Junior Java Developer

Objective: The primary goal for this week is to immerse yourself in the planning and architecture design phase of a Java application project. You will design a conceptual architecture for a simple inventory management system that could be used in a small retail business.

Task Description: Start by identifying the key components of an inventory management system such as product management, stock control, order processing, and reporting functionalities. Create a high-level architectural diagram that outlines the main modules and their interactions. You are required to document your design decisions, the choice of design patterns, and how you propose to implement key features in Java.

Key Steps:
- Research and outline the basic requirements of an inventory management system.
- Draw a high-level architectural diagram using a tool of your choice (or hand-drawn and scanned).
- Write a detailed design document (at least 1500 words) that includes descriptions of each module, chosen design patterns, and the rationale behind your decisions.
- Prepare code scaffolding or pseudocode that gives an insight into your planned module interactions.

Expected Deliverables:
- A single file (PDF or DOCX) containing your design document and architectural diagram.
- Optionally include code stubs if applicable.

Evaluation Criteria:
- Clarity and completeness of the design documentation.
- Quality and relevance of the architectural diagram.
- Demonstrated understanding of software architecture principles and design patterns in Java.
- Practicality and feasibility of the proposed design.

This task requires you to work practically by merging design thinking with technical planning, ensuring it aligns well with software development principles, a critical part of being a Junior Java Developer.

Objective: This week you will focus on the implementation phase by developing core functionalities of a Java application. You are tasked with creating a basic command-line program that manages a library's book inventory.

Task Description: Develop a Java application that allows users to perform basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on a list of books. The application should operate in the command-line interface and enable functionalities such as adding new books, listing all books, updating book information, and deleting books. The system should store data in memory using appropriate Java collections.

Key Steps:
- Define the book entity along with its properties (e.g., title, author, ISBN, publication year).
- Develop a simple menu-driven command-line interface for user interaction.
- Implement the CRUD operations ensuring proper exception handling and input validation.
- Comment your code well to explain your logic and the flow of data.

Expected Deliverables:
- A compressed zip file containing your fully commented Java source files.
- A README file describing how to compile and run your application.

Evaluation Criteria:
- Functionality and completeness of the CRUD operations.
- Code quality, clarity, and adherence to Java programming best practices.
- Effective user interface design and error management.
- Proper documentation outlining your work.

This practical task aims to solidify your coding skills, enhance your understanding of Java’s collections, and reinforce your ability to build functional software features.

Objective: In this week’s task, you will focus on testing and debugging your code. The goal is to ensure the reliability and stability of your previously developed inventory system. You will create a suite of unit tests to validate the functionality of your application.

Task Description: Utilize JUnit (or another Java testing framework) to write comprehensive unit tests for the core functions of your inventory management system from Week 2. Your test cases should cover all CRUD operations and scenarios including edge cases. In addition, intentionally introduce and resolve bugs to demonstrate effective debugging practices.

Key Steps:
- Set up a JUnit testing environment in your Java project.
- Write multiple test cases for each function, ensuring to test for both expected behavior and error scenarios.
- Document any bugs found during testing and describe the debugging strategies employed to fix them.
- Refactor your code if necessary, based on the results of your tests.

Expected Deliverables:
- A zip file containing all your test files along with the main application source code.
- A separate document (PDF or DOCX) that outlines the identified bugs and your approach to debugging, including test results and outcomes.

Evaluation Criteria:
- Coverage and thoroughness of your unit tests.
- Ability to identify, document, and resolve bugs.
- Code quality improvement and proper use of testing frameworks.
- Clarity in documenting your debugging process and test results.

This task emphasizes the importance of software testing and debugging in the development cycle, reinforcing best practices and ensuring that you are well-prepared to handle the challenges of actual software development projects.

Objective: The goal for this week is to hone your skills in code optimization and refactoring. You will take an existing Java codebase (which could be your project from a previous week) and enhance its performance and readability.

Task Description: Perform a comprehensive refactoring of your inventory management system or any other Java application developed during your internship. Focus on improving the code structure, readability, and efficiency. Identify any redundancies or bottlenecks, and optimize them. Document your refactoring process, detailing before-and-after comparisons of key sections of the code.

Key Steps:
- Review your existing code and identify areas that are inefficient or poorly structured.
- Apply refactoring techniques such as DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself), modularization, and proper use of design patterns.
- Optimize algorithms and data structure usage to improve performance.
- Write detailed comments in the code to explain your changes and reasoning.

Expected Deliverables:
- A zip file that includes your refactored Java source files along with any associated resources.
- A report (PDF or DOCX) that explains the refactoring process, detailing specific changes made, improvements observed, and performance enhancements.

Evaluation Criteria:
- Effectiveness of code improvements and optimization.
- Clarity in documenting the refactoring process and understanding of best practices.
- Quality of before-and-after comparisons.
- Overall enhancement in code readability and maintainability.

This task is designed to challenge you to critically assess and improve your own code, a vital skill for a Junior Java Developer. It will encourage you to adopt industry standards and best practices in code refactoring, leading to better, more efficient software solutions.

Objective: The final week focuses on integrating individual components into a cohesive application and preparing it for deployment. Additionally, you will create comprehensive developer documentation that describes the application workflow, technologies used, and instructions for deployment.

Task Description: Integrate the various modules you have developed in previous weeks into a single, coherent Java application. Once integrated, simulate a deployment scenario by packaging your application. Alongside this, produce a detailed documentation file aimed at developers explaining how your application is structured, how it can be started, and how future developers can extend it. This exercise will mimic real-world scenarios where a Java application is handed over to an operations team for deployment and maintenance.

Key Steps:
- Consolidate all previous project components into a single, functioning application.
- Identify and address any integration issues, ensuring smooth communication between modules.
- Prepare deployment scripts (if applicable) and package the application appropriately (using JAR or executable bundles).
- Write a comprehensive developer documentation file (at least 1500 words) that discusses the architecture, deployment process, and future maintenance strategies.

Expected Deliverables:
- A compressed zip file that contains all your final Java source files, deployment scripts, and any other related resources.
- A developer documentation file in PDF or DOCX format outlining all aspects of the integration and deployment process.

Evaluation Criteria:
- Success in integrating various modules into a cohesive application.
- Quality and clarity of the deployment process and scripts.
- Thoroughness of the developer documentation and ease of understanding for future maintainers.
- Demonstrated ability to consider long-term maintainability and scalability of the application.

This task combines multiple essential components of software development – integration, deployment, and comprehensive documentation – and simulates a real-world scenario that a Junior Java Developer may encounter. It is designed to ensure you are well-prepared to transition from development to sustainable application deployment and maintenance.