cs-java-focus.md

Computer Science and Backend Development - Java Focus

If you have any questions, be sure to check the FAQ. In fact, before you even start anything, go read the FAQ. It has a plethora of hints, tips and answers to help you ensure you get the most out of this guide.

Note that at the end of each tier, there are a number of "choose your own" projects. Do not feel you have to wait until the end of the tier to complete them - whenever you want to "build", just skip to the end of the tier, build something, check it off, then return to where you were.

Project suggestions: Above all, pick something you're interested in building. It doesn't have to be a "web page", it could be a command line utility, a mobile app, some fancy arduino robot, or yes, a web page, or anything else you are inspired to build. Try to pick something substantial for the level you're at - 40+ hours of effort. Try not to pick something so daunting it'll take you months or (worse) you won't be able to complete.

Specific Project Ideas

• Clone a popular website, with either emphasis on some fancy frontend, or the emphasis on a rock solid API with the minimal frontend necessary to test it
• Clone pretty much any template you find on the web, but do it in Kotlin as an Android app
• Build/clone a game
• Hit Kaggle and build a kernel for solving one of the problems there
• Hit HackerRank or CodinGame for a weeklong problem solving binge, finishing as many problems as you possibly can
• Build a command line utility that automates something you do frequently.
• Contribute a PR to the Open Source project of your choice
• Write a series of blog posts / tutorials that explain thoroughly some topic you've been studying
• Build an application you wish was available, but isn't

Tier 1 - getting started

• Course: Introduction to Computer Science - CS50
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - Qualification Round (language of your choice)
• Article: Read Project Specification Documents and get in the habit of including every bit of information it details that makes sense for a project in the README.md or other supporting documentation for your projects
• Course: Effective Thinking Through Mathematics
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - Qualification Round (language of your choice)
• Course: How to Code: Simple Data
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - Qualification Round (language of your choice)
• Book: Precalculus
• Course: How to Code: Complex Data
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - Qualification Round (language of your choice)
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - Round 1A (language of your choice)
• Video Series: Essence of Calculus
• Course: Single Variable Calculus
• Book: Think Java - How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - Round 1A (language of your choice)
• Course: Software Construction: Data Abstraction
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - Round 1A (language of your choice)
• Book: Introducing Java 8
• Course: Software Construction: Object-Oriented Design
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - Round 1A (language of your choice)
• Project: The Java Tutorials Work through all of the tutorials
• Project: Spring Work through each of the Spring.io guides.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.

Tier 2 - develop more expertise

• Book: Object-Oriented vs. Functional Programming
• Course: Software Engineering: Introduction
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - Round 1B (language of your choice)
• Book: Java Structures
• Article: Read Algorithms and Flowcharts and then familiarize yourself with Pencil ... start flowcharting complex portions of your code logic as part of your documentation
• Book: Docker for Java Developers
• Course: Software Development Capstone Project
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - Round 1C (language of your choice)
• Course: Mathematics for Computer Science
• Course: UX Design for Mobile Developers
• Docs: Kotlin Work though all Reference and Tutorials
• Book: Don't Panic: Mobile Developer's Guide to The Galaxy
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - Round 1B (language of your choice)
• Book: Open Data Structures
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - Round 1C (language of your choice)
• Course: Algorithms, Part I
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - Round 1B (language of your choice)
• Book: Applied Discrete Structures
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - Round 1C (language of your choice)
• Course: Algorithms, Part II
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - Round 1B (language of your choice)
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - Round 1C (language of your choice)
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.

Tier 3 - add more rigor

• Book: Professor Frisby's Mostly Adequate Guide to Functional Programming
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - Round 2(language of your choice)
• Book: Microservices for Java Developers
• Course: Software Testing
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - Round 3 (language of your choice)
• Book: Calculus
• Course: Software Debugging
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - Round 2(language of your choice)
• Course: Multivariable Calculus
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - Round 3 (language of your choice)
• Course: Software Architecture & Design
• Course: Classical Mechanics
• Book: Modern Java EE Design Patterns
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - Round 2(language of your choice)
• Course: Databases
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - Round 3 (language of your choice)
• Course: Agile Software Development
• Course: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies
• Course: Intro to Theoretical Computer Science
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - Round 2(language of your choice)
• Course: Introduction to Probability - The Science of Uncertainty
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - Round 3 (language of your choice)
• Video Series: Essence of Linear Algebra
• Course: Linear Algebra - Foundations to Frontiers
• Course: Cryptography I
• Book: Cryptography: An Introduction
• Course: Cryptography II
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.

Tier 4 - polish the rough edges

• Course: Computer Architecture
• Project: Google Code Jam 2008 - World Finals (language of your choice)
• Book: Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms
• Course: Introduction to Cyber Security
• Project: Google Code Jam 2009 - World Finals (language of your choice)
• Book: Foundations of Computer Science
• Course: Differential Equations
• Course: Computer Graphics
• Project: Google Code Jam 2010 - World Finals (language of your choice)
• Book: The Quest for Artificial Intelligence
• Course: Artificial Intelligence
• Project: Google Code Jam 2011 - World Finals (language of your choice)
• Course: Machine Learning
• Book: Deep Learning
• Project: Google Code Jam 2012 All Rounds
• Book: The Philosophy of Computer Science
• Course: Operating Systems and System Programming
• Project: Google Code Jam 2013 All Rounds
• Book: Numeric Algorithms
• Book: Basics of Compiler Design
• Course: Compilers
• Project: Google Code Jam 2014 All Rounds
• Course: Robotics Fundamentals
• Project: Google Code Jam 2015 All Rounds
• Course: Computer Networks
• Project: Google Code Jam 2016 All Rounds
• Course: Parallel Computer Architecture and Programming
• Project: Google Code Jam 2017 All Rounds
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.
• Project: Build Something of your choice using what you've learned to this point.