Java Developer
Vanshika Munshi
Senior Consultant-Client Relationship & Delivery Management at HuQuo
What does a Java developer do?
A Java Developer is responsible for the design, development, and management of Java-based applications. Because Java is used so widely, particularly by large organizations, the daily roles vary widely, but can include owning a particular application or working on several at one time.
Let’s look at the role of a Java developer.
Developer vs engineer?
Firstly, are we talking about Java developers or Java engineers? Engineers vs devs is a common debate in the IT world. As a swiftly changing field, many IT experts say titles don’t matter – the job description and responsibilities do.
While a Java developer/engineer may be focused solely on app development that uses the Java language, a title like software developer or software engineer could mean working with multiple languages or on specific customer-centric software that may not be Java-based.
In many cases, a Java developer’s job description goes well beyond mere computer programming. Many roles require that Java developers:
(Explore the related role of application developer.)
What is Java?
Before we dive into the specifics of a Java developer role, let’s start with the basics. Java is a programming language, widely considered to be one of the most popular in the world. Nine million developers use Java regularly. Not to be confused with JavaScript, Java itself is also a platform for application development, which many programming languages are not.
(Learn why Java & Python are the most popular programming languages.)
In the world of computer programming, Java is one of the older languages. Sun Microsystems developed the language in 1995 based on the syntax of C and C++. Today, Java is part of Oracle.
Java is a concurrent, class-based, and object-oriented programming language. It was initially designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible, which led to the term “write once, run anywhere” (WORA). This means that compiled Java code can run on all platforms with no need for recompiling the code.
Because of its inherent linguistic design, Java has many benefits that behoove companies:
Based on recent data, Java is used in 2.6% of all websites whose server-side programming is known. While the language doesn’t seem to be used by many sites, it is used by sites with high traffic almost exclusively. Well-known websites that rely on Java include LinkedIn, Chase, Salesforce.com, and Indeed.com. Both UPS.com and IRS.gov recently began using Java as well.
Java is an influential language, as many languages have descended from it, including:
Interestingly, PHP, a Java descendant, is used in over 82% of websites whose server-side programming is known.
While many smaller companies may opt to start building programs using a different language, as they grow and require more speed and stability, they often switch to Java programming. Twitter is a perfect example.
Peers & reporting
As a Java developer, you’ll likely be part of the IT team within an organization. Depending how your enterprise is structured, there could be a single IT team, or many smaller IT teams that works on individual projects. This second method is often used in Agile environments.
The Java developer may report to a senior project manager or overall IT manager, who then reports up the chain to the CIO or an otherwise senior leader in IT.
When looking for talent, employers often hire Java Developers based on their experience. Job postings list designations, typically:
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Each of these designations comes with different responsibilities. One Java dev, early in her career, may be assigned to work on program architecture, while a senior-level Java Developer may be responsible for the overall functioning of the project, which includes ensuring seamless architecture and managing teams.
A typical team that a Java Developer works on likely includes some of the following titles:
Depending on the requirements, some of these roles might overlap or be consolidated into one.
If the Java Developer is senior-level, they may be responsible for team oversight as well as liaising with project stakeholders and beta testers. While not usually part of the core development team, project stakeholders and beta testers have a profound influence on the project, so having a Senior Java Developer as a go-between can be critical to overall success.
Roles & responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of a Java developer/engineer will vary greatly depending on the company and specific position. Here are some typical responsibilities:
Now let’s look at a more detailed breakdown of job expectations and responsibilities:
(Prepare with these software development best practices.)
Program architecture
Project stakeholders understand the overall vision of what needs to be accomplished and need the skills of a Java Developer to complete their project. Program architecture is a key function that Java Developers provide during this process.
Gather requirements
Before a Java Developer can begin working on a project, they must gather requirements from all involved in the planning process.
This might include working closely with a stakeholder, Project Manager, or Senior Java Developer, and many times includes all three. Discussions likely revolve around prioritizing important tasks first, determining overall scope of work and course of action.
Development
In the development phase, a Java Developer begins the process of writing the code, ultimately resulting in a completed program. The steps to get to this result are typically completed in sections of code called a feature, allowing for testing and amending as needed.
Testing
As each feature is completed, the Java Developer will test it and debug. The goal here is to ensure each feature works the way it is intended.
Deployment
During deployment, code is transferred to a live environment. It should be fully functional for deployment. Any changes have to be made in the testing environment, which requires reverting and redeployment.
To complete the above phases of program architecture development, a Java Developer should be well versed in one or many of the following standard or enterprise skills: