Think of the top five Java developer skills as the necessities every Java developer should possess. The absence of one of these skills permits you to suspect some proficiency deficiency.

 

Java is one of the world's most commonly studied and used programming languages. As a vast programming language, various Java developers choose certain areas of specialization that work well with what they build often. A recent survey by Youteam has shown that most Java developers who actively develop from the backend are interested in Architecture, Microservices, DevOps Tools, Junit & Mockito, and Spring Boot. Meanwhile, the front-end guys prefer IDEs, Patterns, APIs, and JVM internal topics. A few others want to become full-stack developers.

 

Given this versatility in the language and its application, it often becomes difficult to decide what skills make up a proper Senior-level Java developer, what Java software developer skills are valid, and what criteria are right or wrong in the selection process.

 

Describing the Java development interface, the necessary skills of a Java developer, and the importance of proper hiring, this article tackles the difficulty you should be experiencing with hiring a senior-level Java developer by carefully explaining what a senior Java developer is, should be doing, and the five basic skills every senior level Java developer should be armed with.

 

We encourage you to bookmark this page for easy access. Keep reading to learn about the skills of a Java developer that should make them suitable for your team. 

 

A Day in the Life of a Senior-Level Java Developer (Requirements, Roles, and Responsibilities)

A Senior Java Developer is well versed in the Java programming language and utilizes it to develop web applications and computer systems. A senior-level Java developer is responsible for assigning tasks to other team members, writing codes, testing the viability of submitted codes, and communicating with clients to analyze their requirements.

 

The job descriptions and role requirements for a senior Java developer differ slightly from each company based on organizational uniqueness and goals. Still, every organization, more often than not, includes one or all of the following qualifications as requirements. A senior-level Java developer will:

 

•     Be responsible for creating external and internal applications of various purposes and volumes.

•     Interact with the customer and head of the company;

•     Deploy all system functions.

•     Analyse customer needs

•     Prepare reports on completed tasks.

•     Select the most suitable solutions for creating a product.

•     Automate work processes

•     Comply with and ensure the meeting of deadlines for efficiency and effectiveness.

•     Analyze all possible integrations and select the most optimal ones.

•     Distribute responsibilities between team members

•     Run tests at different levels

•     Provide system support throughout the task's life cycle.

•     Solve the most complex problems and develop applications with large amounts of data.

•     Mentor colleagues and help with tasks and training.

•     Man the task execution planning.

•     Collect requirements for future products.

•     Develop scalable products that increase the functionality of the entire system.

•     Work with users and clients to determine their needs and develop the appropriate software to meet these needs.

•     Conduct the testing of completed code modules with the help of junior Java developers.

•     Ensure that written code falls in line with the project objectives.

•     Plan and execute all deployment of system features and monitor for successful integration, maintaining the system throughout its lifecycle.

•     Assist other developers with troubleshooting, debugging, and coding.

•     Build, test, and support various desktop applications at the request of the business support department.

•     Recommend upgrades to existing programs as required.

•     Create documentation detailing how applications or systems work together to ensure they’re maintained properly in the future and to help with upgrades.

•     Recommend software solutions to emerging needs in banking functionality and report ability.

 

Most organizations require the following academic qualifications for a senior-level Java developer:

•     Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, System Administration, or a closely related field. An equivalent work experience could substitute for this.

•     Proven previous work experience as a Senior Java Developer.

•     Knowledge of current frameworks, SDKs, APIs, and libraries.

•     Advanced experience in Java and Java Applets in the enterprise development process

Top 5 Skills For Senior-Level Java Developers

The role of a senior Java developer requires creativity and expertise. Therefore, the Senior Java Developer should have a creative mindset, think outside the box, and find alternative ways to develop system software. They must also be focused and detail-oriented to spot any inaccuracies or errors within the code. They should be skilled in developing various applications and proprietary solutions.

 

A Java developer's skills also necessitate a strong foundation in technical tools like Java, Spring Boot, databases, web applications, and web services. They must be proficient in development tools like Maven, Git and Eclipse, and testing frameworks like JUnit and HTML. They should also be experienced in Scrum and Jenkins for continuous integration and deployment.

 

In an interview with a senior Java developer, he emphasized that the ability to distill complex topics into simple explanations is a valuable skill every senior-level Java developer should have,

 

In the succeeding paragraphs, we have compiled a list of the most critical senior Java developer skills, ranking the top skills for senior Java developers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. These skills are a must-have for every senior-level Java developer because it is assumed that they should have been acquired during their beginning years as interns and juniors.

 

1. Essential Java Technologies

The Java interface and programming language are run by various tools or technologies that allow programmers to build using the Java language. These essential technologies include but are not limited to:

•     Java Programming Language: This is the backbone and single ground on which one be called a Java developer. Understanding the basics of the Java programming language and writing codes in Java is a non-negotiable skill for developers. This is because the Java programming language is at the heart of every Java-based web application. Known for its platform independence and robustness, Java provides the backbone for developing server-side logic, business logic, and data management components.

•     Servlets and JSP (JavaServer Pages): Servlets and JSP are Java technologies that enable developers to handle web requests and responses. Senior Java developers' knowledge of Servlets and JSP means ease of server-side web application development, facilitating user authentication, session management, and data presentation tasks.

•     Spring Framework: This is a tool needed by Java developers for modular and scalable development. It is essential in building Java-based web applications by providing a comprehensive infrastructure for developing scalable and maintainable applications, offering features such as dependency injection, aspect-oriented programming, and support for various data access technologies.

Every senior-level Java developer knows that Spring Boot is part of the Spring ecosystem and simplifies application setup and deployment.

•     Hibernate: This tool serves to Streamline database Interaction. It is an Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) framework that streamlines the interaction between databases and Java applications. It eliminates the need to write complex SQL queries by allowing developers to work with Java objects, which are automatically mapped to database tables. Hibernate enhances code maintainability and reduces the risk of SQL injection vulnerabilities.

•     HTML, CSS, and JavaScript: The trio for every senior front-end developer. While Java primarily focuses on server-side logic, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript provide the structure, styling, dynamic functionality, and interactivity. Combining these technologies effectively ensures an engaging and responsive user interface.

•     RESTful APIs: An acronym for Representational State Transfer, REST is an architectural style that allows communication between different application components. RESTful APIs allow data to be exchanged between the server and client in a standardized, stateless manner. They are instrumental in enabling mobile apps, third-party integrations, and efficient data transmission.

 

 

2. Database Management Systems (DBMS) 

Senior-level Java developers should be proficient in database management systems like MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB, Microsoft Access, Amazon RDS, and SQLite.

 

Database management systems skills are especially crucial in situations where multiple users or applications interact with the same databases simultaneously. Understanding DBMS provides the developer with safeguards against conflicts and errors, with concurrency control mechanisms that will ensure that even in high-traffic scenarios, data integrity remains intact.

 

Another benefit is that database management systems offer various security features, mechanisms, and functionalities. Developers can define access control rules, assign user roles, and specify permissions to ensure only authorized individuals can enter, access, and manipulate data. 

 

3. Enterprise System Architecture Patterns

This skill involves database design, data modeling, unit testing, performance monitoring, and tuning.

 

Enterprise system architecture patterns are a necessary skill for Java developers. They ensure that development aligns with regulated design patterns.

 

4. Agile

Senior Java developers with Agile experience are preferred job candidates for the software development lifecycle. This is because knowledge of Agile assures that a senior developer is great at collaboration and teamwork for project delivery.

 

Agile methods foster a disciplined project management process that engenders regular inspection and adaptation,  teamwork, self-organization and accountability, a set of engineering best practices intended to deliver high-quality software rapidly, and a business approach aligning development with customer needs and company goals. 

 

5. Application Development with Libraries

In web development, a library is a collection of reusable code that you can import and use in your app. A library guarantees more freedom than a framework.

 

Some common libraries for mobile app development are Firebase, Lottie, Retrofit, and Realm. These libraries help you with tasks or features like authentication, animation, networking, or data storage.

 

Conclusion

Senior-level Java developers are an essential part of a team. The quality of a senior developer greatly impacts the productivity of the team; hence, picking the right developer with the right skills for a Java developer is an essential drill.

Droomwork has gathered expertise in the art of sourcing and recruiting just the right fits for your development needs. Let us handle your recruitment processes today!