FAQs for Java Certification

Over the years the need of global certification is increasingly in demand.You may be fresher or experienced, the global certification is certainly a way to take ahead your IT career. Out of many platforms, Oracle's Java platform is one of the most broadly accepted platforms in the IT industry. With more than 25 years of its existence, Java most widely used platform for all kind of application development from website to mobile apps running of cell phones. 

Oracle offers certifications to certify the developers to give them recognition about their expertise in different areas of Java platform.

Since shifting the ownership from Sun to Oracle, the path of Java certifications is augmented. There is a change in the levels of examinations, their pre-requisite etc.There are lot of confusions about which exam to appear for and which not. In this blog, we are discussing such commonly asked questions which will be helpful to solve all such FAQs.  

I am confused between Oracle Certified Associate (OCA) and the Oracle Certified Professional (OCP). What are these exams ? 

The new structure of Oracle's Java Certification is bit confusing. Oracle have introduced 2 exams OCA and OCP. Lets try to get it clear: 

• OCA is the entry-level cert for Java programmers. It is an excellent beginning point to study the very basics of the language. Normally this examination will cover basics of Object Oriented Programming questions of Java. 
• OCP is the next-level cert for Java programmers. It’s a fairly more regular exam that deals with topics like generics,  design patterns, File I/O (NIO.2), threads, JDBC, and concurrency.

To be eligible for OCP one must certify OCA, this is clear-cut certification path. The above exams do not emphasis the versions as, though new versions of Java are published the earlier exams are still preserved by Oracle for many years. Which means that you can go for any of the version of your wish.

The following tables show the exams(with exam codes) you have to do to get the OCA and OCP for Java 7 and Java 8:

Certification		Exam
OCA	Oracle Certified Associate	1Z0-803	Oracle Java SE 7 Programmer I
		1Z0-808	Oracle Java SE 8 Programmer I
OCP	Oracle Certified Professional	1Z0-804	Oracle Java SE 7 Programmer II
		1Z0-809	Oracle Java SE 8 Programmer II

Why there are Two Exams?

Earlier in pre-Java 7 there was only one exam and certification was called Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP, exam code 310-065) initially and later changed to Oracle Certified Professional Java Programmer (OCPJP, exam code 1Z0-851). This was pretty simple, and the exam was covering almost all the topics excluding topics like JDBC etc. 

What was the reason to split the certification into two examinations? On the one hand, if you think of the extensive list of topics included in the Java 6 exam, it makes sense. With just one examination, getting the certification was an overwhelming task for many people. Having two tests allows you to establish more achievable goals and also to have a first accreditation (OCA) in less time. On the other hand, now the examinations are more difficult (higher passing score and less time per question) and altogether more expensive. Have a look at below table : 

(The prices shown in below table are current prices in INR as per the dollar rate.)

Exam	Price	Passing Score	Questions	Correct Answers to Pass Exam	Duration (Minutes)	Time Per Question
Java SE 6 Programmer	11000	61%	60	>=37	150	2:30
Java SE 8 Programmer I	11000	65%	80	>=52	150	1:53
Java SE 8 Programmer II	11000	65%	85	>=55	150	1:45

Should l I opt for Java 7 or Java 8 ?

I suggest you go for the Java 8 certification, since it’s comparatively new and will keep existence the latest version of the Java Programmer certification for at least three years. The additional content you must study for the Java 8 exam concerning the Java 7 examination is not that much and however worth preparation.

I Have a Java 6 or Java 7 Cert. What should be my next step?

This is really a most discussed question. As there are many of the developers who are already SCJP 5.0/6.0 or OCPJP 7.0 certified. Of course, there is not clear instructions on this from Oracle. This entirely depends on your aims and condition. My real suggestion is as mentioned below:

• If you have a Java 6 accreditation, go for the Java 8 cert. The certification you have is suitable old, and altogether there have been significant add-ons to the Java language in its last two significant announcements.

• If you have a Java 7 certification, go for the Java 9 cert. You still have a pretty recent accreditation, and the changes presented to the Java language in Java 8 are not that significant. You should also contemplate that these kinds of exams are comparatively costly and that preparing for them needs time and effort. So what I would do is just learn about Lambda expressions and the new calendar classes to keep your Java knowledge conversant.

I am an Experienced Developer. Should I opt for Oracle Java Certification?

Again this depends on your motivation towards certification and need of the industry you are working. Even if you are experienced developer, certification will always add the value to your career. This will certainly improve your career path in IT industry. There are many clients, who prefers the certified developers to work on their projects. So, it is always better to go for certification even if you are experienced. 

Do I Need to Pay for Training to Get My Java Cert?

This depends on your skills/expertise in Java. You can find out the good training organizations with certified trainers. Generally classroom training will vary from 20 to 30 hrs sessions for single exam. You can register for such training in the well known training institutes like SEED Infotech Ltd., 

For more details please visit : 

SEED Infotech Ltd., Shahupuri, Kolhapur 02312524501, 8975754386