Java Backend Development Course

Course Overview

This 12 weeks course will introduce students to Java for backend development, with a focus on essential language concepts, database access using JPA, and building RESTful APIs using Spring Boot. By the end, students will be able to develop a basic, full-featured backend service.

Week 1

Introduction to Java & OOP

• Java Overview and Setup (JDK, IDE)
• Basic Syntax (Variables, Data Types, Operators)
• Control Structures (If-else, Switch, Loops)
• Object-Oriented Programming (Classes, Objects, Methods)
• Encapsulation, Inheritance, Polymorphism, Abstraction

Week 1 Task

Create a simple Java program demonstrating basic OOP principles.

---

Week 2

Java Collections & Data Structures

• Arrays and Strings
• Java Collections (List, Set, Map)
• Common Implementations (ArrayList, LinkedList, HashMap, HashSet)
• Iterating over Collections (For, For-each)

Week 2 Task

Write a program to manage a list of students using Java Collections.

---

Week 3

Exception Handling & File I/O

• Java Exception Handling (try-catch, throw, throws)
• Custom Exceptions
• File Handling Basics (Reading/Writing Files)
• Intro to Serialization & Deserialization

Week 3 Task

Create a program that reads from a file and writes processed output to a new file.

---

Week 4

Introduction to Databases & JPA

• Basics of Relational Databases
• Introduction to JPA (Java Persistence API)
• Database Tables & Entity-Relationship Mapping
• Setting up a Simple Console App using JPA (Entity Creation, Table Generation)

Week 4 Task

Create a basic Java console app that maps entities to a database table using JPA.

---

Week 5

JPA, Entities & CRUD Operations

• Defining Entities (@Entity, @Table, @Id)
• CRUD Operations with JPA (Create, Read, Update, Delete)
• Relationships between Entities (One-to-Many, Many-to-One)

Week 5 Task

Expand the console app to implement CRUD operations for managing entities in the database.

---

Week 6

Maven Basics & Project Setup

• Introduction to Maven (POM file, Dependencies)
• Using Maven to Build Projects
• Basic Project Setup with Maven (Dependencies for JPA, Spring Boot)

Week 6 Task

Set up a Maven project with basic dependencies and build it using Maven.

---

Week 7

Introduction to Spring Boot & Dependency Injection

• Introduction to Spring Framework & Spring Boot
• Spring Boot Annotations (@SpringBootApplication, @Autowired)
• Understanding Dependency Injection
• Creating a Basic Spring Boot Application

Week 7 Task

Build a basic Spring Boot application with dependency injection.

---

Week 8

REST APIs with Spring Boot

• Introduction to RESTful Web Services
• Spring Boot REST Controllers (@RestController, @RequestMapping)
• Handling HTTP Methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• Validating Requests with @Valid

Week 8 Task

Develop a REST API to manage a simple resource, like a product or student.

---

Week 9

Spring Data JPA & Database Integration

• Introduction to Spring Data JPA
• Connecting Spring Boot with JPA Repositories
• Query Methods and Custom Queries
• Database CRUD Operations via REST

Week 9 Task

Integrate a database with the REST API and perform CRUD operations using Spring Data JPA.

---

Week 10

Security, Testing & Deployment

• Introduction to Spring Security (Authentication & Authorization)
• JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for Securing APIs
• Testing REST APIs (JUnit, MockMvc)
• Packaging and Deploying Spring Boot Applications

Week 10 Task

Secure the REST API with Spring Security and JWT, then deploy it to a cloud platform like Heroku or AWS.

---

For the project in the last two weeks, here's a suggestion that ties together everything the students have learned:

---

Week 11 & 12: Final Project – Building a RESTful Web Service with User Authentication

Project Overview

Students will develop a full-featured Book Management System that allows users to manage a library of books. The system will include user authentication, CRUD operations for managing books, and interaction with a database using Spring Data JPA. They will also secure the API using Spring Security and JWT, and deploy the application on a cloud platform (e.g., Heroku or AWS).

Project Features

1. User Authentication:

   • Implement user registration and login using Spring Security and JWT.
   • Secure the API endpoints to ensure only authenticated users can access them.

2. Book Management API:

   • Create CRUD endpoints for managing books (adding, updating, deleting, and fetching book details).
   • Each book should have attributes like title, author, isbn, publishedDate, and genre.
   • Implement pagination and filtering for book lists.

3. Database Integration:

   • Use Spring Data JPA to store user and book data in a database (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL).
   • Establish relationships between users and the books they manage.

4. Validation:

   • Validate request bodies for creating or updating books (e.g., checking required fields, valid ISBN format).

5. Testing:

   • Write unit and integration tests using JUnit and MockMvc for the API endpoints.

6. Deployment:

   • Package and deploy the application to a cloud platform (e.g., Heroku or AWS).
   • Configure environment variables and ensure the application runs in production mode.

Week 11: Building Core Features

• Set up the Spring Boot project with required dependencies.
• Implement user registration and login with Spring Security and JWT.
• Build the book management API with CRUD functionality.
• Connect the application to a database and use Spring Data JPA to manage entities.

Week 12: Testing, Security, and Deployment

• Add request validation for book management endpoints.
• Write unit and integration tests for the API.
• Implement security using Spring Security and JWT.
• Deploy the application to a cloud platform and ensure it's accessible online.

---