My Journey into Java Programming as a Beginner

Hello and Welcome
Hi there! I’m Sandira, a software engineering student from Sri Lanka, and today I want to share something personal — how I got started with Java programming as a complete beginner.

This isn’t a tutorial. It’s a story. A journey. And if you're just starting out and feeling overwhelmed, I hope this encourages you.

How It All Started
Let’s rewind to 2023, right after I finished my A/Ls. I knew one thing for sure:

I wanted to build things.

Websites. Applications. Systems. I didn’t know what exactly, but I wanted to be someone who creates.

The problem? I had absolutely no clue where to begin.

I heard so many different suggestions:

“Try Python, it’s beginner-friendly.”

“JavaScript is what everyone uses now.”

“If you want the real fundamentals, start with C.”

But something about Java stood out. Maybe it was its object-oriented nature. Maybe the fact that it's still used in the enterprise world. Or maybe just the sheer amount of tutorials and community support out there.

So, I went with Java.

Starting with the ICM Diploma
In 2024, I joined the ICM Diploma in Software Engineering at ICET Institute. That’s when things got serious — and tough.

Early Struggles — And Lots of Them
I'll be honest. Java was intimidating at first.

I didn’t really understand what a class was.

Getters and setters? They felt like magic words.

I kept mixing up == and .equals().

And syntax errors... don’t even get me started.

There were days I genuinely thought:

“Maybe this isn’t for me.”
“Am I not smart enough for this?”

But I kept showing up. I didn’t stop. And that made all the difference.

The Small Wins That Kept Me Going
The breakthroughs came slowly — but they came.

My first successful Hello World.

class Example{
    public static void main(String[] args){
        System.out.println("Hello World");
    }
}

A working calculator.

Understanding if conditions, loops, and arrays.

Each tiny success gave me confidence. And over time, all the scattered pieces started to fit together.

I realized something important:
I didn’t need to understand everything right away. I just needed to take one step at a time.

Building My First Real Project
Once I got comfortable with the basics, I wanted to build something real. That’s when I discovered JavaFX.

My first proper project was a POS (Point-of-Sale) System for a clothing store, which I called Clothify Store.

Here’s what I used:

JavaFX for the UI (with Scene Builder)

Java for the logic

MySQL + JDBC for the database

That one project taught me so much:

How CRUD operations actually work in a real system

How frontends and backends connect

How to design and structure an app

It was the first time I looked at myself and thought:
“I’m not just learning to code — I’m becoming a developer.”

Stepping Into Full Stack Development
After that, I began exploring full stack concepts.

Spring Boot for building backend APIs

Postman to test and debug them

A bit of HTML/JavaScript for simple frontends

Understanding how RESTful APIs work

Each project gave me new confidence.
Each bug I solved made me feel stronger.

What Java Taught Me — Beyond the Code
Learning Java didn’t just teach me how to code. It changed how I think and work.

I learned to solve problems logically

I learned how to debug without giving up (most days 😅)

I discovered the power of version control with Git and GitHub

And I finally understood why people say: “Read the documentation.”

These are lessons that go far beyond just programming.

Where I Am Now
Right now, I’m working on my final year project — an E-Waste Management System using:

Spring Boot for the backend

Angular for the frontend

I’ve also:

Built a Crypto Portfolio Tracker as a side project

Experimented with chatbot APIs, including OpenAI

Started learning about cloud deployment and DevOps basics

And in 2025, I’ll begin my BIT undergraduate degree, where I plan to dive deeper into:

Advanced backend development

Open source contribution

Real-world product building

Advice to New Beginners (From Someone Who Was Just There)
If you’re just starting Java — or coding in general — here’s what I wish someone told me sooner:

Don’t rush. Focus on one thing at a time.

Ask questions. Even if they feel "dumb."

Celebrate the small wins. They matter.

Consistency is key. Code a little every day.

Believe in yourself. Even when it feels hard.

You’re not alone — we all start somewhere. And progress isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s quiet persistence.