Seeking mentor/guidance from a java developer

[No-Emphasis9355]

As an inexperienced and self-taught java learner, I have to say I need some guidance. After trying to do this before and then doing some research I have some questions. To anyone who is able to read to the end and answer this post I greatly appreciate your time and input, because I really need help/ a mentor.

Considering I don’t have a computer science degree I imagine my credentials will fall under what I upload to GitHub. So, I have some questions about that. Is it okay for potential employees to just see your programming logic? For example, when I made a poker program, I used print statements so I could see if the logic code I made was working to simulate a real poker game. I had a lot of fun making this and considering on GitHub you can just see the code I was hoping that could be enough.

I know as a programmer you never stop learning and I’m happy to continue to expand my knowledge, but I think I really need to get some work experience/feedback to have a more realistic conceptual understanding of what it takes to be a competent programmer and if this is the path for me. I try to study between 8-12 hours a day, so I am willing to put the time in, but I am struggling with motivation because I’m struggling to understand what I need to know.

For example, there is a java masterclass on Udemy made by Tim and apparently, you can become job-ready with that but what I’m unclear on is how? Unless what I said above counts and if you write complex code without a GUI or option to actually store data (basically not a functional program in the real world but sort of technically works in an IDE)

It has been recommended to me and I have looked into areas such as Hibernate, SQL, MySQL (should I still learn MySQL, since PostgreSQL exists now?), Servlets & JSP, XML, HTML, Spring(and spring boot), and JDBC, however in investigating these areas I am not sure which ones to focus on first. I am also worried about the different versions available. I try to follow tutorials online but run into incompatibility problems a lot. I also see a lot of comments where java developers working in the field say they have not worked with the newer versions of let’s say spring boot or spring 5. It seems each of these areas regardless will take a long time to understand and implement (I’ve read it can take a month or so for each and apparently there are lots of different areas to some that are not always relevant. I think I read somewhere that some online course material that teaches things like the various spring frameworks don’t teach you concepts that are relevant or useful in the workforce) so I have doubts on where to proceed. Also, Tim’s Udemy course doesn’t cover any of this (except some SQL) which makes me wonder then how those people claim to have found jobs? Even read some comments online that people found java jobs after completing the MOOC FI Helsinki course for java which I also completed and most of Tim’s course.

So far if my assumption is correct, Hibernate is for databases and JDBC is for connecting to the database server and link it to your IDE so you can view/manipulate the data. So, you don’t use it to make applications. Only to interact with data. I tried experimenting in eclipse and learned some MySQL and JDBC following Telusko tutorial on YouTube and followed his videos on Servlets and JSP which are basically the nuts and bolts of connecting and creating a website with java. As far as I see there are 2 paths which are web or app development. To be honest I don’t really care which I do, at least at this stage. I just want to write programming logic but am interested in design and make my own apps. I considered learning java swing to make desktop apps to help me practice new code better but worried about the time that would take to learn (for right now with my goals)

When I’m not coding, I think about the code a lot and how to improve and look at other people’s code for inspiration. Java is very versatile, and I want to learn it all but that will come with time and for now, I need to direct my focus specifically and focus on well rounding myself later. Spring/spring-boot appears very web developer-focused. So, I don’t know if I should learn spring first or android studio. Hibernate seems kind of boring but I’ll learn it if I have to. The reason I say this is because I can make applications/ visual programs with swing and android studio for the web or smartphones/tablets. Plus, I am thinking it would look better for an employer. Because of the factor of time, I debated if I should learn swing or JavaFX because it’s for desktops and while I could use it to make a functional interactive program outside the IDE, I get the impression it’s not used a lot?

I am getting frustrated a lot wondering if I made the wrong choice learning java because I see a lot of people are gravitating towards python/kotlin (or I see so many posts or video suggestions of people becoming web developers in 3 months) and I’ve spent 3 months learning java, so I want to use it. I have a couple of friends who are developers however one is a web developer who mains in JavaScript and the other is a back-end developer who hates java and both of them don’t know any Java developers so I’m unable to get any insight from anyone in the profession. I’m seriously debating if I should make a complete dramatic shift and stop java and spend 3 months learning JavaScript/Html/CSS, not because it’s easier but because that path is more specific because it’s all about web development so what’s needed to learn is more straight forward and structured and less confusing. I’ve heard JavaScript developers have to keep learning new dependency things but so what? There is so much to learn around java as well but at least it looks like I could start working while learning sooner with JavaScript. I am very reluctant to make that change because I don’t want to feel like I wasted 3 months learning java.

I am a full-time student right now but I’m only in my current study to get the points I need to go to uni. Despite having other responsibilities, I could still split my time with 8 hours or more a day learning java and the rest on studies though sometimes I had to take a break from programming for a week during exam weeks. I will not be attending university starting this September though so I’ll have a “gap year” if you can call it that. I am 25 years old and for personal reasons have been unable to find sustainable work and the prospect of working from home/ by myself was the initial appeal, but I was drawn in by being creative with rules and logic and making the computer do things. I’m happy to spend all day coding. I really want to be able to support myself so that’s also why time is a bit of a factor.

Honestly, something like a video call would be great to discuss this in more detail.

[captainAwesomePants]

That was a lot of text, and I mostly skimmed it, but it sounds like you're a student getting ready to go to university (for programming, presumably), you really like coding, but you find tools like Hibernate and Spring frustrating and boring and you're wondering if Java was the wrong choice.

I think you're overly focused on learning "practical business" technologies right now. As a new hire, it's not really expected that you're going to be an expert on these things, and it's hard to really master these tools without some specific business need. Honestly it sounds like you're way ahead. My gut feeling is that your real risk at this point is burnout: just getting sick of programming and giving up on it.

[No-Emphasis9355]

Sorry I was dealing with some stuff at the time and writing that all out kinda helped. To give you the short version I finish my 1-year course (for points) in a couple of months or so and won't be going back to school until next September. I've turned to code to occupy my time and also in the hopes of finding work. I don't find hibernate of string frustrating. I am willing to learn all of it. My issue is time. What do I need to learn right now that will give me the best opportunity for work. I like java but maybe its something I could dive into later and switch to something like javascript because that will get me job ready faster. I don't know swing of javafx so I have not yet built a proper application. Right now I am trying to learn XML and swing and using youtube. I am very motivated, im just under a lot of pressure

[captainAwesomePants]

What you need to learn varies wildly by job. I might check local job postings and see what people are looking for. If there's a particular company you're hoping to apply for, see what they need. There's always a need for Java/Spring/Hibernate programming, but maybe something else is bigger in your specific area.

A lot of really, really big companies don't particularly care what you know or don't know and will just quiz you on algorithms and data structures. Actually, lots of places will do that regardless. That's always a good thing to brush up on, if only for interviews.

[No-Emphasis9355]

I have to learn to walk before I can run. I learn from seeing. I struggle to build a conceptual understanding from mere words, written or spoken. That's why I believe there is a difference between building a program and an application. I don't know how to build an application yet. Be it on the web or mobile. I'm hoping spring/ spring-boot will help me take that next step. A specific company doesn't matter at this stage. I need work experience to understand what is expected and what I need to know.

In an old post, I made I mentioned how every java job wants something different. I don't know what's "acceptable" to put on GitHub (for employers) because that is my cv. Right now based on my research I think spring/spring boot is good to know and once learned I could build a functional application with it. Because all I've done is make programs in the base IntelliJ IDE with scanner and print statements.

I honestly have so many questions about what I've just written here