10 Tools Java Developers Should Learn in 2019

We are just a week away to 2019 and many programmers have already started making
a good process to their goals for 2019, which is very good, but if you are someone, who
is still not sure what to learn in 2019 then you have come to the right place. In past, I
have shared 10 things Java developers to learn in 2019 and last week I published top 5
Java Frameworks to learn, but there is one topic which kept coming from my readers.
The question which I have received this week a couple of times form my fellow Java
developers and readers is which tools Java programmers should learn in 2019? or what
are some good Java tools used in application development? and finally, what should I
learn in 2019? I have been answering this question by writing blog posts e.g. 10 Testing
Tools Java developers should learn in 2019 and in this article, I am going to share some
of the best Java tools you can learn in 2019.

Btw, this list is not the mandatory list of Java tools because I have not included essential
tools like IDEs, Unit testing library, embedded web servers, and in-memory database,
for that you should read my article 10 Java development tools you should know.

This article is mainly about some basic and advanced tools Java programmers
should learn in 2019. Even though I have been using Java from a long time, I have not
used many of these tool or I may have some idea but haven't mastered these tools,
hence, I have listed them here so that I can also get a chance to learn them in 2019.

If you are an experienced Java developer with 5 to 10 years of experience, you might
be familiar with these tools but if you are not then 2019 is a good time to start learning
these tools.

As saying goes, a Programmer is as good as its tools, if you want to become a better
programmer, one of the most important tip is to learn tools of your trade.

Which tools Java Programmers Should Learn in 2019?

There are so many tools exists in Java world, starting from famous IDEs like Eclipse,
NetBeans, and IntelliJ IDEA to JVM profiling and monitoring tools like JConsole,
VisualVM, Eclipse Memory Analyzer etc, which Java developers should know.

Though, in this article, I am focusing on general tools which are applicable to every
kind of Java developers e.g. both core Java Java and Web developers.

One such tool is the JIRA which is must know for experienced developers, especially if
your team is following Agile practices like Sprint, Scrum, and Kanban. JIRA provides all
the tools you need to manage your Agile projects.

Btw, the list is by no means complete and if you know some good tools Java
programmer should learn then please share with us in the comments section.

1. JIRA
The JIRA from Atlassian is one of the most important tools in the current world of Agile
development. It is used for bug tracking, issue tracking, and project management.

If you are following Agile development methodology e.g. Sprint and Scrum then you
must know JIRA. It allows you to create Spring cycles and track the progress of your
software development.

If you aspire to become Scrum Master, I strongly suggest you master JIRA and
the Learn JIRA with real-world examples is a good place to start with.

It not only teaches basic and advanced feature of JIRA but also gives you a good
introduction of Confluence.

There is no doubt that JIRA is the best tool for the Agile practitioner. If you love Agile
and want to master Agile principles and practices then you can also check out this list
of free Agile courses to start with.

2. Git
Git is one more essential tool for Java programmer. It is a free and open source
distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very
large projects with speed and efficiency.
Git is easy to learn and has a tiny footprint with the lightning-fast performance but
unfortunately, I haven't worked on Git extensively.

I have used Git to download open source projects and examples from Github using
Eclipse but I have yet to master the Git command line and that's why I have set this as a
goal to learn in 2019.

I have already bought the Git Ultimate course form Udemy in just 10$ on their last flash
sale and looking forward to learning it as soon as time permits.

If you also decide to learn Git, you can join this course too. Udemy is having a flash sale
again from 1sst January to 11th January where you can buy this online course in just
10$.

I generally buy a lot of courses when they run a flash sale and then take them whenever
I have free time. Since Udemy gives you lifetime access, of course, you can learn at
your own pace.

Btw, if you prefer free resources then you can also see this list of free Git courses for
programmers. They are actually quite good as compared to some other paid courses.

3. Jenkins
Jenkins is an open source automation server written in Java. It helps to automate the
non-human part of software development process e.g. compiling projects, running unit
tests, integration tests, generating documentation and uploading artifacts on both local
and remote repository.
It's one of the most popular tools for continuous integration and implementing
continuous delivery in your project. If you have yet to start with Jenkins then there is no
better time than 2019 and no better course than Master Jenkins CI for DevOps and
Developers, you will hit two birds with one stone.

If you like free stuff, then I also have a collection of free Jenkins courses which you can
check out to start learning Jenkins in your spare time.

4. Selenium
Selenium is one of the best software-testing frameworks for web applications. It
provides a playback tool for authoring tests without the need to learn a test scripting
language. Java developers can use Selenium to test their HTML and JSP files.

It also provides a variety of tools and libraries for web browser automation. If you are in
automation and testing space then Selenium is must for you. If you decide to learn
Selenium in 2019 then Selenium Web Driver with Java is a good course to start with.
If you prefer free resources e.g. free online courses then you can also check out this list
of free Selenium Web Driver courses for Java developers to start with. These are
actually some paid courses which their instructor made free for promotional and
education purpose.

5. Groovy
If there is one language Java developer should learn in 2019 then it should be Groovy,
why? because it complements Java. You can do a lot more in your Java project using
Groovy than just sticking to plain Java.

You can use it write build scripts, test scripts and can even use popular frameworks like
Gradle and Spock.

By the way for those who don't know Apache Groovy is an object-oriented programming
language for the Java platform.

It is a dynamic language with features similar to those of Python, Ruby, Perl, and
Smalltalk and it extends Java by providing concise and powerful syntax. If you are
absolutely new to Groovy then The Complete Apache Groovy Developer Course is a
good place to start.
Btw, if you like to learn from books then online courses then you can also take a look at
this list of Groovy Books to master this powerful tool.

6. Spock
Spock is a testing and specification framework for Java and Groovy applications. What
makes it stand out from the crowd is its beautiful and highly expressive specification
language.

Thanks to its JUnit runner, Spock is compatible with most IDEs, build tools, and
continuous integration servers.

It's a good tool to learn in 2019, especially if you want to improve your unit testing skill,
which is a very important step in becoming a good developer. If you decide to invest
some time in Spock framework then Learn Automation with Gen and Spock from
Udemy is a good place to start with.
But, if you like books, then Java Testing with Spock is a seriously good choice to start
with these powerful automation testing framework.

7. Maven
If you are an experienced Java developer then you should already know Maven, but if
you are a fresher or Java developer with 1 to 2 years of experience then it's a good tool
to learn in 2019. Apache Maven is a build and project management tool.

Based on the concept of a project object model (POM), Maven can be used to manage
project's build, reporting, and documentation from a central piece of information.
Another useful feature of Maven is dependency management.

Since we use a lot of third-party libraries in Java project, managing each of those JAR
and their dependency manually can be very troublesome, Maven solves that problem by
automatically downloading right JAR for you.

If you are a complete beginner in Maven then the Maven Fundamentals from
Pluarlsight is a good course to start with.
If you prefer free resources e.g. books and courses then you can also check out this list
of free Maven Courses for Java developers to start your journey.

8. Gradle
Gradle is another open-source build automation system that uses the best ideas
of Apache Ant and Apache Maven and takes it to the next level. It's also the default
build tool for Android.

It introduces a Groovy-based domain-specific language (DSL) instead of the XML used

by Apache Maven for declaring the project configuration, which makes it easier to
configure project dependencies and customize it based on your need.

Why you choose Gradle over Ant or Maven? Well, because it combines the best
features from other build tools e.g. it has flexibility and control of Ant, dependency
management of Ivy, convention over configuration and plugins of Maven and on top of
that it users Groovy DSL on top of Ant. This makes it the best build tool for Java
projects.

If you decide to learn Gradle in 2019 and you're new to project automation or haven't
used a build tool before then Gradle Foundations: A Crash Course to Gradle is a
good place to start.
If you prefer to learn from a book than online courses then Gradle in Action book is a
good place to start.

9. Docker
Docker is an open-source tool for automating the deployment of applications on the
cloud or physical servers. It allows developers and system admins to build, ship, and
run distributed applications, whether on laptops, data center VMs, or the cloud.

Docker works in collaboration with the cloud, Linux, and Windows vendor and many
companies focusing on IT automation, Docker is nicely poised to take advantage of that.

If you are thinking to learn a new technology in 2019, invest your time in Docker for the
Absolute Beginner course, which teaches Docker with hands-on coding exercises.
If you like to learn from free resources e.g. books and courses then you can also check
out this list of free Docker Courses for Java developers, which contains a lot of useful
information.

10. Linux
If you don't know Linux then this should be the first thing you learn in 2019. It's one of
those skills which you should have learned in college but its never too late. It's also the
kind of technology and skill which will serve you for a long time.

The Linux Command Line Basics from Udemy is a good starting point for both
beginners and intermediate Linux users.

You can purchase this course in just $10 on Udemy's Flash sale which it runs multiple
times on the year. You can check the Udemy website to see if they are running any sale
right now, chances are that they will.
Btw, if you like free resources then you can also check out this list of free Linux
courses to start your journey.

That's all about the tools Java developers should learn in 2019. It's been said that
you are as good as your tools are and that's true. I have found a strong correlation
between good programmers knows more tool and they know their tool better than the
average programmer. If you are taking your career seriously and looking to improve
your tools and knowledge in 2019 then invest some time learning some of the tools
mentioned in this article.