Introduction

This book is intended for those taking either the 1Z0-808 or 1Z0-809 Oracle Java Programmer exams as well as those who want to test their knowledge of Java 8. If you are new to Java 8, we strongly recommend you start with a study guide to learn all of the facets of the language and come back to this book once you are thinking of taking the exam.

We recommend the best-selling OCA Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer I Study Guide and OCP Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 8 Programmer II Study Guide, which we happen to be the authors of, to start in your studies. Regardless of which study guide you are using to prepare, you can use this book to hone your skills, since it is based on topics on the actual exams.

Unlike the questions in our study guides, which are designed to be harder than the real exam, the questions in this book mirror the exam format. All the questions in this book tell you how many answers are correct. They will say "Choose two" or "Choose three" if more than one answer is correct.

Throughout this book, we use the same set of assumptions that Oracle uses for its exams. In many cases, these assumptions are actually accounting for unintended omissions or type-setting errors that Oracle is directing you to ignore when solving a question focused on a particular exam objective. The assumptions are listed at http://education.oracle.com and listed here for your convenience:

• Missing package and import statements: If sample code does not include package or import statements, and the question does not explicitly refer to these missing statements, then assume that all sample code is in the same package, and import statements exist to support them.
• No file or directory path names for classes: If a question does not state the file names or directory locations of classes, then assume one of the following, whichever will enable the code to compile and run:
  • All classes are in one file.
  • Each class is contained in a separate file, and all files are in one directory.
• Unintended line breaks: Sample code might have unintended line breaks. If you see a line of code that looks like it has wrapped, and this creates a situation where the wrapping is significant (for example, a quoted String literal has wrapped), assume that the wrapping is an extension of the same line, and the line does not contain a hard carriage return that would cause a compilation failure.
• Code fragments: A code fragment is a small section of source code that is presented without its context. Assume that all necessary supporting code exists, and that the supporting environment fully supports the correct compilation and execution of the code shown and its omitted environment.
• Descriptive comments: Take descriptive comments, such as "setter and getters go here," at face value. Assume that correct code exists, compiles, and runs successfully to create the described effect.

Choosing an Exam

The first step on the road to a Java certification is the Oracle Certified Associate 1Z0-808 (OCA 8) exam. The material includes the basic day-to-day tools every Java developer should be familiar with. Once you have completed that exam, you can move on to the more difficult Oracle Certified Professional 1Z0-809 (OCP 8) exam. This includes every topic on the first exam, along with many additional libraries and APIs that you may not even be familiar with in your career, such as the Concurrency and NIO.2 APIs.

If you already hold a Java certification, you are eligible for an upgrade exam. Table I.1 and Figure I.1 show the various pathways to the OCP 8 certification title. This book will help you prepare for all four of the exams listed in the table.

TABLE I.1 Exams this book covers

• SCJP/OCJP 6
• SCJP/OCJP 5
• SCJP 1.4

FIGURE I.1 Exam prerequisites

For the OCA exam, we recommend a study plan that uses our OCA Oracle Certified Associated Java SE 8 Programmer I Study Guide along with Chapters 1 through 10 of this book. For the OCP exam, we recommend a study plan that uses our OCP Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 8 Programmer II Study Guide along with Chapters 11 through 23 of this book. That's right, this book is actually two books in one! It assists you for both the OCA and OCP exams.

Taking an Upgrade Exam

There are some subtle differences in how you should prepare if you are taking one of the upgrade exams. The good news is that if you currently hold a Java 7 OCP certification and are taking the 1Z0-810 upgrade exam, this book is all you need. While the exam contains a stronger focus on changes between Java 7 and Java 8, there aren't any new topics not covered with the existing OCP 7 material. This means you have the same study plan as those taking the OCP for the first time.

On the other hand, if you are taking the 1Z0-813 upgrade exam and hold a Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) or Oracle Certified Java Programmer (OCJP) title, then you will need additional material. This upgrade inexplicably contains material that was in the Java 7 OCP exam but removed from the Java 8 version, such as ReentrantLock and WatchService. For that, we have no explanation, although this does make the 1Z0-813 arguably the most difficult of the three OCP exams because it requires knowing everything from multiple versions of Java.

Have no fear! When we wrote our OCP Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 8 Programmer II Study Guide, we added a special 50-page appendix, Appendix C, "Upgrading from Java 6 or Earlier," which covers the topics solely on the 1Z0-813 exam in detail. If you are taking the 1Z0-813 exam, then after completing your studies with this book, you should consult our appendix in our OCP book or a Java 7 OCP study guide so that you are prepared for all of the objectives.

Considering Other Study Paths

If you already hold a Java certification, you are not required to take an upgrade exam. Some developers find it more straightforward to start with the easier 1Z0-808 OCA exam and then take the more challenging 1Z0-809 OCP exam. If you have no experience with Java 8 or just want more practice with it, taking the OCA exam followed by the OCP exam could be a better, albeit more expensive, learning experience than taking a single upgrade exam.

Also remember, if you do hold an old Java title and want to take an upgrade exam, you will need to prove it before you will be granted the OCP 8 title, even if you pass the upgrade exam. This requires registering your older certification with Oracle's CertView system. We've heard feedback from some readers who had to search through old binders and emails from over a decade ago to submit the proper documentation that allows them to be granted the OCP 8 title.

Finally, if you are new to Java certification, it is traditional to take the exams in order, with the OCA exam followed by the OCP exam. However, this is a not strict requirement. It is possible, although quite unorthodox, to take the harder OCP exam first and then circle back to take the OCA exam. In this case, you'll be granted both OCA and OCP titles upon completion of the OCA exam. While we don't recommend this strategy, Oracle does allow it.

Who Should Buy This Book

If you are looking to take the OCA 8 exam (1Z0-808), then Chapters 1 through 10 of this book are for you. And once you've passed with flying colors, you'll have the OCP material handy in case you decide to take the exam.

If you are looking to take the OCP 8 exam (1Z0-809) or OCP 8 upgrade exam (1Z0-810), then Chapters 1 through 23 of this book are for you. While Chapters 1 through 10 are primarily focused on the OCA exam, the OCP exam is cumulative. We recommend you start reviewing the OCA Chapters (1-10) to make sure you have a solid foundation and then move on to the OCP Chapters (11-23) when you are ready.

As mentioned earlier, if you are looking to take the OCP 8 upgrade exam (1Z0-813), this book will still help for the vast majority of topics. You will need to supplement this book with a Java 7 study guide or use Appendix C in our OCP book, which focuses on the precise topics on the 1Z0-813 exam that you need to know.

Regardless of which exam you plan to take, make sure to always keep your study guide handy. This book is about...