create, read, update, delete). HTML, XML, JSON

HTML is a good helper for servlets, GUIs, and more. In complex architectures, Java is still used on the web, where stability is a priority. Admittedly, this is more server-side. But anyway, knowledge of the Hypertext Markup Language will not be excessive. You can read more about HTML here, and you will find more useful material for learning it in this article.

Employment tips

• Be sociable. You gain valuable contacts and new knowledge by learning communication skills and expanding your social circle. Actively participate in interviews, not shutting yourself away after another "failure.
• Do not linger in one place. Change jobs if the current company does not even offer a promotion. It is true for everyone, including beginners who are afraid of losing their first job: it is always better to move forward.
• Keep learning. As you discover new industries, technologies, and frameworks, you give yourself plenty of opportunities to break through further.
• Know how to sell yourself. Many people are shy when voicing their desired salary, even if that shyness deprives them of half of what they could earn. Be reasonable, and don't be afraid to state your expected salary level to your employer.
• Attend seminars, hackathons, and other events aimed at sharpening your skills.
• Read books, use services and solve problems (you can just answer Stack Overflow questions).
• Prioritise working for foreign companies. You can move to another country if you speak English well and your skills match the job posting.

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