Essential Tools Every Java Developer Should Learn in 2019

This article introduces the basic and advanced tools that Java programmers should learn in 2019, targeting both experienced and novice developers.

The Java ecosystem offers many tools, from popular IDEs such as Eclipse, NetBeans, and IntelliJ IDEA to JVM analysis and monitoring utilities like JConsole, VisualVM, and Eclipse Memory Analyzer.

The focus here is on universal tools useful for core Java developers as well as web developers.

1. JIRA

Atlassian's JIRA is one of the most important tools in agile development, used for bug tracking, issue tracking, and project management. If you follow agile methods such as Sprint and Scrum, you need to understand JIRA, which lets you create sprint cycles and monitor software development progress.

JIRA is a popular Java‑based management system; Atlassian provides free defect‑tracking services for many open‑source projects, giving it high recognition and ease of use in the open‑source community.

2. Git

Git is another essential tool for Java programmers. It is a free, open‑source distributed version‑control system designed for fast, efficient handling of projects of any size. Git is easy to learn, space‑efficient, and highly performant.

Git was originally created to assist Linux kernel development but has since been adopted by many other free‑software projects.

3. Jenkins

Jenkins is an open‑source automation server written in Java. It helps automate software development tasks such as compiling projects, running unit and integration tests, generating documentation, and publishing artifacts to local or remote repositories.

Key uses include continuous, automated building/testing of software projects and monitoring scheduled tasks. It is one of the most popular tools for continuous integration.

4. Selenium

Selenium is one of the best testing frameworks for web applications. It provides a playback tool for creating tests without learning a scripting language, allowing Java developers to test HTML and JSP files.

It also offers various tools and libraries for browser automation and currently exists in two versions: selenium‑core and selenium‑rc.

5. Groovy

Groovy is a JVM‑based agile language that combines powerful features from Python, Ruby, and Smalltalk. It can be used to write build scripts, test scripts, and works with popular frameworks such as Gradle and Spock.

6. Spock

Spock is a testing framework suitable for Java and Groovy applications. Because it runs on JUnit, Spock integrates with most IDEs, build tools, and CI servers. It is a good choice for improving unit‑testing skills.

7. Maven

Apache Maven is a build and project‑management tool based on the Project Object Model (POM). It manages project compilation, reporting, and documentation.

Maven’s dependency‑management feature automatically downloads the correct JAR files, simplifying the handling of third‑party libraries.

8. Gradle

Gradle is a project‑automation build tool based on concepts from Apache Ant and Maven, and it is the default build system for Android.

It introduces a Groovy‑based domain‑specific language (DSL) instead of Maven’s XML configuration, making dependency configuration and project customization easier.

Gradle combines the best features of other build tools: Ant’s flexibility, Ivy’s dependency management, Maven’s conventions, and Groovy DSL, making it an excellent choice for Java projects.

9. Docker

Docker is an open‑source container engine that lets developers package applications and their dependencies into portable containers, which can be deployed on any popular Linux machine and provide lightweight virtualization.

Containers run in isolated sandboxes with minimal performance overhead and are language‑agnostic, making them suitable for any framework or packaging system.

10. Linux

Beginners should start with Linux command‑line fundamentals; Linux is a free, open‑source Unix‑like operating system that plays an important role in a developer’s career, and every Java developer should know it.

If you haven’t mastered any of the tools above, now is the time to start learning them.

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