Today , I got SCWCD certication. I got 52 questions right out of 59. That gave me 88%. I did not have any Servlet/JSP backgorund. The exam was much easier than
SCJP exam and was much easier than I was worrying. But donot underestimate the exam.
You should get a clear grasp of all the concepts. Some questions are really subtle.
WHAT MADE ME TO THINK ABOUT SCWCD:
I got my SCJP cert couple of months back and was wondering what is the next step in job search(in finding IT work). Fortunately I read Umair's article of Dawn(daily news paper form Karachi, Pakistan)(reposted on
java ranch couple of weeks back). My thanks to jaguar for his inspiring article on SCWCD). That made the ball rolling. Previously, I was toying with the idea of
SCJD test. I changed my mind after reading Umair's article.
I had some java project development experience with VisualAge for Java. But I had no idea about
JSP,
Servlets, JavaBeans etc.
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BEFORE THE PUBLICATION OF CERTIFICATION GUIDES:
I started reading Marty HAll's CORE SERVlets/JSP.. book and
Dustin R. Callway's inside Servlets: serverside programming for the java platofrm(excellent easy to understand book on servlets for the novices).
But serious preparation began during past 30 days after the publication of two cert books(Sybex, Manning). Based on my experience the below given resources will be sufficient for newbies(people with no real JSP/Servlet project experience) for confidently challenging the test.
*************** THE 8 RESOURCES *****************
These resources will be suffice for the newbies(people with SCJP and without any project expertise in Servlets/JSP/Tag libs):
By hind sight, in my openion these resources will be suffice for SCWCD aspirants. Ofcourse, if you have time/patience you can consult more. But these will be suffice to confidentially challenge the test.
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1.SCWCD exam study kit- - H. Deshmukh (Manning): a must
I cannot express my thanks to Deshmukh. It has saved my time and frustations. He had written a great book for SCWCD aspirants. The book is very pleasant to read. I was unable to stop reading, once I got the book. The book gave me the confidence that, I can challenge the test easily.
I consider that it is really a marvellous resource. It will not be an exageration if I say that you can challenge the test with this book alone (plus servlets/JSP: API/specs).
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2. Java2 Web certification study guide- -Natalie Levi :
Compliments the mannnings book. Can be used as a complementory book for the resource 1( i.e manning's book).
Got nearly ~400 questions. My 40$ spent on it was worth (in my openion). Answers for 300 questions are well explained. In fact , questions are little more challenging/tougher than Deshmukh's book. Glossary is really superb, I loved it. Thanks for that excellent glossay, Natalie!
But, as you are aware that this book got lot of typos/errors. But in my openion, if you have no prior project experience of JSP/Servlets, the book is good.
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3. More servlets/JSPs--Marty Hall:
Got excllent online copyable code. I read chapter 5 (Controlling web application behavior with web.xml). can be used for code(Cut and paste). You should practise some code with
tomcat.
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4.Servlet API
5.JSP API
read them(re-read them) regulary and throughly.
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6.Servlet 2.3 specs
(available from javaranch hyperlinks)
7. JSP 1.2 specs
(available from java ranch hyperlinks)
donot neglect these specs, after all they are the Sun's specs. They will help you in ansering subtle questions. Read them only after understanding Deshmuk's book throughly, otherwise you will be get lost.
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8. Ofcourse mocktests and other resources from Java ranch
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WHEN WILL YOU BE READY FOR THE TEST:
After you have read/throughly understood the above resources, you will be getting a sort of feeling that you are ready. TAke the mock tests.
Manning book comes with 3 JWeb+ tests of 150 questions, with excellent answers. If you can score 80-90% on these mock teststs, you are ready to take the real test.
The real test, I got was much easier than JWeb+ testes/ Edwardo Cobian test /Mika Hirvasojas test(last two tests you can access from java rach SCWCD links).
Thanks to mika Hirvasoja, she got 100 excellent questions with user friendly interface(you can cheek the answers/explanations rightaway)
I strongly recommend that you should redo the tests and throughly grasp the explanations. The more the merrier.
Many thanks to javaranch for such an excellent forum. Without javaranch , it should have taken more time for me to get certified. Thanks to ranchers, posters for sharing their real world expertise.
J. Reddi
Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP).
Of course,
Sun Certified Web Component Developer(SCWCD).
