Among various programming languages Java occupies its rightful pride of a place heading the list of most sought after and widely used ones. It’s one of the best tools to develop different kinds of software. Aside from its universality, Java keeps winning more and more popularity among programmers, which helps it not fall behind in time. This year’s surveys speak with one voice that modern software development companies tend to see Java as a top priority language for software development.

Despite the ever-growing demand for Java developers, far not every job seeker gets a good position as the requirements for candidates are getting higher. To keep up, Java developers should constantly upgrade their knowledge and skills, stay on top of the latest trends and technologies. Let’s get acquainted with the hottest trends in the Java world nowadays.

Technologies to be aware of
In Java, there are myriad frameworks and libraries that make it easier to create various applications. And the Java language itself allows you to write code without thinking about minor things. But this doesn’t mean you don’t need to know about them. To stay in demand and raise the rate of Java expertise, one should be familiar with the following technologies:

Web frameworks such as Spring MVC, Vaadin, and JSF. The latest researches show that experienced Java developers are more likely to use at least one web framework.
Build tools (Ant, Maven, Gradle, etc.).
Persistence frameworks like Hibernate, JPA or iBatis to automate data storage into databases.
Java application servers (WebSphere, Tomcat, JBoss, etc.) used as containers for hosting Java-based web applications.

• JSTL which encompasses the entire functionality that is common to many JSP applications.
• Testing frameworks for Java, e.g. JUnit.
• AJAX, a technique to develop advanced,fast and more interactive web applications using XML, HTML, CSS, JavaScript.
• Version control tools.

A skilled Java developer not only knows how to use different technologies and tools, but is also aware of what algorithms and data structures are behind them.

Trends to keep pace with this year
Software development technologies are constantly changing, and it’s quite possible that by the time you get acquainted with some framework, it may become totally obsolete and new technologies or tools with a greater set of features may be introduced. Take a look at the most popular Java tools that we have shortlisted.

• Java 8 is the most common version.
• The most widely used web frameworks are Spring MVC and Spring Boot.
• Apache Tomcat and Jetty are the most popular application servers.
• Maven and Gradle are chosen as the most convenient build systems.
• Most programmers use IntelliJ-based and Eclipse-based IDEs.

The issues that can’t be solved by using your current instruments may be easily handled with the help of the new ones. So, never forget to follow modern Java trends and keep yourself updated about what is going out of usage and what is coming in.

Skills to level-up
Knowledge of technologies and trends is a must, but the members of a Java development team should possess some skills that will definitely boost their career. In fact, there are a number of things to learn and practice to qualify for a position of a Java developer.

Fluenсy in coding. A skillful Java developer is capable of coding in Java and using Java Enterprise (Java Beans, Java Server Pages). He/she also knows such technologies as HTML, CSS, and databases.

Understanding object-oriented programming principles. For an object-oriented language like Java, the knowledge of how to apply OOP principles is a requirement. One should demonstrate proficiency in object modeling, inheritance, polymorphism and design patterns to design applications in an object-oriented way.

Records management. Knowing how to write and read the documentation, a seasoned Java developer can speed up the progress and get more qualitative results. Be familiar with the core development methodologies. The choice of the development methodology nowadays is the customer’s prerogative. So, developers should know at least Agile (Scrum and XP) and Waterfall to be on the same wavelength with their clients.

Conclusion
The whole is always the sum of its smaller parts. So this is not just theory and practice that make a good Java developer, but a smart combination of these attributes. Choosing a career option, programmers expect to work on well-paid and interesting projects to perfect their skills as well as get regular promotions. You’re moving in the right direction if Java is the means for the realization of your full potential.