Taking the OCA Java Programmer I exam is a bit like taking a driving test. First you learn the basics, like where the brakes are. Then you start driving, and then you get ready to take the driving test to get your license. The written test includes things everyone should know, things that you’ll never use after the road test, and some things that are tricky edge cases. While the programmer exam cares about breaks more than brakes, it certainly likes edge cases!

Consider Mala Gupta your driving instructor to get you ready for the programmer exam. Mala points out what you’ll need to know when programming in the real world—on your first job.

And consider this book your driver’s manual. It gives you the rules of the road of Java, plus the gotchas that show up on that pesky written test. But don’t worry, it is much more fun to read this book than the driver’s manual. Just like the driver’s manual won’t teach you everything about driving, this book won’t teach you everything there is to know about Java. If you haven’t yet, read an intro to a Java book first. Start with a book like Head First Java or Thinking in Java and then come back to this book to study for the exam.

As the technical proofreader of this book, I got to see it evolve and get better as Mala worked on it. Through the conversations we had on little things, I learned that Mala knows her stuff and is a great teacher of Java. While I’ve only technical proofread a handful of books, I’ve posted reviews of over 150 technical books on Amazon, which makes it easy to spot a book that isn’t clear or helpful. I’m happy to say that Mala’s explanations are all very clear, and the pointers are great.

I also got to read Mala’s posts in the certification forums at coderanch.com. She’s been sharing updates about the exam as it comes out and posting fairly regularly for over a year. As a senior moderator at coderanch.com, it is great to see an author sharing her wisdom. It’s also nice to see the similarity in writing style between the forum posts and the book. This shows the book is readable and written in an easy-to-understand, casual style.

I particularly liked the diagrams, flow charts, and cartoons in this book. And, of course, the annotated code examples I’ve come to expect from any Manning book. Each chapter ends with sample mock exam questions and there is a full mock exam at the end. This gives you good practice in getting ready for the exam. Wrong answers are well explained so you don’t make the same mistakes over and over.

My favorite part of the book is the “Twist in the Tale” exercises. Mala gives a number of examples of how making a seemingly minor change to the code can have major consequences. These exercises develop your attention to detail so you are more observant for the mock exam questions and the exam itself.

I had already passed the OCA Java Programmer exam with a score of 98% before reading this book. If I hadn’t, the questions would have prepared me for the exam. Studying from this book will give you the skills and confidence you need to become an Oracle Certified Associate Java Programmer. Happy coding and good luck on the exam!