I found the Java language easy to learn (I was proficent in both C/C++ and VB) but the techno-buzz and the cumbersome number of java products made it a hard time.
Once you know Java, you face Chaos:
- may I learn how to make
Applets sing and dance?
- How about Swing / AWT? Not to mention SWT from Eclipse...
- Obviously, I
need to learn every construct of the Java languaje, now.
- Object relational mapping: Hibernate, Entity
EJB, OJB, ...
- What
IDE is better: Eclipse, NetBeans, ...
- plus other 1024 random questions.
That's what I advice:
- Learn how to make console Java apps. Learn the basics. Avoid reading a line on Applets. If you are not going to make any desktop apps, jump the AWT / Swing chapters.
- Skip streams / files. Skip socket programming.
- Learn OOP in Java. Learn
JDBC. Learn the basic APIs: java.util, the Wrapper classess, etc.
- Buy a book on
servlets / JSP.
- Learn an Object - Relational mapping package. Hibernate is relatively easy to learn.
- Focus on MVC:
Struts is easy to learn.
- From here, go to JSF and Spring.
I know it's a stupid advice, but don't get stressed. You will need at least two years to master all that stuff. So take it easy...