• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Tim Cooke
  • paul wheaton
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
Sheriffs:
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Tim Holloway
  • Roland Mueller
Bartenders:

Newly Hired Developer, have forgotten the basics

 
Greenhorn
Posts: 6
Netbeans IDE Java Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hey all,

I am not sure most if not any of you have been in this position before.. I am a newly hired dev and have not touch a line of code ( 8 months ). I did ok in college but I have noticed that I easily forget the Java basics. I know I need to just continue fiddling around more at home but I just wanted to see if I was alone in this situation or if there are others out there like me? TO my more experienced devs out here; how long did it take for you to become more comfortable with developing code, meaning not forgetting even the basics? lol I know off the wall topic but I know this place is kind to greenhorns and curiosity is killing me. Thanks for any inputs!

R/,
David
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 10198
3
Mac PPC Eclipse IDE Ubuntu
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Forgetting the basics, if you had meant the syntax, it is fine. But if you forget the concepts behind object orientation which is considered top be the basics behind java, it sounds not good.
 
Marshal
Posts: 5817
374
IntelliJ IDE Python TypeScript Java Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
David, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think it would apply to most people that if they didn't practice something for 8 months then they'd become pretty rusty. The key is to just get stuck in from this point forward. If you're worried about the basics then dig out your Java text books from college and go through them again. Perhaps set aside half an hour / an hour of uninterrupted time each day (easier said than done for some I'm sure) to just read and process. For example, I have a 40 minute train journey to and from work which I use as reading time.

If this is your first developer role since college then your employer isn't going to be expecting Java miracles from you. What they will be expecting is enthusiasm and self motivation to learn. Work with the more senior members of your new team, learn from them, and don't be afraid to get it wrong as learning from your mistakes is a powerful technique. A technique that unfortunately some more "experienced" developers have yet to master.

Good luck in your new role, and welcome to the Ranch!
 
David Bentley
Greenhorn
Posts: 6
Netbeans IDE Java Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Gentlemen, I appreciate the response and warm welcome. At my workstation now with book open and Oracle's Java page open going through the basic syntax as we speak. I feel more comfortable now because of what you both have said. I think maybe I am hard on myself and expect myself to know at least the basic syntax, which by the way is coming back to me much faster than it did before Mind recommending some good reading to keep it fresh? Thanks again!
 
Tim Cooke
Marshal
Posts: 5817
374
IntelliJ IDE Python TypeScript Java Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Book recommendations... ok here goes:

Java Language
Head First Java: Haven't read this one myself but I've heard it's a great starter.
Head First Object Oriented Analysis & Design: Again, haven't read this one but a colleague highly recommends it

Testing
Test Driven: Covers a lot of ground and isn't a particularly heavy read. I can't stress enough the importance of good testing.
Effective Unit Testing: Bit of a follow up to the last and more Java oriented in its examples.
Test-Driven Development by Example: Somewhat of a 'classic' and one of the most rewarding reads I've had in a while.

Design
Design Patterns: Every Software student should be given a copy of this when the graduate. Essential for writing good code and for being able to talk about code and designs to other developers.
Head First Design Patterns: A more beginner friendly tutorial style introduction to the most popular patterns from the above classic. Examples in Java.
Domain Driven Design: Really make you think differently about the way you design and write applications. Quite a heavy read and worth it.

Maintenance
Working Effectively with Legacy Code: This is something they don't teach you at school. How to deal with somebody else's mess! A treasure trove of techniques to help you make the most of a bad code situation.
Refactoring: A Martin Fowler classic. A book full of patterns to help you change your code for the better without breaking it.

Also, keep an eye out locally for any events going on in your area. Seminars, workshops, techie meetups, etc etc. A great way to learn and get exposure to what's going on in other companies around you, and there's usually beer. Which is always a plus.
 
Rancher
Posts: 2759
32
Eclipse IDE Spring Tomcat Server
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

David Bentley wrote:I think maybe I am hard on myself and expect myself to know at least the basic syntax, which by the way is coming back to me much faster than it did before



It's like riding a bike. You never really forget it.

Are they expecting you to build something from scratch? or do they have "templates" of code that someone has already worked on? Usually, we give junior devs template code to replicate, or atleast skeleton code to fill in. This gives them a nice yellow brick road to walk on.
 
David Bentley
Greenhorn
Posts: 6
Netbeans IDE Java Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Tim, thanks for the list of recommendations, I will be looking for these in the near future. Do you know if any of them are free electronically?

It really is like a bike, but I def have to put the training wheels back on for now haha. Oh and to answer your question, haven't done a single line of Java code so far. I have been doing documentation but not even in the aspect of software, it is more on the system engineering level.
 
Tim Cooke
Marshal
Posts: 5817
374
IntelliJ IDE Python TypeScript Java Linux
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Free electronic versions? Possibly but none that I know of.

These guys (http://sourcemaking.com/) have a pretty nifty website with sections on:
- Design Patterns
- Antipatterns
- Refactoring
- UML

All valuable stuff. I mention this site specifically as the Refactoring section is essentially a reproduction of Martin Fowler's Refactoring book, and pretty much a verbatim reproduction at that.
 
author & internet detective
Posts: 42103
933
Eclipse IDE VI Editor Java
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Most of those are recent books. They aren't going to have free versions.

If your goal is free, you can use websites and free books such as "Thinking in Java." Or go to the library and borrow a book.
 
Jeanne Boyarsky
author & internet detective
Posts: 42103
933
Eclipse IDE VI Editor Java
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Also, see if your co-workers have any books you can borrow.
 
David Bentley
Greenhorn
Posts: 6
Netbeans IDE Java Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:Also, see if your co-workers have any books you can borrow.



They said that the book I have from university is more up to date than what they have lol, I have Deitel "Java How to Program", Eighth Ed.
 
Joe San
Ranch Hand
Posts: 10198
3
Mac PPC Eclipse IDE Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I use Kindle and most of the books are a bit cheap and also of good quality with the kindle version. You might want to try it!
 
David Bentley
Greenhorn
Posts: 6
Netbeans IDE Java Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Joe Harry wrote:I use Kindle and most of the books are a bit cheap and also of good quality with the kindle version. You might want to try it!



I'll have to check the play store for some good reads as well. I may need to invest in a kindle cause reading off a tab hurts after awhile lol
 
Bartender
Posts: 2407
36
Scala Python Oracle Postgres Database Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
You might want to check out Clean Code by "Uncle" Bob Martin, and The Productive Programmer by Neal Ford, which are full of useful tips for improving your practice as a professional programmer. These are both small enough to read on the bus/train and fit in your work bag, and you might even be able to teach your new colleagues a few things!
 
Bartender
Posts: 1051
5
Hibernate Eclipse IDE Chrome
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
David

I would avoid the Deitel series, I recall them being near to useless when I was at uni. The best series in my opinion are the Core Java books

http://www.horstmann.com/corejava.html

And when you come to Java EE, there is an old edition of Core Servlets and Java Server Pages available here:

http://pdf.coreservlets.com/
 
With a little knowledge, a cast iron skillet is non-stick and lasts a lifetime.
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic