Dinesh on Java

Oracle Certifications are considered as one of the most valuable certifications in the digital world. It also offers certification courses in JAVA programming. There are two major courses related to JAVA programming; one is for the beginner level programmers, OCAJP while the other one is at the advanced level, OCPJP which is for professionals.

The syllabus of OCAJP contains all the basics of JAVA programming, and OCPJP is course covering the part after the basics for which the person must have a strong hold on the basics. Together these two Java certifications make a developer a professional JAVA programmer. These courses are of high value to both the programmers and to the companies and industries looking for programmers to work with.

If you are planning to appear in any of the two courses, there will be a million questions coming in your mind. We cannot answer all your queries, but we can surely provide you the answers to the most frequently asked questions. Hopefully, these top ten frequently asked questions will help you understand the syllabus, exam type, and preparation methods.

Here are the top ten FAQs for OCAJP and OCPJP Certification exams:

1. What is the eligibility criterion for appearing in OCAJP and OCPJP exam?

If you are worried that you are not eligible to appear in the OCAJP exam due to your qualifications or your lack of knowledge, good news for you is that there is no eligibility criterion for appearing in the OCAJP exam. Anyone who has an interest in JAVA programming can take the course and appear in the exam. While to appear in the OCPJP exam, it is necessary to pass the OCAJP exam. As you must know that OCPJP is a continuation of the OCAJP course which deals with the basics of JAVA. Without the proper understanding of the basics, it is impossible for one to appear in the advanced version, which is the OCPJP certification exam.

2. What are the key differences in OCAJP and OCPJP exams?

The key difference between OCAJP and OCPJP is the level of the course. OCAJP covers the basics of JAVA programming which are important to be understood before moving further in this field. While OCPJP exam is the second step after a programmer becomes an expert in the basic level, this is the course which makes a JAVA programmer a professional JAVA programmer. It can be said that OCPJP exam is tougher than the OCAJP exam. But if a programmer is good with the basics, it will become a tool for the preparation of OCPJP exam. It is necessary to pass the OCAJP exam to appear in the OCPJP exam.

3. What are the benefits of being JAVA SE8 certified?

As already discussed, Oracle certifications are well-known all over the industry and companies. After passing the basic level OCAJP exam and the professional level OCPJP exam, a programmer is capable of doing wonders in the world of programming. Due to this, the worth of a programmer is raised and so does the payroll. Being certified will give you an elevated status among other programmers. There are hundreds of jobs for JAVA developers all around the world, especially in the United States and India. Being JAVA SE8 certified officially makes you a better programmer than all others who do not have this certification and the probability of you getting better jobs is higher.

4. To become JAVA certified, is it necessary to appear in two exams?

Yes, it is necessary to appear in two exams to become a certified JAVA programmer. Only passing the OCAJP exam (1Z0-803) will not make you a certified JAVA programmer. In any case, you must appear in two exams to gain certification. However, after passing OCAJP exam, there are two options available for you. These two options are; one can either appear in the IZO-810 exam which is commonly known as Upgrade Java SE 7 to Java Se 8 OCP Programmer or one can appear in the OCPJP 8 (IZO-809) exam to become a certified professional JAVA programmer. One must understand that just appearing in one exam won’t make them become certified.

5. How to prepare for OCAJP and OCPJP exams?

Here are some tips that can help you prepare well for the exams:
(i) Practice:
The most important key to the door to success is practice. Practice makes a man perfect. It is recommended that a person appearing in the OCAJP or OCPJP exam must write programs in the JAVA syntax for practice. This does not only contribute to making one a pro at writing programs but also helps them understand the code sense, read codes and get familiar with the JAVA syntax, which is essential for clearing the JAVA exams.

(ii) Study Guide:
It is suggested that a person appearing in the JAVA certification exams must take help from the study guide to pass the exams with a good score. The benefits of taking help from the study guide are that it covers all exam topics and the pattern of the exam is clearly mentioned in the guide.

6. Is it necessary to use an exam simulator for the preparation of JAVA exams?

Exam simulator is an essential tool for preparing for JAVA certification exams. However, it is not mandatory, and it is entirely your choice to use it or not. It is an extra tool for people who wish to achieve a high score in the exam instead of just passing it. This helps in time management by providing an actual examination scenario.

7. What kinds of questions are asked in the OCAJP and OCPJP exams?

The questions are a combination of multiple choice questions and fill in the blanks. The questions are divided into three sections. One section is based on the coding in which the output of the given code will be asked, the second section will comprise of questions that will cover the theory, and the third section is based on API questions. The study guide can be referred to understand the types of questions in a better way.

8. If one fails in the exam, is there a chance that the same candidate can retake the exam?

Yes, if a candidate fails in an OCPJP exam, there is an option of re-take. For re-appearing in the exam, the whole registration procedure must be carried out all over again. There is a waiting period of 14 days before which one cannot register to re-appear in the exam. Sometimes, a discount is offered to the candidates who are re-appearing in the exam, so do check if there is a discount available at the time you are registering again.

9. What is the registration process of OCAJP and OCPJP exams?

For registration, there are multiple options available, both online as well as offline. For online registration, one can navigate to the PEARSON VUE website. The exam voucher can be bought from Oracle and then one must register himself on the PEARSON VUE website. These Oracle certification vouchers can be bought from several training institutions. Another method is to pay at the Oracle Testing Center, if you have one in or near your locality.

10. Are there any specific books to prepare for the exam?

Yes, some recommended books can be used as a reference to pass the exam. The best books that can be referred for the preparation of OCAJP exams include; OCA Java SE 8 Programmer-Study Guide by Oracle, OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I Certification Guide by Mala Gupta and OCA: Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer-Study Guide by Jeanne Boyarsky and Scott Selikoff. These books help a lot in clearing the contents of the course and are highly recommended.

These are the top ten questions that are most frequently asked by the people who wish to appear in the OCAJP or OCPJP exam. Hope this list of FAQs was helpful to you, all the basics about the exam details have been covered here. For more information, one can visit the website or head up to the Oracle Testing Center (OTC).

Clearing these exams help the programmers set up standards and their worth increases by tons. The Oracle Certified JAVA programmers are needed in many large-scale companies. Once certified, these programmers can do wonders with the JAVA language.

Good luck to all the people out there who are planning to begin the journey of becoming certified professional JAVA programmers.