Getting back up to speed in Java development

Question

Using http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2344376/getting-back-up-to-speed-on-java-after-8-10-years as a starting point...

Along with updating myself with the core JDK6 features, would knowing the different components of JBoss be enough of a refresher to make me marketable?

Though I have about six+ years of Java development experience, it's been about five years since I've done professional Java coding. I realize a lot has changed, and I've had a bit of a rude awakening.

I used to do a fair bit of work with WebLogic, but as noted earlier it's been five years...

Answer 1

The best "refresher" I've always found when working with a technology I haven't used in a while is to actually try to do some sort of project with it. Reading is great, but actually building something useful is even better.

I'd start by doing the following:

1. Download a recent version of JBoss from here.
2. Study the documentation, found here, chapter 12 has a lot of good info for actual application development.
3. Try building a simple web application using servlets, JSP's and session beans.

As far as whether "knowing the different components of JBoss be enough of a refresher to make you marketable", that depends on who's hiring. If they are looking for someone who already knows these technologies well and can hit the ground running, then probably not. But if you can find a company that judges you based on your attitude/aptitude and willingness to learn, then you may have a shot.

It's always better to have experience, but if someone is driven to learn then they'll almost always overtake the experienced person who does nothing to keep learning and keep their skills sharp. The hard part is finding a company that hires on that basis, because sadly, it's often not the case.

Good luck!