Programmer Level I Exam

This page maps sections in the Java Tutorials to topics covered in the Java SE 7 Programmer I exam. This exam is associated with the "Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 7 Programmer" certificate. The topics covered in this exam are:

1. Java Basics
2. Working with Java Data Types
3. Using Operators and Decision Constructs
4. Creating and Using Arrays
5. Using Loop Constructs
6. Working with Methods and Encapsulation
7. Working with Inheritance
8. Handling Exceptions

Section 1: Java Basics

Item 1: Define the scope of variables.

• Variables

Item 2: Define the structure of a Java class.

• A Closer Look at the "Hello World!" Application
• Classes

Item 3: Create executable Java applications with a main method.

• "Hello World!" for the NetBeans IDE
• "Hello World!" for Microsoft Windows
• "Hello World!" for Solaris OS and Linux
• A Closer Look at the "Hello World!" Application

Item 4: Import other Java packages to make them accessible in your code.

• Creating and Using Packages
• Using Package Members

Section 2: Working with Java Data Types

Item 1: Declare and initialize variables.

• Variables
• Initializing Fields

Item 2: Differentiate between object reference variables and primitive variables.

• Primitive Data Types
• The Numbers Classes

Item 3: Read or write to object fields.

• Inheritance
• Declaring Member Variables
• Creating Objects
• Using Objects

Item 4: Explain an object's lifecycle.

• Objects
• Creating Objects
• Using Objects

Item 5: Call methods on objects.

• Using Objects

Item 6: Manipulate data using the StringBuilder class and its methods.

• The StringBuilder Class
• Summary of Characters and Strings

Item 7: Create and manipulate strings.

• Strings
• Converting Between Numbers and Strings
• Comparing Strings and Portions of Strings
• Manipulating Characters in a String

Section 3: Using Operators and Decision Constructs

Item 1: Use Java operators.

• Operators
• Assignment, Arithmetic, and Unary Operators
• Equality, Relational, and Conditional Operators
• Bitwise and Bit Shift Operators

Item 2: Use parentheses to override operator precedence.

• Expressions, Statements, and Blocks

Item 3: Test equality between strings and other objects using == and equals().

• Object as a Superclass

Item 4: Create and use if-else constructs.

• The if-then and if-then-else Statements

Item 5: Use a switch statement.

• The switch Statement

Section 4: Creating and Using Arrays

Item 1: Declare, instantiate, initialize and use a one-dimensional array.

• Arrays

Item 2: Declare, instantiate, initialize and use a multi-dimensional array.

• Arrays

Item 3: Declare and use an ArrayList.

• The List Interface
• List Implementations

Section 5: Using Loop Constructs

Item 1: Create and use while loops.

• The while and do-while Statements

Item 2: Create and use for loops including the enhanced for loop.

• The for Statement

Item 3: Create and use do-while loops.

• The while and do-while Statements

Item 4: Compare loop constructs.

• Summary of Control Flow Statements

Item 5: Use break and continue.

• Branching Statements

Section 6: Working with Methods and Encapsulation

Item 1: Create methods with arguments and return values.

• Returning a Value from a Method

Item 2: Apply the static keyword to methods and fields.

• Variables
• Understanding Class Members

Item 3: Create an overloaded method.

• Defining Methods

Item 4: Differentiate between default and user-defined constructors.

• Providing Constructors for Your Classes

Item 5: Apply access modifiers.

• Controlling Access to Members of a Class

Item 6: Apply encapsulation principles to a class.

• Inheritance
• Inner Class Example
• Nested Classes

Item 7: Determine the effect upon object references and primitive values when they are passed into methods that change the values.

• Passing Information to a Method or a Constructor

Section 7: Working with Inheritance

Item 1: Implement inheritance.

• Inheritance
• Overriding and Hiding Methods

Item 2: Develop code that demonstrates the use of polymorphism.

• Polymorphism

Item 3: Differentiate between the type of a reference and the type of an object.

• Creating Objects
• Using Objects

Item 4: Determine when casting is necessary.

• Inheritance

Item 5: Use super and this to access objects and constructors.

• Using the Keyword super
• Using the this Keyword

Item 6: Use abstract classes and interfaces.

• Abstract Methods and Classes
• Defining an Interface
• Implementing an Interface

Section 8: Handling Exceptions

Item 1: Differentiate among checked exceptions, RuntimeException, and Error.

• The Catch or Specify Requirement

Item 2: Create a try-catch block and determine how exceptions alter normal program flow.

• Catching and Handling Exceptions
• The try Block
• The catch Blocks

Item 3: Describe what exceptions are used for in Java.

• What Is an Exception?
• Advantages of Exceptions

Item 4: Invoke a method that throws an exception.

• Catching Exceptions

Item 5: Recognize common exception classes and categories.