10 Skills Java Programmers Must Learn to Accelerate Their Career in 2021

As the world of technology gears up to meet the emergent requirements of the new normal in 2021, a lot is expected from software developers concerning pioneering the transformation. Therefore, going into this year, both Core and Web Java developers can reasonably anticipate a slew of new opportunities arising. To brace themselves for these challenges, programmers must sharpen their existing skills and hone new ones. 

We are listing below ten skills that would be crucial to accelerate your career as a Java Programmer in 2021. This list is for you if you are pretty well-versed at coding, programming, and familiar with networking and web development.

1. Software Design and Architecture

Becoming a solution architect requires possessing an eagle's eye perspective on the problem at hand so that you can then devise the exemplary architecture and technology stack needed to address it. Since software design and architecture are critical to software development, improving your focus on them would undoubtedly enhance your repertoire.

 2. DevOps and Containers

Currently, businesses are increasingly deploying DevOps to improve their organizational agility. Therefore, being familiar with the Java-based open-source automation tool Jenkins is a valuable asset to have for any developer today.  

Similarly, managing containerized applications has become an essential part of software development at present. And knowing your way around tools such as Docker and Kubernetes will immensely help you boost your career prospects this year. 

3. Performance Tuning

Improving your knowledge about JVM internals, GC behavior, and Java performance tuning are a few keystones that every Java developer should make a point to explore as they advance in their careers. Learning the finer details about Java's fundamentals would enable you to profile and fine-tune your applications at a microscopic level and deepen your expertise.

4. Network Programming

Another aspect of programming that you need to revisit and improve in 2021 is socket and networking programming. Being abreast with Java networking and socket programming fundamentals could come in handy, even if you are already working with JSP, JSF, or Servlet. The more adept at socket programming you are, the greater the range of projects you can work on.  

Want to read about "Java projects for beginners"?‍

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5. Design Patterns‍

Learning design patterns will help you solve common problems in coding, particularly if you are developing a Java application from scratch. Not only can they improve clarity and make the code more accessible to colleagues, but they can also make your code more versatile and amenable to alterations.

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‍6. Unit testing‍

Unit testing is one skill that sets apart the best Java developers from the rest. In 2021, unit, automated, and integration testing abilities will be vital additions to your skillset. To truly take your unit testing skills to the next level, try master testing libraries such as Mockito, PowerMock, etc. If you are still a rookie at unit testing, we highly recommend signing up for an online crash course on Mockito. ‍

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7. APIs and Libraries
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Furthering your understanding of the Java ecosystem has a lot to do with finding your way around APIs and libraries. It would be impossible to know them all, but acquainting yourself with a few important ones such as JSON processing APIS: Jackson and Gson, the XML processing APIs: JAXB and Xerces, along with the unit testing libraries such as Mockito and JUnit we mentioned earlier is essential.
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8. Kotlin and other languages‍

Learning a new programming language like Kotlin might be the next big step for the coder in you. For instance, Kotlin, created by JetBrains, was chosen by Google as the official language for Android development in 2017. Not only is Kotlin way more economical with code, but it has also been credited with improving programming clarity and productivity across teams. ‍

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9. Microservices‍

Since companies are bound to be experimenting with architectures in this transformative phase, learning to create microservices in Java could be a huge advantage for young developers today. Make sure you explore the Spring framework, which includes Spring Cloud and Spring Boot if you're interested in microservice development in Java.
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10. Java 12 to 15‍

Learning the new features that Java has released in recent years would give you a huge leg up in 2021. Features like Jigsaw, Reactive Streams, and API enhancements have great potential, and incorporating them into your coding will massively help you stand out as a developer.

If you would like to register for a course that would cover all these and more, apply to the Java programming course at Cogent University today.