The OCAJP 1Z0-808 – Best Books and Mock Exams for Java 8 OCA Certification

From the last couple of months, I have been helping a few developers to prepare for Java 8 associate certification with exam code 1Z0-808, also known as OCAJP 8. From my experience, both for preparing for Sun certification and helping other developers to get Java certified, I can say that two keys to be successful in Oracle Java SE certification are choosing an excellent study guide/course and buying one or two top quality mock exam simulators. When I say success, it doesn’t mean just passing the exam but scoring above 90% because passing score 65% is not very difficult to achieve and anybody can pass OCAJP 8 by just a couple of month of practice but to score 90% and above is not that easy, you need to prepare and prepare hard.

Since just passing OCAJP 8 will not make the desired impact, I always suggest my students aim for 100%, so the n worst case then can still score above 90%.

A Java certified developer with more than 90% score sounds much better in the resume than just passing the exam, that’s why I put more emphasis on mock exams and doing as many practice tests as possible.

Since you are only going to give the exam, once you don’t settle for anything less than 100%, because if you desire and prepare for 100%, you will surely get 90%, but if you make to pass the exam, you may not even clear it.

So, in this article, I am going to share 3 books, which I have suggested developers preparing for OCAJP 8 and a couple of practice exams, from Whizlabs, Enthuware, and David Mayer’s Java 8 certification questions. 

Btw, it’s also a good idea to revise key Java concepts by joining a comprehensive course like The Complete Java Masterclass on Udemy. This course Java from A to Z and it’s also most up-to-date and covers changes from recent Java versions.

Best Books and Mock Exams for Java 8 OCA Certification (OCAJP8)

Here is a couple of books and exam simulators to prepare for the Java 8 Certification exams, the OCAJP8. This is the first exam you need to pass to become a certified Java SE 8 developer. 

Once you pass this exam, you need to crack the 1Z0-809 exam, also known as Java 8 Certification Programmer II or OCPJP8. That exam is much tougher than this, but you must pass this exam to be eligible for OCPJP8.

1. OCA Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer I by Jean Boyarsky and Scott Selikoff

I always recommend the latest book to prepare Oracle Java certification? Why? Because they cover the syllabus much better than an older book designed for the previous version of the exam. Since Java 8 is very different than Java 7, I won’t recommend an OCAJP 7 study guide for OCAJP 8.

This is the latest and greatest book for Java 8 associate exam; it nicely covers the syllabus and perfectly aligned with exam objectives. The book also contains 3 practice exams, which you can use as mock tests.

If you are a frequent user of CodeRanch certification forum, which you should be, if you are preparing for Java certification then you might know authors of this book as well, Jeanne Boyarsky is a moderator of coderanch certification forum and Scott Selikoff, SCJP, has been a professional Java Enterprise developer for over 15 years.

In short, one of the most up-to-date and thorough books, great for preparing OCAJP8. If you want to do it even better, you can also join The Complete Java SE 8 Developer Bootcamp course which also includes preparation for Java 8 exam.

2. OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I Study Guide (Exam 1Z0-808) (Oracle Press) 

This is another book that has recently released for OCAJP 8, exam code 1ZO-808. It’s from Oracle press, so it’s also the official study guide for the entry-level Oracle Certified Associate exam for Java Programmers and fully updated to cover language changes in Java SE 8.

This book is also available in Kindle and Paperback format for on the go reading. 

This book also provides sample questions and mock tests on the accompanied CD, but I suggest you take either Enthuware or Whizlabs mock exams; they are much closer than the sample questions from this book. It’s not the best book, but it’s the official study guide for OCAJP 8.

This is the second-best commercial exam simulator for Java certifications. Their OCAJP8 Practice test is written in the actual exam format and gives you the exact idea of what kind of questions you can expect in the real exam.

They have 392 questions as 4 full-length mock exams, much lesser than Enthuware, but their explanation is excellent, and I have also found questions tougher than Enthuware.

They are also a little expensive than Enthuware, the cost of the Whizlabs exam simulator is $19.95  as compared to $9.95 of Enthuware, but you can access it online. They also cover 100% Syllabus with all exam objectives.

What I like most about the Whizlabs exam simulator is an exhaustive explanation of every question, both right and wrong, options, and reports to assess strengths and weaknesses.

You can access Whizlabs on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, which is very convenient. You can review the question on the go. 

There is also a discount offer going on Whizlabs, which gives you a flat 25% discount when you buy exam simulators for both OCAJP and OCPJP together; just use the coupon code JAVACOMBO2, you can buy Whizlabs exam simulator here.

Enthuware’s mock tests are currently the best material available to prepare for Java SE 8 Programmer I exam (1Z0-808). It’s very affordable, with a price of just 9.95 USD. 

Enthuware package contains more than 600 quality questions, packaged into 7 Full Sized Mock Exams + Bonus Foundation Test, for Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 8 Programmer I Exam.

When you purchase the exam simulator, you get a desktop license that allows you to do a test as many times you like, but I suggest you always do the test on real exams like a situation without taking any break or taking help from Google or the Web.

Don’t rush through all exams; instead of after giving one review, retrospect and analyze your performance, revisit the wrong questions, and understand why your answers were incorrect. Only move to the next test once you learned from your mistake.

Just remember they provide two licenses, desktop, and the web + mobile; content is the same on both, but the desktop license has unlimited expiry, but the web/mobile version is only for 4 weeks. They also give 100% Money back guarantee if a user fails the exam, which itself shows the confidence in the product.

These two mock exams, Whizlabs and Enthuware, are more than sufficient to prepare for the OCAJP 8 exam, but if you still looking for something more than you should try David Mayer’s OCAJP 8 dumps, which is an online exam portal, containing some excellent OCAJP8 exam questions designed by certification experts.

Other Useful resources for OCAJP 8 Exam (1Z0-808)

• Top 5 Free Mock Exams for OCAJP8 certification (see)
• Top 5 Courses to Crack OCAJP 8 Exam (courses)
• Syllabus and Complete detail of Java SE 8 Certification (OCAJP 8) (see)
• Difference between 1Z0-813 and 1Z0-810 Java 8 Upgrade exams (see)
• Link to Register for Java 8 Exam (register)
• 5 Tips to prepare for OCAJP8 Exam (tips)
• Best books to Learn Java 8 and Functional Programming (books)
• Do you need to pass OCAJP8 before taking OCPJP8? (answer)
• 10 Reasons to become an Oracle Certified Java Programmer (read)
• 4 Free Test for OCAJP 11 (1Z0-815) Certification (mock tests)
• How to prepare for Spring 5 Certification (guide)
• How to prepare for AWS Solution Architect Exam (guide)

That’s all about a couple of good books and mock exams to prepare for Java SE 8 Programmer I certification (1Z0-808), also known as OCAJP 8. At a bare minimum, you should read the OCA Oracle Certified Associate Java SE 8 Programmer I by Jean Boyarsky and Scott Selikoff and complete the mock exams from Enthuware, but if you are really serious about getting a super high score, then you must do as many mock exams as possible, including Whizlabs.

P.S.: If you are looking for a course to prepare Java SE 8 certification, then Oracle Java Certification – Pass the Associate 1Z0-808 Exam! from Udemy is the right place to start it. It explains about new features of Java 8 required for the OCAJP 8 exam.