98-388 Introduction to Programming Using Java

Published: October 12, 2017
Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), French, German, Korean
Audiences: IT professionals, Developers, Information workers
Technology: Java 6 SE
Credit toward certification: MTA

Skills measured
This exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below. View video tutorials about the variety of question types on Microsoft exams.

Please note that the questions may test on, but will not be limited to, the topics described in the bulleted text.

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Understand Java fundamentals (15-20%)
Describe the use of main in a Java application
Signature of main, why it is static; how to consume an instance of your own class; command-line arguments
Perform basic input and output using standard packages
Print statements; import and use the Scanner class
Evaluate the scope of a variable
Declare a variable within a block, class, or method

Work with data types, variables, and expressions (40-45%)
Declare and use primitive data type variables
Data types, including byte, char, int, double, short, long, float, boolean; identify when precision is lost; initialization; how primitives differ from wrapper object types such as Integer and Boolean
Construct and evaluate code that manipulates strings
String class and string literals, comparisons, concatenation, case and length; String.format methods; string operators; converting a primitive data type to a string; the immutable nature of strings; initialization; null
Construct and evaluate code that creates, iterates, and manipulates arrays and array lists
One- and two-dimensional arrays, including initialization, null, size, iterating elements, accessing elements; array lists, including adding and removing elements, traversing the list
Construct and evaluate code that performs parsing, casting and conversion
Implementing code that casts between primitive data types, converts primitive types to equivalent object types, or parses strings to numbers
Construct and evaluate arithmetic expressions
Arithmetic operators, assignment, compound assignment operators, operator precedence

Implement flow control (15-20%)
Construct and evaluate code that uses branching statements
if, else, else if, switch; single-line versus block; nesting; logical and relational operators
Construct and evaluate code that uses loops
while, for, for each, do while; break and continue; nesting; logical, relational, and unary operators

Perform object-oriented programming (10-15%)
Construct and evaluate a class definition
Constructors; constructor overloading; one class per .java file; this keyword; inheritance and overriding at a basic level
Declare, implement, and access data members in a class
private, public, protected; instance data members; static data members; using static final to create constants; describe encapsulation
Declare, implement, and access methods
private, public, protected; method parameters; return type; void; return value; instance methods; static methods; overloading
Instantiate and use a class object in a program
Instantiation; initialization; null; accessing and modifying data members; accessing methods; accessing and modifying static members; importing packages and classes

Compile and debug code (5-10%)
Troubleshoot syntax errors, logic errors, and runtime errors
print statement debugging; output from the javac command; analyzing code for logic errors; console exceptions after running the program; evaluating a stack trace
Implement exception handling
try catch finally; exception class; exception class types; display exception information