🚀 Java Backend Developer Learning Path
(With Spring Boot)
1. Strengthen Core Java (OOP Focused)
✅ (Spend 1 Week - Revise Quickly)
● Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) deeply:
○ Classes, Objects, Inheritance, Polymorphism, Encapsulation, Abstraction
● Access Modifiers (public, private, protected, default)
● Static & Final Keywords
● Exception Handling (try-catch-finally, throws, custom exceptions)
● Java Collections Framework (VERY IMPORTANT):
○ List, Set, Map, Queue
○ ArrayList, LinkedList, HashMap, HashSet
● Generics
● Java 8+ Features (You already know Lambda & Functional Interfaces, now add more):
○ Streams API
○ Method References
○ Optional Class
○ Default and Static Methods in Interfaces
📚 Sources:
● "Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals" (Coursera, Free)
● "Java Collections Framework" - FreeCodeCamp / YouTube
2. Understand Software Development Basics
✅ (Spend 2-3 Days)
● What is MVC (Model-View-Controller) Architecture?
● What are APIs? What are RESTful APIs?
● Basics of Client-Server Architecture
● Basics of HTTP (Methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
📚 Sources:
● YouTube (Tech with Tim - "What is MVC Architecture?" - 10 mins)
● FreeCodeCamp - REST APIs Basics
3. Spring and Spring Boot Fundamentals
✅ (Spend 3 Weeks)
Spring Core Concepts:
● What is Spring Framework?
● Inversion of Control (IoC) and Dependency Injection (DI)
● Bean Lifecycle
● ApplicationContext vs BeanFactory
Spring Boot Concepts:
● What is Spring Boot?
● Creating a Spring Boot Application
● Annotations:
○ @SpringBootApplication
○ @RestController
○ @RequestMapping, @GetMapping, @PostMapping, etc.
○ @Autowired
● Configuration files (application.properties / application.yml)
● Profiles (@Profile annotation)
📚 Sources:
● Amigoscode Spring Boot Full Course (YouTube - Free - Best one)
● Spring Boot Documentation (official)
4. Build REST APIs with Spring Boot
✅ (Spend 2 Weeks)
● Create REST APIs with CRUD Operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete)
● Path Variables and Request Parameters
● Exception Handling (Global Exception Handler with @ControllerAdvice)
● DTOs (Data Transfer Objects)
● Validation (Hibernate Validator + @Valid + @NotNull, etc.)
📚 Sources:
● Amigoscode REST APIs with Spring Boot Course
● Java Brains - REST APIs (YouTube)
✅ Project:
● Student Management REST API (CRUD for students, simple validation)
● 🛑 Upload to GitHub
5. Connect to Databases (SQL)
✅ (Spend 2 Weeks)
Database Basics (If you don’t know SQL well yet):
● Basic SQL Queries (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE)
● Joins (INNER, LEFT, RIGHT)
Spring Boot with Database:
● JPA (Java Persistence API)
● Hibernate Basics (ORM)
● Spring Data JPA Repository
○ JpaRepository, CrudRepository
● Entity Relationships (One-to-One, One-to-Many, Many-to-Many)
● Database Migration Tool (Flyway or Liquibase) (optional for now)
📚 Sources:
● Amigoscode - Spring Data JPA Course
● SQL - MySQL Crash Course (YouTube - FreeCodeCamp)
✅ Project:
● Product Management System (products, categories, CRUD)
● 🛑 Upload to GitHub
6. Authentication & Security (JWT Basics)
✅ (Spend 2 Weeks)
● Introduction to Security
● Spring Security Basics
● What is JWT (JSON Web Token)?
● Implement Login and Registration APIs
● Secure Endpoints using JWT Authentication
📚 Sources:
● Amigoscode - Spring Boot Security and JWT
● Java Brains Spring Security
✅ Project:
● Simple Auth System (JWT based)
● 🛑 Upload to GitHub
7. Additional Concepts (Important but Can Learn
Side-by-Side)
✅ (Spend 2-3 Weeks but do side-by-side with projects)
● Logging in Spring Boot (SLF4J, Logback)
● Exception Handling (Global Exception)
● API Documentation (Swagger/OpenAPI)
● Testing Basics (JUnit 5, Mockito)
● Docker Basics (Only understand concept, not deep for now)
📚 Sources:
● Amigoscode - Spring Boot Testing
● Swagger Documentation
✅ Small Tasks:
● Add Swagger UI to your APIs
● Add Logging to your applications
● Write Basic JUnit tests
🛠️ Final Projects Portfolio (Important for
Job)
Project Title Description Upload?
Student Management CRUD operations + validation ✅ GitHub
System
Product Management API JPA + SQL database ✅ GitHub
Authentication API Login/Signup with JWT security ✅ GitHub
Blogging API (Optional) Full CRUD Blog system with Authentication ✅ GitHub
📅 Time Plan (Summary)
Weeks Topics
Week 1 Core Java Revision
Week 2 Spring Core + Boot Setup
Week 3 Spring Boot REST APIs
Week 4 Spring Boot + Database Integration
Week 5 Spring Security + JWT
Week 6 Extra Concepts (Swagger, Testing, Docker
Basics)
Week Final Projects and Portfolio Building
7-8
📋 Important Notes
● Keep uploading projects on GitHub (even simple ones).
● Update your LinkedIn once you finish 1-2 projects.
● Make a basic Portfolio Website once you have at least 3 projects.
● Keep your Resume ready after Week 7 (I can help you write it when you’re ready).
