Mala Gupta - OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I Certification Guide: Prepare for the 1ZO-803 exam

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Development editor: Cynthia KaneTechnical editor: Brent WatsonTechnical proofreader: Jeanne BoyarskyCopyeditors: Tara Walsh, Bob Herbstman, Nancy Wolfe KotaryProofreader: Andy CarrollTypesetter: Dennis DalinnikIllustrator: Martin MurtonenCover designer: Marija Tudor

ISBN: 9781617291043

Printed in the United States of America

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To my pillar of strength, my best friend, and my husband, Dheeraj Prakash

Taking the OCA Java Programmer I exam is a bit like taking a driving test. First you learn the basics, like where the brakes are. Then you start driving, and then you get ready to take the driving test to get your license. The written test includes things everyone should know, things that youll never use after the road test, and some things that are tricky edge cases. While the programmer exam cares about breaks more than brakes, it certainly likes edge cases!

Consider Mala Gupta your driving instructor to get you ready for the programmer exam. Mala points out what youll need to know when programming in the real worldon your first job.

And consider this book your drivers manual. It gives you the rules of the road of Java, plus the gotchas that show up on that pesky written test. But dont worry, it is much more fun to read this book than the drivers manual. Just like the drivers manual wont teach you everything about driving, this book wont teach you everything there is to know about Java. If you havent yet, read an intro to a Java book first. Start with a book like Head First Java or Thinking in Java and then come back to this book to study for the exam.

As the technical proofreader of this book, I got to see it evolve and get better as Mala worked on it. Through the conversations we had on little things, I learned that Mala knows her stuff and is a great teacher of Java. While Ive only technical proofread a handful of books, Ive posted reviews of over 150 technical books on Amazon, which makes it easy to spot a book that isnt clear or helpful. Im happy to say that Malas explanations are all very clear, and the pointers are great.

I also got to read Malas posts in the certification forums at coderanch.com. Shes been sharing updates about the exam as it comes out and posting fairly regularly for over a year. As a senior moderator at coderanch.com, it is great to see an author sharing her wisdom. Its also nice to see the similarity in writing style between the forum posts and the book. This shows the book is readable and written in an easy-to-understand, casual style.

I particularly liked the diagrams, flow charts, and cartoons in this book. And, of course, the annotated code examples Ive come to expect from any Manning book. Each chapter ends with sample mock exam questions and there is a full mock exam at the end. This gives you good practice in getting ready for the exam. Wrong answers are well explained so you dont make the same mistakes over and over.

My favorite part of the book is the Twist in the Tale exercises. Mala gives a number of examples of how making a seemingly minor change to the code can have major consequences. These exercises develop your attention to detail so you are more observant for the mock exam questions and the exam itself.

I had already passed the OCA Java Programmer exam with a score of 98% before reading this book. If I hadnt, the questions would have prepared me for the exam. Studying from this book will give you the skills and confidence you need to become an Oracle Certified Associate Java Programmer. Happy coding and good luck on the exam!

J EANNE B OYARSKY

S ENIOR D EVELOPER & M ODERATOR

C ODE R ANCH

Java programmer certifications are designed to tell would-be employers whether you really know your stuff, and cracking the OCA Java SE 7 Programmer Certification is not an easy task. Thorough preparation is crucial if you want to pass the exam the first time with a score that you can be proud of. You need to know Java inside and out, and you need to understand the certification process so that youre ready for the challenging questions youll face in the exam.

This book is a comprehensive guide to the 1Z0-803 exam. Youll explore a wide range of important Java topics as you systematically learn how to pass the certification exam. Each chapter starts with a list of the exam objectives covered in that chapter. Throughout the book youll find sample questions and exercises designed to reinforce key concepts and prepare you for what youll see in the real exam, along with numerous tips, notes, and visual aids.

Unlike many other exam guides, this book provides multiple ways to digest important techniques and concepts, including comic conversations, analogies, pictorial representations, flowcharts, UML diagrams, and, naturally, lots of well-commented code. The book also gives insight into typical exam question mistakes and guides you in avoiding traps and pitfalls. It provides

• 100% coverage of exam topics, all mapped to chapter and section numbers
• Hands-on coding exercises, including particularly challenging ones that throw in a twist
• Instruction on whats happening behind the scenes using the actual code from the Java API source
• Mastery of both the concepts and the exam

This book is written for developers with a working knowledge of Java. My hope is that the book will deepen your knowledge, prepare you well for the exam, and that you will pass it with flying colors!

First and foremost, I thank Dheeraj Prakashmy pillar of strength, my best friend and my husband. This book wouldnt exist without his efforts. His constant guidance, encouragement, and love kept me going. He helped me to get started with this book and got me over the goal line.