Hello folks, If you are a computer science graduate or a programmer who wants to learn Java, or someone who wants to start programming with Java, and looking for some awesome resources like books, tutorials, and online courses, then you have come to the right place.
Being a Java developer for the last 15 years and author of one of the popular Java blogs, Javarevisited (yes, I have been writing Java articles since 2010), I often receive requests for recommendations and learning resources.
In the past, I have shared some great books and tutorials to learn Java and in this article, I am going to share some of the best Java courses beginners can join to learn Java.
One of the main problems with learning Java is keeping pace with the increasing number of releases. For example, Java 8 was released in 2014, which completely changed how Java is written and after that, we have a new Java version every six months.
Before you can start with Java 9 and Java 10, you realize Java 17 is coming. But the good thing is that the core of Java is still the same and all its releases are backward compatible.
If you are learning Java first time, then it's very important to choose an online course that is up-to-date, otherwise, you will be left behind in the job market and your day-to-day programming job with outdated skills.
But, before that, let me first congratulate you on making an excellent decision of learning Java, one of the most popular mainstream programming languages in the world.
The Java Programming language is been around for more than 20+ years now and it has expanded its reach to almost every single field, from small mobile apps to large banking applications running on major Investment banks.
Java is mainly used as a server-side language to create high-performance, low latency servers to handle complex tasks. Java is really big on Investment banks which uses it to write end-to-end trading applications like front-office applications for trade capture, middle office applications to handle booking and allocation, and back-office applications for sending confirmations.
Another area where Java really shines is for creating Android applications. Though Google has now declared Kotlin as the official language for Android app development, Java is still quite big and there is no sign of any slowdown in coming years.
My Favorite Best and Free Online Courses to Learn Java for Beginners
In this article, I have curated some of the best Java online courses from popular online learning websites like Coursera, Udemy, and Pluralsight, which are both comprehensive and up-to-date but at the same time suitable for beginners. Btw, I also review courses and get paid if one of you buys the course from the link in this article.
Without any further ado, here are them:
1. The Complete Java Masterclass [Udemy]
This is probably the most popular Java course on Udemy with over 207,000 students enrolled in this course.
It has got more than 40K 4.6 ratings which speak a lot about its quality but the most important thing I like about this course is that instructor has frequently updated it to include changes from Java 8 and Java 9.
It's a comprehensive course with over 72 hours of material and you will learn all major things a Java developer should know like data structure, OOP, Core Java Fundamentals, Java Collections, MultiThreading, File IO, Networking, Database, Java 8, Unit Testing and recent Java changes.
The instructor Tim Buchalka is also a famous Java instructor in Udemy and that shows enormous social proof associated with this course. Every single concept is explained in detail and you will learn the concept one program at a time.
You will not only learn concepts but also tools that are free like Eclipse, Maven, etc, and essential for Java development.
In short, one of the most complete courses to learn Java and suitable for beginners as well as Java developers who are starting Java after a long time like last seen Java code before JDK 1.5.
Learn more: The Complete Java MasterClass
2. Object-Oriented Programming in Java Specialization
This Coursera Specialization is for aspiring software developers with some programming experience in at least one other programming language (e.g., Python, C, JavaScript, etc.) who want to be able to solve more complex problems through objected-oriented design with Java.
In addition to learning Java, you will gain experience with two Java development environments (BlueJ and Eclipse), learn how to program with graphical user interfaces, and learn how to design programs capable of managing large amounts of data.
Here is the link to learn more - Object-Oriented Programming in Java Specialization
3. Java Programming for Complete Beginners [Updated for Java 16]
This is a relatively new course to learn Java in Udemy and that's why it's also most up-to-date. It uses tools like JShell which is introduced in Java 9 to teach you how to program in Java. No doubt, it's a great tool and really makes trying stuff in Java pretty easy.
The course structure is also very good and follows a step-by-step teaching method. I like the instructor's approach and teaching style, Having gone through some of his Spring courses in the past.
The course is also very comprehensive and covers all important Java concepts like Java basics, Object-Oriented Programming, Java Collections, Generics, Multithreading and Concurrency, Functional Programming Networking, File handling, and Exception handling.
Once you have gone through a course you would be very comfortable reading and writing Java programs and should also feel confident to take any Java interview, if you are learning Java to get a job.
In short, an excellent and most up-to-date Java course as of now and the best thing is it's free at the time of writing.
In Udemy, the instructor keeps their course for free some time to achieve their promotional target, after that it's converted into a paid course. So, join it now before it becomes a paid course.
Once you are enrolled in the course you will have free lifetime access to all its chapters and associated materials.
Learn more: Java Programming for Complete Beginners ---In 250 Steps
4. Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization Certificate on Coursera
Designed for beginners, this Specialization will teach you core programming concepts and equip you to write programs to solve complex problems. In addition, you will gain the foundational skills a software engineer needs to solve real-world problems, from designing algorithms to testing and debugging your programs.
The specialization contains 4 courses covering Object Oriented Programming in Java, Data Structure, Advanced-Data Structure, and also covers the Mastering the Software Engineering Interview course.
All the courses in this specialization are free-to-audit but you would need to pay money if you need a certificate which is not a bad deal.
Here is the link to join this course - Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization
5. Java In-Depth: Become a Complete Java Engineer!
This is another awesome Java course on Udemy which you can use to learn Java from scratch. It's a fantastic course and lived with the tile "In-Depth.”
The Instructor has very good knowledge of Java, and his explanation is awesome, which makes learning more interesting.
Like the previous Java course, this is also a very detailed and comprehensive course and covers the majority of Java topics a beginner wants to learn e.g., variables, methods, classes, collections, data structures, threads, networking, etc.
On the Downside of the course, it's mainly a slide-based course with some code examples here and there. A few more code examples, preferably with new tools like JShell will really help.
Learn more: Java In-Depth: Become a Complete Java Engineer!
6. The Complete Java Developer Course
Though Java has changed a lot from Java SE 8, it doesn't change much in Java 9 and Java 10, hence the course which covers Java 8 syntax is good and this is one of such courses.
Like the previous two courses, this course also covers all essential Java topics like Variables, methods, control statements, loops, arrays and Strings, object-oriented programming, file handling, database, multithreading, collections, etc.
It also covers functional programming and Java 8 new features along with Java FX, which allows you to create GUI-based Java applications, much like Swing. You will even learn to build a complete Tic-Tac-Toe game in this course. In short, a good course to start with Java programming from scratch.
Learn more: The Complete Java Developer Course
7. Java Fundamentals: The Java Language - Pluralsight
This is a great Java course for beginners on Pluralsight. You will learn the basics of Java, Class, Object, Data Types, Threads, Files, Error handling, and other core Java concepts.
The instructor Jim Wilson is an experienced software engineer with more than 30 years of experience under his belt.
In short, a good course to learn Java from a beginner’s point of view. It provides complete coverage of Java Programming language and servers as found for all Java-based development jobs e.g., server-side development and client-side developing, including Android apps.
Learn more: Java Fundamentals: The Java Language
Btw, you need a Pluralsight membership to access this course. A monthly subscription cost around $29 per month but also give access to more than 500+ course, which is worth money.
Sometimes, Pluralsight also runs promotions where you can get the annual membership is just $199 and that's how I got last year during December, but, nevertheless, Pluralsight membership is essential if you would like to keep your skill up-to-date.
6. Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization Certificate - Coursera on Coursera
Designed for beginners, this Specialization will teach you core programming concepts and equip you to write programs to solve complex problems.
In addition, you will gain the foundational skills a software engineer needs to solve real-world problems, from designing algorithms to testing and debugging your programs.
The specialization contains 4 courses covering Object Oriented Programming in Java, Data Structure, Advanced-Data Structure, and also covers the Mastering the Software Engineering Interview course.
All the courses in this specialization are free-to-audit but you would need to pay money if you need a certificate which is not a bad deal.
Here is the link to join this course - Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization
8. Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software
This is an awesome course on Coursera for learning to code in Java and improving your programming and problem-solving skills. You will learn to design algorithms as well as develop and debug programs.
Using custom open-source classes, you will write programs that access and transform images, websites, and other types of data. At the end of the course, you will build a program that determines the popularity of different baby names in the US over time by analyzing comma-separated value (CSV) files.
There is financial aid is also available for this course and you will get a certificate if you complete this course.
Here is the link to learn more -Java Programming: Solving Problems with Software
9. Intro to Java Programming - Course for Absolute Beginners [FreeCodecamp]
And, now, a free course for those who love to learn on Youtube. This free Java course is a great resource for any beginner who wants to learn Java. This 3.5 hours long course is completely free and it’s available on Freecodecamp's Youtube channel, one of my go-to resources to learn development skills for free.
This is a complete Java course meant for absolute beginners. No prior programming experience is required. It will teach you Java coding on Eclipse, which you can also download for FREE.
Here are the topics covered in this course:
⭐️ Course Contents ⭐️ ⌨️ (0:00:00) Introduction ⌨️ (0:06:18) Variables & Data Types ⌨️ (0:17:55) Basic Operators ⌨️ (0:29:36) Input and Scanners ⌨️ (0:38:40) Conditions and Booleans ⌨️ (0:49:54) If/Else/Else If ⌨️ (1:00:08) Nested Statements ⌨️ (1:07:18) Arrays ⌨️ (1:15:29) For Loops ⌨️ (1:24:46) For Loops (Continued) ⌨️ (1:34:10) While Loops ⌨️ (1:40:50) Sets and Lists ⌨️ (1:55:25) Maps & HashMaps ⌨️ (2:07:46) Maps Example ⌨️ (2:16:09) Introduction to Objects ⌨️ (2:29:05) Creating Classes ⌨️ (2:44:06) Inheritance ⌨️ (2:57:50) What Does STATIC Mean? ⌨️ (3:07:02) Overloading Methods & Object Comparisons ⌨️ (3:17:37) Inner Classes ⌨️ (3:25:23) Interfaces ⌨️ (3:37:32) Enums
Here is the link to watch this youtube course, you can also watch it right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoXwIVyNvX0
That's all about some of the best courses to learn Java online from scratch. There are a lot of opportunities for Java developers and once you know Java you will be in high demand. You can join investment banks which does a lot of Java development, or you can become a mobile application developer by writing games and apps for the Android platform.
You just chose your domain, there will be no shortage of opportunities to give Java's popularity and penetration into the software development world.
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Closing Notes
Thanks for reading this article so far. You might be thinking that there is so much stuff to learn, so many courses to join, but you don't need to worry.
There is a good chance that you may already know most of the stuff, and there are also a lot of useful free resources which you can use; I have also linked them here and there along with the best resources, which are certainly not free, but worth of money.
I am a particular fan of Udemy courses, not just because I will get paid when you buy one of these courses but because they are very affordable and provide a lot of value in a very small amount, but you are free to choose the course you want.
At the end of the day, you should have enough knowledge and experience about the things mentioned here.
Good luck with your Java journey! It's certainly not going to be easy, but by following this roadmap and guide, you are one step closer to becoming the Java Developer you always wanted to be.
If you like this article, then please consider following me on Twitter javinpaul. If you'd like to be notified of every new post and don't forget to follow javarevisited on Twitter!
P. S. --- If you are looking for some free resources to start with, then you can also check out this list of 10 FREE Java Courses for Beginners, which contains some of the amazing online courses to learn Java from a beginner’s perspective.