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Hello guys, even though the Java SE 11 certification is already out, many Java programmers are still going for Java 8 certification. There is a reason for that Java SE 11 certification is a lot tougher and if you need a Java certification for your Job, promotion or for any other reason Java SE 8 certification is the best In order to become a Java 8 Certified developer, you need to pass two exams, the OCAJP 8 exam with code 1Z0--808 and the OCPJP8 exam with code 1Z0--809.

You will not be a Java SE 8 certified programmer if you just pass the OCAJP8 exam. In order to prepare for both these exams, you need to choose a good study guide and a good mock exam simulator, apart from writing programs on a daily basis.

Since there is a lot of demand for Java 8 certified professionals across the world, it seems to be a good opportunity to change your career path by learning Java 8, if you are doing some boring IT work and wants to become an application developer.

The Java certifications will provide you both knowledge and competitive edge over other candidates who are applying for the same Java developer job.

Since it's almost 5 years since the launch of Java 8, 18th March 2014, both OCAJP8 and OCPJP8 are now established exam. You will find a lot of books, materials and mock questions on the internet for preparing these two exams. But, if you are not careful, you will lose a lot of time chasing for resources which are not very helpful.

In order to create a plan and then work on that plan to get Java 8 Certification, the first step is to choose a good book or study guide. In this article, I am going to share some of the best OCAJP8 and OCPJP8 books you can choose from.

5 Best Books and Courses for Java 8 Certifications

One of the important steps to succeed in Java 8 certifications like 1Z0--808 and 1Z0--809 is to choose one study guide for OCAJP8 and one for OCPJP8. The study guides not only covers the exam topics in full but also provides exam tips related to every topic. If you are happy with a 90% score than one study guide is more than sufficient, provided you also have a good exam simulator like Whizlabs, Enthuware, or David Mayer's online CertificateQuestions. The combination of a Study guide and mock exam is the best to crack any Java certification in limited time.

1. OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I Certification Guide by Mala Gupta

This is an excellent study guide for the OCAJP8 exam. [Mala Gupta] has done a tremendous job of providing quality content especially tailored for certification needs. This book not only covers all exam topics but also highlights key concepts that are important from exam perspective and which are the base for tricky questions. The book also contains a full-length mock exam, which you can use with any professional exam simulators like David Mayer's 1Z0--808 dumps.

You can also combine this book with The Complete Java Masterclass course on Udemy you will be in good shape to pass this exam. This course also covers most of the certification topics in good details.

2. OCA: Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer I Study Guide

This is another good book to prepare for OCA or Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer I certification i.e. exam code 1Z0--808. The book is a complete study guide for Java 8 OCA certification and covers every single exam topic. The book starts with an assessment test, which is really nice way to gauge where do you stand in terms of your knowledge of Java 8 and OCA exam objective. This will give you a good idea bout how long it will take for you to prepare for OCAJP 8 exam or 1Z0--808. Similar to Whizlabs 1Z0--808 exam simulator, it also explains why correct answers are correct and why incorrect answers are wrong, which will help you to build your concepts and avoid misconceptions.

3. OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I Study Guide by Oracle

This is the 3rd book to prepare for OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I Study guide or Exam 1Z0--808 and the best part of this book is that it comes from Oracle and Java, which means you can rest assured that it covers every single detail of 1Z0--808 Exam objectives. The book also comes with a CD of mock exams which you can use for further preparation but mock exams are not really up-to-the-mark and very easy as compared to the real exam. It's better to rely on the professional Java 8 simulators like Whizlabs or Enthuware. You can find a good list of Java 8 simulators here.

4. Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 8 Programmer Exam 1Z0--809 By Ganesh, Hari, and Tushar

This is the latest and greatest study guide for Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 8 Programmer Exam or 1Z0--809. You will find a lot of small, practical code examples which is really important to truly understand Java 8 concepts. The book not only covers each and every exam topic of 1Z0--809 but also present new features of Java 8 in easy to understand manner, with proper exam tips. The book also contains a lot of practice questions on each chapter, including full-length mock exams, which you can take along with David Mayer's free Z0--809 dumps to test your preparation before going for exams.

5. OCP: Oracle Certified Professional Java SE 8 Programmer II Study Guide

This is the 2nd part of Jeanne Boyarsky and Scott Selikoff guide for Java 8 Certification. The first guide covers OCA exam and this guide covers OCP exam or 1Z0--809 exam, but I found this book is also a great resource for programmer who are looking to upgrade their certifications i.e. programmers who currently hold Java 6 or prior version of certification and preparing for 1Z0--813 exam and Java SE 7 certified developer who are preparing for 1Z0--810 exam.

Along with this book, you can also check the Complete Java SE 8 Developer Bootcamp - OCA Prep Included on Udemy. It is an ideal online training course for a beginner who is learning Java SE 8 and wants to become a certified developer e.g. fresh graduates who want to start a career in software development or Developers who are looking to increase their marketability by learning the nuts and bolts of Java\

Useful resources for Java 8 certifications:

Here are some of the useful resources for preparing OCAJP8 (1Z0--808) and OCAPJP8 (1Z0--809) examination. Some resources are free and you have to buy some resources, but given the actual exam cost is 245 USD or 10,100 INR, it worth spending some more money to prepare well. It's better than taking the retake of the exam.

That's all about some of the best books to prepare for OCAJP8 and OCPJP8 certification. As I said, it's not enough to just pass OCAJP8 or 1Z0--808 exams if you aspire to become a Java SE 8 certified programmer. You won't get the title or certification until you pass the OCPJP8 like. 1Z0--809 exams. That's why I have shared books for both OCAJP8 and OCPJP8 certification as it doesn't make any sense to prepare for just OCAJP8 or OCPJP8.

Though, there are some other ways to become Java SE 8 Certified Programmer like if you already hold a Java SE 7 certification then you can give the 1Z0--810 exams to become a certified Java Se 8 programmer.

Alternatively, if you are an SCJP 6, SCPJP6 or SCJP 1.4 programmer or hold any Java certifications for lower versions, you can give Java SE 8 Upgrade exam to become a certified Java 8 developer. The exam code for that exam is 1Z0--813.

Though Java SE 8 certification is easier as compared to Java SE 11 certification I strongly suggest even for certified Java developers to upgrade their certification and go for the latest Java certification for better Job prospects, recognition and get a competitive edge over other candidates.

All the best.

5 Books to Crack Java 8 Certification (OCAJP 8 and OCPJP 8) - Best of lot