Introduction to Java Programming

Master Java fundamentals on a live, practitioner-led course built for engineers stepping into professional software development.

View Course Syllabus

This Introduction to Java Programming course gives you a working command of one of the most widely used languages in enterprise software. Over six four-hour live sessions, you learn the core principles every Java developer needs: variables, control flow, data structures, object-oriented programming, collections, streams, and exception handling.

The course is built for developers and technical professionals new to Java, including engineers transitioning from another language, analysts moving into software development, and team members joining Java-based codebases.

Unlike off-the-shelf e-learning, the course is taught live by working engineers from Mallon Associates. Every session is hands-on, with real coding exercises, real-time feedback, and time between sessions to apply what you’ve learned.

By the end of the six sessions, you’ll be able to read, understand, and write Java code with confidence, and have a foundation strong enough to keep developing your skills in any professional Java environment.

Training a team?

Mallon delivers custom Java programmes for engineering teams at banks and fintech firms, built around your codebase and your stack.

Learn more about our Practitioner-Led Programme →

Course Details

  • Duration: Six 4-hour sessions (3 days equivalent)
  • Delivery: Live, instructor-led training via Zoom
  • Level: Beginner to early-intermediate
  • Price: £1,200 per participant

Java Programming Course Outline

This is a structured, hands-on course covering the core building blocks used in real-world Java development.

Introduction to Java
  • Overview of the Java platform and ecosystem
  • Setting up the Java development environment
  • Writing and running your first Java program
  • Understanding the Java compilation and execution process
  • Primitive data types in Java
  • Declaring and using variables
  • Arithmetic, comparison, and logical operators
  • Working with expressions and type conversion
  • Conditional statements (if, else, switch)
  • Looping structures (for, while, do-while)
  • Nested control structures
  • Writing efficient and readable program logic
  • Introduction to object-oriented design
  • Understanding classes and objects in Java
  • Creating and using class methods
  • Instance variables and object behaviour
  • Inheritance in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
  • Extending classes and code reuse in Java
  • Method overriding and polymorphism basics
  • Understanding the Object class hierarchy
  • Using Enum types to represent a fixed set of constants
  • Adding data and methods to Enum types
  • Using records to define immutable data classes
  • Working with record helper methods
  • Organising Java code using packages
  • Managing project structure and access modifiers
  • Compiling and packaging Java applications (JARs)
  • Using Gradle to automate and manage the build process
  • Understanding interfaces in Java
  • Defining and implementing interfaces
  • Differences between interfaces and abstract classes
  • Designing flexible and reusable code structures
  • Declaring and using arrays in Java
  • Working with multi-dimensional arrays
  • Iterating through array elements
  • Common array operations and memory management
  • Introduction to Java Collections and parameterised types
  • Data Structures: Lists, Sets, Queues and Maps
  • Iterating over, comparing, ordering and manipulating Collections
  • Introduction to the Streams API
  • Using Streams for processing Collections
  • Terminal operations such as Collect
  • Creating operation pipelines and applying them to a Stream
  • Understanding exception handling in Java
  • Using try, catch, and finally blocks
  • Creating and throwing custom exceptions
  • Writing robust and reliable Java code

Each topic is taught through practical coding exercises so you can apply what you learn immediately.

Who this course is for

This course is built for:

  • Developers learning Java for the first time
  • Engineers transitioning from another language (Python, JavaScript, C#, C++, Go, Scala)
  • Analysts and technical professionals moving into software development
  • Teams onboarding into Java-based codebases

No prior Java experience is required. Some basic programming experience in any language is expected.

Recommended Prerequisites

his course does not assume prior knowledge of Java. Some basic programming experience in any language (Python, JavaScript, Go, Scala, C#, C++, or similar) is expected.

For those already familiar with Java, you may consider our Java In Depth course as an alternative.

How this course is taught

The course combines six four-hour instructor-led teaching sessions with practical coding exercises.

Participants write and run Java programs throughout the training, applying concepts immediately and building confidence with the language. The week between sessions gives time to practice and consolidate, so concepts land and stick.

What you will learn

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:

  • Read, write, and run Java programs with confidence
  • Use variables, data types, operators, and control flow effectively
  • Apply object-oriented design (classes, inheritance, interfaces, polymorphism)
  • Work with Java Collections, Streams, and the Object class hierarchy
  • Handle exceptions and write robust, production-grade code
  • Organise code using packages and build Java applications with Gradle
  • Use modern Java features including Enums, Records, and the Streams API

The course gives you a foundation strong enough to continue developing your Java skills in any professional setting, whether that’s a financial system, a backend platform, or a custom internal application

Why Java Still Matters

ava is the foundation of most enterprise software running today. It powers the trading systems at the largest investment banks, the risk engines behind global insurance providers, the core platforms inside fintech firms, and the backend services running at every major technology company.

Learning Java gives you a route into:

  • Enterprise software development at scale
  • Backend application development for banking and financial services
  • High-throughput, low-latency systems
  • Established codebases where Java is the dominant language

Java is maintained by Oracle Corporation and continues to evolve, with modern features like Records, Streams, and pattern matching built into recent releases. This course covers the language as it’s used today, not the Java of fifteen years ago.

About Mallon Associates Training

Mallon Associates has been training developers and engineering teams since 1990. Our courses are designed and delivered by working engineers, not career trainers. Every instructor has built and run production systems in financial services, technology, and enterprise environments.

We work with engineering leaders at tier-one investment banks, hedge funds, and fintech firms, plus public courses for individual developers building their skills.

Mallon has trained thousands of graduate and lateral hires across tier-one banks and fintech firms since 1990, including Morgan Stanley, Citadel, Deutsche Bank, Wise, and G-Research. Engineers who have come through Mallon programmes go on to build the trading systems, risk engines, and core banking platforms running at the largest financial institutions.

"

Mallon Associates has been our partner for developer training for more than three decades. Its experience-led, embedded approach ensures that our graduates contribute from Day One, and continue to grow with the firm.

VP Engineering, Tier 1 Investment Bank

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Java programming course suitable for beginners?

Yes. The course is designed as an introduction to Java for participants with no prior Java experience. Basic familiarity with programming concepts in any language is helpful.

You’ll need a laptop, a stable internet connection, and a willingness to install Java and an IDE (we recommend IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition). Setup instructions are sent before the first session.

Every session is recorded and made available to enrolled participants. You can catch up on missed material before the next session.

Yes. Every Mallon instructor is a practitioner with real experience building production systems. You’re not being taught by someone who has only ever taught.

Yes. We deliver custom Java training programmes for engineering teams at banks, fintech firms, and technology companies, built around your stack and your codebase. Get in touch about team training.

Yes. All participants receive a Mallon Associates certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Ready to start learning Java?

Build a working command of Java with our Introduction to Java Programming course. Whether you’re developing your own skills or training a team, the course gives you the foundation needed to write professional Java with confidence.

Six live sessions. One practitioner. Real Java skills.

Build a working command of Java

Whether you're developing your own skills or training a team, the course gives you the foundation to write professional Java with confidence.

Book your seat →

Or contact us about private team training →

Or contact our team about private training for your organisation.

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