The latest articles on DEV Community by Simão Carvalhal (@simo_carvalhal_17acac682). https://dev.to/simo_carvalhal_17acac682 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3715433%2F3d1d30d4-fec9-45e2-9da5-3d7d8fe223fc.png https://dev.to/simo_carvalhal_17acac682 en Simão Carvalhal Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:28:33 +0000 https://dev.to/simo_carvalhal_17acac682/why-im-pausing-python-to-master-java-backend-the-appsec-roadmap-1agg https://dev.to/simo_carvalhal_17acac682/why-im-pausing-python-to-master-java-backend-the-appsec-roadmap-1agg <p>Hi everyone! 👋 I'm a first-year CS student. Like many of you, I started my journey with Python. I love it, but recently I've decided to pivot hard into Java and Spring Boot.</p> <p>Why the switch? My long-term goal is Cybersecurity. I realized that if I want to be good at securing applications (AppSec), I first need to know how to build enterprise-grade backend systems. Java is still the king of the enterprise, so that's where I'm planting my flag.</p> <p>My Learning Roadmap (Next 6 Months) I'm not just learning to code; I'm learning to code securely. Here is my plan:</p> <p>Core Java: Mastering OOP and Streams.</p> <p>Spring Boot: Building REST APIs.</p> <p>The Security Twist: I plan to focus heavily on Spring Security (JWT, OAuth2) and preventing OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities (like SQL Injection) by design.</p> <p>Let's Build Together? I am looking for a coding buddy or accountability partner who is on a similar path.</p> <p>Are you learning Spring Boot?</p> <p>Are you interested in how backend code interacts with security?</p> <p>Do you want to build a portfolio project (like a Password Manager API) to get hired?</p> <p>If this sounds like you, drop a comment below or connect with me! I'd love to share resources and code together. 🚀</p> java beginners cybersecurity career