Top 10 IT Certifications for Java Developers in 2023

Hello guys, constant learning is part and parcel of being a programmer, and IT certification has a very important role in your career as an IT professional. There are many tangible and intangible benefits of certifications, first, they encourage you to learn more and become an expert in your fields, and second they provide recognition for your skill and knowledge. If you are a Java developer and wondering which IT certification you can do to take your career to the next level then you have come to the right place. In this article, I am going to share the best IT certifications for Java developers which include different areas like Java, Spring, Cloud, Linux, Project management, and others. You can choose the certification which aligns with your career goal.

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For example, if you want to become a senior Java developer then you should aim for Java SE certifications and Spring professional certifications and if you want to go towards Cloud Computing then you should aim for AWS and Cloud certifications, and if you want to become a project manager then you can for PMP certifications.

Many programmers make a goal to learn a new programming language, a new framework, a new library, a new tool, or to get some certifications under the belt to make themselves more valuable. I have shared some of them in the updated The 2023 Java Developer RoadMap, just in case if you need some inspiration.

Coming back to this article, Recently, I received an email from one of my readers who is asking about which Java certification should he do this year? I asked him back, which Java certifications he has done and how much experience he has in the Java field?

His answer was that he hasn't done any certification yet and working in Java for 2 years now. Like many of us, He was also working as a Java Web Developer using standard web stack like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React on the front end and Spring Boot, Hibernate, and Java on the backend.

Since he hasn't done any certification so far, I suggested him to first start with the OCAJP, Oracle Certified Java Programmer Associate, and then go for other Java certification in the hierarchy.

That email also encourages me to write about which certifications Java developers can take in 2023. Well, the answer depends upon your experience, what you are working on, what is your goals, and what other Java certifications you have done so far.

Top 10 Certifications for Java Programmers

Without further ado, here is my list of top 10 certifications Java developers can take in 2023. The list includes mandatory Java certifications like OCAJP and OCPJP but also certifications on Java related technologies like Spring, Scala, Apache Spark, Docker, Kubernetes, and other essential skills expected from experienced Java programmers like Agile, Scrum, Project Management, and Architect level exams.

The certifications are listed in no particular order, but I recommend Java developers to first pass OCAJP and OCPJP and only then move to other certifications, but that's not a requirement like if you think you are good at Spring, you can go to straight Spring certification, but it looks better in your resume if you have a core Java certification.

This is the first certification Java developer should take, also known as OCAJP, OCPJP, OCP, or just OCA. It's the one of the two exams, you can take to become an Oracle certified Java professional, the other one is 1zZ0-829 or Java SE 17 Developer certification. 

If you working towards OCAJP 11 this year, I suggest you first take a look at the official exam guide. This will help you to master the foundations of Java and the topics of the Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 11 Programmer Exam (1Z0-819).

Here are some useful links to learn more about this certification:

For better preparation, you can also take my 1Z0-819 practice test on Udemy, it contains more than 300+ questions with answers and explanation divided into 5 mock test to asses your preparation and also fill the gaps in you learning. You can also use discount code JAVAREVISITED to get the course for a discount. 

This is another Oracle certification which you can take to become a certified Java developer in 2023. It is focused on core Java but version 17, and you can take this to distinguish yourself from several other Java professionals who are not certified. If you are aiming for Oracle's Java certification this year then you can go for this certification. 

Here are some useful links to learn more about this certification:

The Spring Professional certification exam is designed to test and validate your understanding of and familiarity with the Spring Framework. If you are a Java Web developer working on Spring technology, then you can take this certification to distinguish yourself as an experienced and capable Spring professional in the Java web development space.

If you decide to give Spring certification in 2023, then Spring Professional Certification Exam Tutorial - Module 01 to 08 course by Dominik Debula  from Udemy is the right place to start with. You can get this course for just $10.99 currently on Udemy's flash sales, which happens every now and then.