Difference between List of ? (any type) and List of Object in Java Generics

No doubt that Generics is one of the most confusing topics in Java and you can easily forget concepts and rules, especially, if you don't code Java everyday. For example, both List<?> and List<Object> looks similar but there is a subtle difference between them, the List<?> is basically a list of any type, you can assign a list of String i.e. List<String> or list of Integer i.e. List<Integer> to it. You see the point, it uses the unbounded wildcard <?>, which means any type. It provides it the much needed Polymorphism require while writing Generic methods. Basically, if your method has a type List<?> which means you can pass any type of List to it but remember the type is unknown, until you assign it i.e. List<?> myList = new List<String>(). 

Top 5 Books to Learn JavaScript in depth - Best of Lot, Must Read

JavaScript is the most popular programming language in Web, way ahead of popular ones like Perl, Ruby, and Python. It is also one of the essential skills for any Web developer. It is even true for Java developers. If you have JavaScript in your resume or LinkedIn profile, you will likely receive many Job opportunities. Everybody wants polyglots, programmers who know multiple programming languages because most of the real-world projects are developed with multiple technologies, you will always found some component is written in Java, some in C++, then you have JSP, Server, jQuery, JavaScript, etc. for web pages and so on. In short, it's essential to learn JavaScript in today's competitive world.

Top 7 Python Books to Learn Data Science and Machine Learning in 2024 - Best of Lot

While there are many online courses to learn Python for Machine learning and Data science, books are still the best way for in-depth learning and significantly improving your knowledge. Python is a universal language that is used by both data engineers and data scientists and probably the most popular programming language, as well. All the Data Scientists I have spoken to, and many in my friend circle just love Python, mainly because it can automate all the tedious operational work that data engineers need to do. To make the deal even sweeter, Python also has algorithms, analytics, and data visualization libraries like Matplotlib, which is an essential data scientist.

Top 5 Books to Learn Spring Boot and Spring Cloud for Java Developers - Best of Lot

Hello guys, if you are a Java developer and want to learn Spring Boot and Spring Cloud frameworks and looking for some of the best books and courses, then you have come to the right place. In the past, I have shared some of the best Spring Boot courses and Spring Cloud courses, and today I am going to talk about some of the best books to learn Spring Boot and Spring Cloud, but before that let's try to understand what is Microservice and how Spring Boot and Spring Cloud helps with the development of microservices in Java. In simple words, Microservices is nothing but an extension of RESTful web services with the fundamental idea to break up your code into small, distributed, and independent services for better scalability and management, but it does require thoughtful design and think through ability.

Top 5 Java Performance Tuning Books for Experienced Programmers - Best of Lot, Must read

You might be thinking, why should a Java developer read a book on Performance tuning? When I first faced this question a long time back, I thought I will do it later, but I never got back to that for a long time. I realize my mistake of having a lack of knowledge on memory measurement, JVM tuning, and finding bottleneck only when I faced severe performance and scalability issues on our mission-critical, server-side financial application written in Java. It's true that when you really need it, you learn most, but those times are not the best time to learn fundamentals, in fact, those times are to apply and correct your misunderstanding.

How to Crack AWS Certified Developer Associate Certification Exam DVA-C02 in 2024

Hello guys,  if you are preparing for AWS Developer Associate certification with exam code DVA-C02 in 2024 and looking for the best books, courses, and overall guidance to pass this exam then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared the best AWS developer courses and practice tests, and today, I am going to share the overall guide and complete resources to pass this prestigious AWS cloud certification. There is no doubt that AWS certification is very valuable and opens the door for a lot of opportunities, not just for system admins and solution architects but also for developers and DevOps Engineers.

7 Topics You Must Prepare for Programming Job Interviews in 2024

Hello folks, are you thinking of a new job in 2024 and looking for which topics and skills to prepare for your coding interview? There is no doubt cracking the Coding interviews of tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon is very hard. However, you can still break it by carefully planning and preparing the essential skills which matter most, like Data structures and Algorithms, System Design, Multithreading and Concurrency, SQL and Database design, and of course, problem-solving skills. Being an author of Java and a programming blog, I often receive queries about preparing for coding interviews? How to pass Google or Microsoft Software Developer interviews? Or how can I get a software development job on Amazon or Facebook? After answering many of my readers one by one on Facebook and LinkedIn, I thought to put together a list of essential topics for coding interviews.

10 Reasons to Learn Java Programming Language in 2024 and Why Java is Best

Java is one of the best programming languages created ever, and I am not saying this because I am a passionate Java developer, but Java has proved it in the last 20 years. Two decades is a big time for any Programming language, and Java has gained strength every passing day. Though there are times when Java development slows down, Java has responded well. Earlier with groundbreaking changes in the form of Enum, Generics, and Autoboxing in Java 5, performance improvement with Java 6, functional programming using the lambda expressions in Java 8, and Google's choice of language for Android apps development keeps Java as a front-line programming language.

Top 10 Data Structures and Algorithms Every Programmer Should Learn

Data Structure and Algorithms are two pillars of Programming. You may know that "Data Structure + Algorithms = Computer Program". They are also the most important ingredient of a good program and right choice of Data Structure and Algorithms can improve performance drastically, whereas a wrong choice can spoil the party, but do you know what exactly they are? Well, Data Structure are nothing but a way to store data, while Algorithms are ways to operate on that Data. There is a reason why Data Structure and Algorithms are taught in every single Computer Science classes, it doesn't matter whether you are learning Java, C++, Python, JavaScript, Golang, or any other programing language, those data structure and algorithm will be same everywhere.  An hash table will always be a a way to associate one object with other and retrieve it in constant time whether you call it HashMap in Java or Dictionary in Python. 

Top 6 Microservices Frameworks Java Developers Should Learn in 2024 - Best of Lot

Hello Java Programmers, if you are thinking about Microservice Architecture and Cloud-Native development in Java and exploring options like frameworks, libraries, and technologies then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared the best Microservice courses, and Microservice design patterns and in this article,  I am going to share the best Microservice Framework for Java developers. While you may know that Spring Boot and Spring Cloud is the leading framework for developing Microservice applications in Java, there are a couple of more options as well like MicroNaut, DropWizard, and Quarkus IO. In this article, you will learn about the top 5 frameworks you can use to develop Microservice in Java.

The 2024 CyberSecurity Analyst RoadMap

Hello guys, if you want to become a CyberSecurity Analyst or Cyber Security Engineer in 2024 and looking for Cyber Security RoadMap where you can learn find essential and specialized tools and skills required to become a Cyber Security expert then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared best Cyber Security courses and books and in this article, I am going to share the complete roadmap to become a Cyber Security Analyst in 2024.  One of the easiest way to become a CyberSecurity Analyst in 2024 is to join a well designed training program like Google's CyberSecurity Professional Certificate on Coursera. This well designed program take the guesswork out of the equation and teach you all the skills and tools you need to become professional cyber security engineer in 2024. This is also like a shortcut of becoming Cybersecurity professional.

Top 5 Websites to Learn Python Coding for FREE - Best of Lot

Believe it or not, but Python has inspired many people to learn to code, and it's continually inspiring them. I know a handful of people who are learning Python for different reasons, starting from web development to machine learning. I have seen new people learning Python to write web apps using Django, create a Machine learning Model using Python, and just write some handy scripts to automate the boring stuff. Python is currently the world's #1 programming language and its popularity is growing every passing day, thanks to Data Science and Machine learning and awesome Python libraries like Pandas, PyTorch, NumPy, and TensorFlow.

Does Vmware's Spring Professional Certification help Java Programmers in Jobs and Career Growth?

One of the frequently asked questions among Java and Spring developers is whether Spring certification is valuable? Or does Spring Professional Develop Certification help you in Job and Career? These questions are not very different from what a Java developer asks about Oracle's Java certification (see here). The short answer to these question is Yes, Spring Professional Certifications (VMware EDU-1202  are valuable, as it's not just provides Industry recognition for your knowledge, experience, and skill but also improves your knowledge about Spring Framework, Spring Boot, Spring Data JPA and Spring Ecosystem which sets you apart from the millions of Java and Spring developer who are not certified. Of course, as with any certification, the most valuable part apart from recognition is the learning process, and this is true for Spring certifications as well.

Top 10 AWS (Amazon Web Services) Certifications for IT Professionals in 2024 - Best of Lot

Hello guys, if you are thinking to take your cloud skills to next level or want to become a certified cloud professional then you have come to the right place. In the past, I have shared many free and paid courses to learn AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud certification, and today, I am going to share the 10 best Cloud certifications for AWS Cloud professionals can aim for in 2024. These certifications are provided by Amazon itself and they are highly regarded. These are also role-based certifications which means you have certificates from developers, DevOps engineers, system admins, software architects, DBAs, Security experts, Network experts, Big Data professionals, and Data Analysts. You can choose them depending upon your skill and experience.

10 Examples of Java Regular Expression Special or Meta Characters

Hello guys, If you want to learn regular expression better in Java, you must remember meaning of all the special characters. They are the one, which makes a regular expression complex, but if you know and understand them then you can easily understand at least 50% of regular expression you encountered in Java applications. They are also known as reserved characters. In a regular expression, a character denotes itself unless it is one of the special character. For example, regular expression "a" will match letter "a" and return true, if input is "a" and false otherwise, but "a*" will not match input "a*", instead it will match any input which contains just e.g. "a", "aaa", or "aaaa". It will also match with empty String because * means zero or more times, so a* means "a" appearing zero or more times, as shown below:

Top 5 Free AWS Solution Architect Associate Certification (SAA-C03) Practice Tests, Mock Exams, and Dumps

Hello guys, It seems everyone is over the cloud nowadays. Wherever I go people talk about Cloud computing and cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Digital Ocean, etc. And, there is no better way to learn cloud than preparing for certifications. I know so many people who are preparing for the AWS solution Architect exam for learning AWS and that's why I have started sharing my tips for learning AWS and passing the AWS solution architect certification exam. You might have noticed a couple of my posts related to AWS certifications like in the past I shared best online courses to crack AWS solution architect associate exam. But, I have said this multiple times that without practice tests and mock exams, your preparation for AWS certification be it solution architect or cloud developer is not complete.

The 2024 React.js Developer RoadMap [UPDATED]

Hello guys, React.js or simply React is one of the best JavaScript libraries for developing front-end or GUI for web applications. It's also one of the essential skills for full-stack Java developers. Backed by Facebook, React JS, also known as just React is has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years and become the de-facto library for component-based GUI development. Though there are other front-end frameworks like Angular and Vue.js available, what sets React apart from others is maybe the fact that it just focuses on component-based GUI development and doesn't invade other areas.

10 Coding Best Practices Every Java Developer Should Know

Hello guys, as your experience grow,  your design, coding, refactoring and testing ability is the one which distinguish you from your competition. It's quite possible that your experience grows but none of these skills grow because you are doing using them frequently in your day job. To be honest, you are not alone. Many people who works in big Investment banks like Citibank, Barclays Capital, UBS, or JP Morgan, spend more times fixing bugs and making config change, deployment and support then actually writing code from scratch or writing unit tests. While we will go with all those skills in coming articles, in this article, I am going to share popular Java coding idioms which can improve your coding skills. 

How to Crack Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Cloud Certification in 2024 [UPDATED]

Cloud computing skills are in demand and companies are increasingly looking for people who know and worked in public cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, and Microsoft Azure. If you are looking to get started in Cloud Computing, particularly on the Microsoft Azure side then AZ-900 or Azure Fundamentals certification is probably the best way to start. You will not only learn about Azure but also learn essential Cloud Computing fundamentals like storage, network, compute, and memory among all things. You will also learn about things like IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service) and SaaS (Software as a Service), Sales, and Pricing, which are very important for both technical and non-technical IT professionals.

Is Joshua Bloch's Effective Java Still Valid? Is it worth it?

Effective Java is probably one of the most read books on Java technology and has been regarded by many programmers as the best book for Java developers. Though, recently many Java programmers have asked me whether Effective Java is still relevant in the era of Java 21? Or is there any better book on the same topic. The question is logical because It's been quite some time since the 3rd edition of Effective Java released and also the most recent Java 10 to Java 21 has changed how you code Java. Many idioms and design patterns of good old days now become redundant and can be done easily with the new Java features and feature, but does that mean "Effective Java" is not relevant now? Well, No, not at all. Effective Java is still relevant and a must-read for Java programmers due to several reasons, which you will see in this article.

Why Java Developer Should Learn Maven or Gradle in 2024?

Hello guys, being a Java blogger, many Java developers ask me questions like "I am learning Java, should I also learn Maven or Gradle?" or "Is it mandatory to learn Maven to get a job as a Java developer", "Should I learn Maven or Gradle, which one is better for future?" and the less common one "Why should I learn Maven or Gradle as a Java developer?".  In the past, I have shared the best courses to learn Maven for Java developers and some useful Gradle books and courses,  as well as answered questions around Maven vs Gradle and I will try to answer these questions in this article and assert the importance of Maven and Gradle as a build tool for Java Developer.  Along the way, I will also share useful resources to learn both Maven and Gradle for Java developers. 

How to Crack Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert Certification Exam AZ-304 in 2024?

Hello guys, based on the new Azure role-based certification path, the Microsoft AZ-305 exam is the primary step towards becoming a Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect. Earlier, I shared a few tips, courses, and practice tests to pass the AZ 104, AZ-900, or Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam. Today, I'll talk about AZ-305 or Azure Solution Architect certification exam. This Exam requires experienced candidates with skills in Azure development, Azure administration, and DevOps. In addition, they must have expert-level skills in at least one of these areas. However, observing these requirements, some of you may think that it would be completely impossible to pass a Microsoft AZ-305 Architect Technologies exam preparation.

Top 5 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Practice Tests to Crack AZ-900 Certification Exam in 2024 - Best of Lot

Hello there, if you are preparing for Microsoft Azure Fundamentals or AZ-900 certification exam and looking for some practice test to check your knowledge, then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared the best AZ-900 Online Courses and In this article, I am going to list down some of the best practice tests you can take to pass the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam.  This exam focuses on essential cloud concepts like IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and Azure Core services like geo availability, storage, network, compute services, security, pricing, and billing. This is actually one of the easiest Microsoft Azure cloud certifications, much like Amazon's AWS Cloud Practitioner certification and you can easily pass this exam even if you have never worked in any cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Top 10 Microsoft Azure Certifications to Take in 2024 - Best of Lot

Hello guys, if you are aiming to become an Azure certified professional and looking for top 10 Azure certifications then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared many best AWS certifications and many free courses to learn AWS, GCP, and today I am going to share the top 10 Azure certifications you can aim for in 2024. Cloud computing technology is growing almost faster than any other industry and in fact, the growth has increased by 17% in 2024 compared to the last year, and that because of many facts like the tremendous increase in SaaS companies as well as the power you get compared to what you paid for made a lot of people thinking to use the cloud to store their websites and running their businesses.

The 2024 AI Developer RoadMap

Hello guys, if you want to learn Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, and Prompt Engineering then you are thinking on right direction. More and more companies are asking their workforce to learn Generative AI and it's only going to increase. AI Integration will be next big thing when you have to add AI capabilities to existing application to enhance them and that's why learning AI skills in 2024 is a great idea. But question comes how? Well, don't worry, I will tell you. In the past, I have shared best AI courses and best courses to learn ChatGPT, one of the most popular Generative AI example and LLM and in this article I will teach you step by step what skills you need to master AI development and integration.

Review - Is Coursera's Python 3 Programming Specialization Worth it in 2024?

Hello guys, In the ever-evolving realm of programming languages, Python stands as a versatile and in-demand tool, powering applications across diverse domains, from web development to data science and artificial intelligence. As aspiring programmers and seasoned developers alike seek effective ways to master Python, Coursera's Python 3 Programming Specialization emerges as a potential beacon, promising a structured and comprehensive journey through the intricacies of this powerful language. While Coursera has many great Python courses and certifications like Google's Python for IT Automation and the world famous Python for Everybody certification, this Python 3 specialization from University of Michigan is certainly worth it for its comprehensive coverage, engaging explanation and well structured content.

Top 10 Golang Project Ideas for Beginners and Experienced Developers

Hello guys, if you want to learn Golang in 2024 then there is no better way then buidling projects. In my 20 years of programming career I have learned many programming langauge by following this method but its important to choose the right kind of projects to build. Because, if you choose the too tough and complex project then you will fail and lose interest while if you choose trivial projects then you will not enjoy and your learning will not grow, hence I am going to share right kind of Golang projects you can build in 2024 to learn Go programming language but, before we get to some of the best Golang project ideas for beginners, let me tell you what Golang really is. Golang or simply Go is basically an open-source programming language that is focused on simplicity, efficiency, and reliability. It was originally designed by Google way back in 2007. 

How to create a React application using Redux hooks? Example Tutorial

Hello guys, Redux is one of the most popular state management library. It is often used with React apps that are huge in size and state are shared among multiple components. Redux is a complex library to understand and even more complex to implement. It was even more complex and complicated before the introduction of react-redux hooks. Earlier, the connect method provided by Redux was used to connect React with the Redux store. Using connect method with other methods such as mapstatetoprops was complicated. But with the introduction of react-redux hooks, it is easy to use redux with redux. In this article, we will discuss what are react-redux hooks and how to use them with React.

The 2024 Database Administrator RoadMap

The database administrator is one of the most in-demand jobs nowadays since companies need someone who manages and maintains the infrastructure of their database where they store all their sensitive data. It is expected to grow eight percent from 2020 to 2030, with more than 13,000 opening jobs every year. This article will show you the roadmap to becoming a database administrator.