The Java Developer Connection^SM (JDC) recently asked its readers "Do you have a question about certification for the Java^TM Platform?" The JDC took the best questions to two people directly involved in Java certification: Mark Cade and Philip Heller. Mark works in the Sun Microsystems Java Center where he provides Java architecture consulting and training. He is one of the original authors of Sun Certified Enterprise Architect for Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition Technology -- one of the certification programs for the Java Platform. Philip Heller is an author and consultant. He is co-author of The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide. His study-prep seminar, "Fast-Path Java Programmer Certification," is presented at trade shows through Sun's Java University^SM Program.

Here are the best questions and Mark and Philip's answers.

JDC: What is Java Platform Certification?

MC/PH: Java Platform Certification is a program to help you demonstrate competence in the Java programming language and its application. Sun offers three tests to demonstrate various levels of competence. There is the Sun Certified Programmer for Java Platform (SCJP), Sun Certified Developer for Java Platform (SCJD) and Sun Certified Enterprise Architect for Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition Technology (SCEA). The SCJP and SCEA exams do not have any prerequisites and can be taken at any time. The SCJD exam requires that you are a Sun Certified Programmer for Java Platform.

JDC: What does certification test? Is certification accepted by major companies?

MC/PH: This really depends on the exam. The SCJP exam tests your knowledge of the core language. The SCJD tests whether you can apply the core language to solve a coding problem. The SCEA exam tests your ability to produce an enterprise architecture using J2EE^TM. Being certified carries weight in the industry. Many large companies, including IBM, Oracle, and of course Sun, are putting increasing emphasis on the importance of certification for their employees.

JDC: What about exam preparation, cost, and place held?

MC/PH: Java University (a Sun program) offers a two-day preparation seminar called "Fast Path Java Programmer Certification." This seminar covers SCJP and SCJD and is given at trade shows, including JavaOne^SM conferences and all U.S. and Canadian Comdex shows. The fee includes a voucher for taking the Programmer's exam. Java University also offers a one-day preparation seminar called "Java 2 Platform: Architect Certification Fast Path." This seminar covers the SCEA exam and is given at trade shows, including JavaOne and all U.S. and Canadian Comdex shows. In addition to these two preparation seminars, you can find information about the exam objectives, costs for the exams, and registration information at the Java Platform Certification web site.

JDC: How do I prepare for the Sun Java certification exam? Which books should I refer to?

MC/PH: Of course, our favorite book for the SCJP exam is Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide by Simon Roberts, Philip Heller, and Michael Ernest (ISBN 0-7821-2825-4). If you'd like to preview the book, you can view one of the chapters (Chapter 6: Objects and Classes) on the JDC Bookshelf.

JDC: I attained Sun Certified Programmer for the Java 2 Platform three months ago. The exam was easier than I thought. Does certification make me more valuable in the market? I didn't even tell my manager about the certification.

MC/PH: Tell your manager. This is an accomplishment that you should be proud of. Being a Sun Certified Programmer for the Java Platform can make you more valuable, but of course value is not dependent on certification alone. Value is determined by many factors, of which certification is a part.

JDC: Is there an official SCJP mock exam that I can buy from Sun?

MC/PH: There is a planned mock exam to be delivered by JavaOne. It will come in two flavors. The first version will be a small mock exam that will be free. The second version will be more full-featured, and there will be a fee for this mock exam. The price has not been determined. Details for the mock exam will show up on the Java Platform Certification web site.

JDC: I have cleared JCP. Do I get some URL or identification by which I can prove it online?

MC/PH: Congratulations, now you should proceed to get the SCJD certification and then the SCEA certification. As far as proof, you can use the following URL: http://www.galton.com/~sun. Once you hit this site, you must log in with your ID. You will then be presented with a page of all Sun Certifications you have attained.

JDC: I am currently programmer certified, and am considering attempting the developer certification. Are there any specific areas with which I should be thoroughly familiar before attempting the assignment?

MC/PH: Basically, the SCJD is testing your ability to apply the Java core API set to code the solution to a problem. Because it is a programming assignment, you do not have a set time frame in which to complete the assignment. So, you can get the assignment and determine the studying you need to do.

JDC: I simply don't understand the Architecture Exam. Is it just to show familiarity with the packages and components available for Java? Do you have to know the Java language to take it, or is it more for technical program managers? Does it add value to a Developer certification?

MC/PH: The SCEA exam is intended to test your ability to create an architecture using J2EE. In order to create an architecture for J2EE, you will need to understand how the components of J2EE work and interrelate. But you will not need to know the details of the APIs. To be more specific, J2EE is a framework for building enterprise applications. There are many different architectures that can be created using the framework, for example, servlets talking JDBC^TM to the database is a valid J2EE architecture. The traditional J2EE architecture is JavaServer Pages^TM or Java servlets talking to EJB^TM components, which then use JDBC to talk to the database. So, to create an architecture using J2EE, you will need to evaluate the system requirements and figure out which parts of the J2EE framework you want to use in the architecture. SCEA is targeted at people who create architectures. So if a technical program manager creates architectures, then yes it is intended for him. However, SCEA is not only for the technical program manager. You can become a Sun Certified Enterprise Architect at any point in your career, it just means that you know how to create an architecture using J2EE. The intended path is SCJP, SCJD, and then SCEA, but the SCJD is not a prerequisite for SCEA. Hope this helps.

JDC: I am looking for materials and/or books for the Java Architect ( first exam 310-051). Can you suggest any?

MC/PH: Here is a suggested reading list. By the way, I (Mark) am writing an SCEA study guide that should be available around the JavaOne time frame:

Java 2 Network Security, by Marco Pistoia, Duane F. Reller, Deepak Gupta, Milind Nagnur, and Ashok K. Ramani

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software, by Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides, and Grady Booch

Java Enterprise in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference, by David Flanagan, Jim Farley, William Crawford, and Kris Magnusson

UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to The Standard Object Modeling Language, Second Edition, by Martin Fowler and Kendall Scott

Enterprise Java Beans, Second Edition, by Richard Monson-Haefel

JDC: Is SCJD a prerequisite for SCJA?

MC/PH: No. Neither the SCJP or SCEA exams have any prerequisites.

JDC: What are the requirements for obtaining a Java architect certification? How much recognition does this certification have?

MC/PH: You can find the objectives for the SCEA at http://suned.sun.com/USA/certification/archobj.html. The exam is fairly new. People in the industry are just beginning to understand what architecture is and why you should be doing it. By getting the SCEA certification, you could help promote the need for architecture in the industry, and be a thought leader. The recognition for this exam is increasing daily. Just look at the number of individuals signed up on scea_j2ee@yahoogroups.com, a list group that focuses on helping people study for Enterprise Architect certification.

More Information

• Java Platform Certification web site
• The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide.

Ed Ort is a staff member of the Java Developer Connection. He has written extensively about relational database technology and programming languages.

Reader Feedback