OCAJP 7 vs OCAJP 8

Studying from an older book? Here's what you need to know?

If you're using a book that covers the SCJP/OCJP 6, also see OCAJP7andOCPJP7vsOCJP6 and OCAJP7andOCPJP7vsOCJP6

Between the OCAJP 7 and 8, there were only a few new topics (and some re-ordering of topics in the objectives) THere are also a few language changes to be aware of:

The keywords default and static are allowed in interfaces in Java 8, but not Java 7.

The final keyword is allowed to be implied in certain cases in Java 8. (This only affects the OCP 8, not the OCA 8)

OCA 8 Objective	OCP 8 Text	OCA 7 Objective
	Java Basics
1.1	Define the scope of variables	1.1
1.2	Define the structure of a Java class	1.2
1.3	Create executable Java applications with a main method; run a Java program from the command line; including console output.	1.3 + new topic
1.4	Import other Java packages to make them accessible in your code	1.4
1.5	Compare and contrast the features and components of Java such as: platform independence, object orientation, encapsulation, etc.	n/a - new topic
	Working With Java Data Types
2.1	Declare and initialize variables (including casting of primitive data types)	2.1
2.2	Differentiate between object reference variables and primitive variables	2.2
2.3	Know how to read or write to object fields	2.3
2.4	Explain an Object's Lifecycle (creation, "dereference by reassignment" and garbage collection)	2.4
2.5	Use call methods on user-created wrapper class objects (grammatical error reported to Oracle - think this means primitive wrappers	n/a - new topic
	Using Operators and Decision Constructs Â
3.1	Use Java operators; including parentheses to override operator precedence	3.1, 3.2
3.3	Test equality between Strings and other objects using == and equals ()	3.3
3.4	Create if and if/else constructs and ternary constructs	3.4
3.5	Use a switch statement	3.5
	Creating and Using Arrays
4.1	Declare, instantiate, initialize and use a one-dimensional array	4.1
4.2	Declare, instantiate, initialize and use multi-dimensional array	4.2
	Using Loop Constructs
5.1	Create and use while loops	5.1
5.2	Create and use for loops including the enhanced for loop	5.2
5.3	Create and use do/while loops	5.3
5.4	Compare loop constructs	5.4
5.5	Use break and continue Â	5.5
	Working with Methods and Encapsulation
6.1	Create methods with arguments and return values; including overloaded methods	6.1, 6.3
6.2	Apply the static keyword to methods and fields Â	6.2
6.5	Create and overload constructors; including impact on default constructors	6.4, 6.5
6.6	Apply access modifiers	6.6
6.7	Apply encapsulation principles to a class	6.7
6.8	Determine the effect upon object references and primitive values when they are passed into methods that change the values	6.8
	Working with Inheritance
7.1	Describe the hierarchy of implementing inheritance	7.1
7.2	Develop code that demonstrates the use of polymorphism	5.2
7.3	Differentiate between the type of a reference and the type of an object; including overriding and object type versus reference type	7.2, 7.3
7.4	Determine when casting is necessary	7.4
7.5	Use super and this to access objects and constructors	7.5
7.6	Use abstract classes and interfaces	7.6
	Handling Exceptions
8.1	Differentiate among checked exceptions, RuntimeExceptions and Errors	8.1
8.2	Create a try-catch block and determine how exceptions alter normal program flow	8.2
8.3	Describe the advantages of Exception handling	8.3
8.4	Invoke a method that throws an exception	8.4
8.5	Recognize common exception classes (such as NullPointerException, ArithmeticException, ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException, ClassCastException)	8.5
	Working with Selected Classes from the Java API
9.1	Manipulate data using the StringBuilder class and its methods	2.6
9.2	Creating and manipulating Strings	2.7
9.3	Create and manipulate calendar data using classes from java.time.LocalDateTime, java.time.LocalDate, java.time.LocalTime, java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter, java.time.Period	n/a - new topic
9.4	Declare and use an ArrayList of a given type	4.3
9.5	Write a simple Lambda expression that consumes a Lambda Predicate expression	n/a - new topic

OCA 7 Objective	OCA 7 Text	OCA 8 Objective
	Java Basics
1.1	Define the scope of variables	1.1
1.2	Define the structure of a Java class	1.2
1.3	Create executable Java applications with a main method	1.3
1.4	Import other Java packages to make them accessible in your code	1.4
	Working With Java Data Types
2.1	Declare and initialize variables	2.1
2.2	Differentiate between object reference variables and primitive variables	2.2
2.3	Read or write to object fields	2.3
2.4	Explain an Object's Lifecycle (creation, "dereference" and garbage collection)	2.4
2.5	Call methods on objects	implied in objectives 6.X
2.6	Manipulate data using the StringBuilder class and its methods	9.1
2.7	Creating and manipulating Strings	9.2
	Using Operators and Decision Constructs Â
3.1	Use Java operators	3.1
3.2	Use parenthesis to override operator precedence	3.1
3.3	Test equality between Strings and other objects using == and equals ()	3.2
3.4	Create if and if/else constructs	3.3
3.5	Use a switch statement	3.4
	Creating and Using Arrays
4.1	Declare, instantiate, initialize and use a one-dimensional array	4.1
4.2	Declare, instantiate, initialize and use multi-dimensional array	4.2
4.3	Declare and use an ArrayList	9.4
	Using Loop Constructs
5.1	Create and use while loops	5.1
5.2	Create and use for loops including the enhanced for loop	5.2
5.3	Create and use do/while loops	5.3
5.4	Compare loop constructs	5.4
5.5	Use break and continue Â	5.5
	Working with Methods and Encapsulation
6.1	Create methods with arguments and return values	6.1
6.2	Apply the static keyword to methods and fields Â	6.2
6.3	Create an overloaded method	6.1
6.4	Differentiate between default and user defined constructors	6.3
6.5	Create and overload constructors	6.3
6.6	Apply access modifiers	6.4
6.7	Apply encapsulation principles to a class	6.5
6.8	Determine the effect upon object references and primitive values when they are passed into methods that change the values	6.6
	Working with Inheritance
7.1	Implement inheritance	7.1
7.2	Develop code that demonstrates the use of polymorphism	7.2
7.3	Differentiate between the type of a reference and the type of an object	7.2
7.4	Determine when casting is necessary	7.3
7.5	Use super and this to access objects and constructors	7.4
7.6	Use abstract classes and interfaces	7.5
	Handling Exceptions
8.1	Differentiate among checked exceptions, RuntimeExceptions and Errors	2.5
8.2	Create a try-catch block and determine how exceptions alter normal program flow	2.4
8.3	Describe what Exceptions are used for in Java	2.5
8.4	Invoke a method that throws an exception	2.4
8.5	Recognize common exception classes and categories	2.6