Essential Tools Every Java Developer Should Learn in 2020

This article introduces basic and advanced tools that Java programmers should learn in 2020. If you are an experienced Java developer you may already know these tools, but if not, now is a good time to start learning them.

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

In this article I will focus on generic tools applicable to various Java developers, including core Java developers and web developers.

1. JIRA

Atlassian's JIRA is one of the most important tools in agile development. It is used for bug tracking, issue tracking, and project management. If you follow agile methods such as Sprint and Scrum, you must know JIRA. It allows you to create sprint cycles and track software development progress.

JIRA is a popular Java‑based management system. Because Atlassian provides free defect‑tracking services for many open‑source projects, it enjoys high recognition in the open‑source community and is relatively easy to use.

2. Git

Git is another essential tool for Java programmers. It is a free, open‑source distributed version‑control system designed to handle projects of any size efficiently. Git is easy to learn, lightweight, and offers excellent performance.

Git was originally created to assist Linux kernel development, but it has 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 tests, integration tests, generating documentation, and publishing artifacts to local or remote repositories. Main uses include:

● Continuous, automated building/testing of software projects, similar to CruiseControl and DamageControl.

● Monitoring scheduled tasks.

It is one of the most popular tools for continuous integration. If you haven't started using Jenkins, now is the time.

4. Selenium

Selenium is one of the best web‑application testing frameworks. It provides a playback tool for creating tests without learning a scripting language. Java developers can use Selenium to test their HTML and JSP files.

It also offers various tools and libraries for web‑browser automation. Selenium currently has two versions: selenium‑core and selenium‑rc.

5. Groovy

Groovy is a JVM‑based agile language that combines many powerful features of Python, Ruby, and Smalltalk. You can write build scripts, test scripts, and use 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 works with most IDEs, build tools, and CI servers. If you want to improve your unit‑testing skills, spending time learning Spock is worthwhile.

7. Maven

If you are an experienced Java developer, you are likely familiar with Maven. Apache Maven is a build and project‑management tool based on the concept of a Project Object Model (POM). Maven can manage project compilation, reporting, and documentation.

Another useful feature of Maven is dependency management. Since Java projects often rely on many third‑party libraries, manually handling each JAR and its dependencies can be tedious; Maven automatically downloads the correct JARs for you.

8. Gradle

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

It introduces a Groovy‑based domain‑specific language (DSL) instead of Maven's XML configuration, making it easier to configure project dependencies and customizations.

Why choose Gradle over Ant or Maven? Because it combines the best features of other build tools: Ant's flexibility and control, Ivy's dependency management, Maven's conventions, and the ability to use Groovy DSL on top of Ant. This makes it an excellent build tool 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 also provides virtualization.

Containers use sandbox mechanisms, have virtually no performance overhead, and run independently without interfaces, similar to iPhone apps. They are language‑, framework‑, and packaging‑agnostic.

10. Linux

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

If there are tools above you haven’t mastered yet, don’t miss the chance to learn them now.

END