OCPJP Java 8 Upgrade Certification

Oracle has just launched the new certification for Java8 beta version:

Name: Upgrade to Java SE 8 Programmer
Exam code: 1Z1-810

More info: 1Z1-810

Beta exams are available for a limited time, but they have the advantage that they are much cheaper.
Final date to take this beta exam is 18th April 2015.

General topics:

1. Lamda expressions
2. Using Built in Lamda Types
3. Filtering collections with Lambdas
4. Collection operations with Lamdas
5. Parallel Streams
6. Lamda Cookbook
7. Method enhancements
8. Use Java SE8 Date/Time API
9. JavaScript on java with Nashorn

This exam is an upgrade, which means that anyone who has OCPJP7 can take this exam.

From OCPJP7 (Oracle Professional JavaSE7 Programmer) it becomes mandatory to pass OCAJP (Oracle Associate Java Programmer) first. So, the path from Java7, is as follows:

- Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 7 Programmer.
- Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE 7 Programmer.

More info about JavaSE path in education.oracle

JSR - Java Specification Request

JSR is the acronym of Java specification request. They are a set of specifications about new functionality that are added to the Java platform, after being approved by JCP (Java Community Process).

Latest version of Java and JSR:

• JSR337 - JavaSE8 (standard edition)
• JSR342 - JavaEE7 (enterprise edition)

The latest version of JavaSE is Java8. It was launched last year (2014) and contains plenty of new changes respect from the previous version. It includes among other specs:

• JSR 335: Lambda Expressions for the Java Programming Language (OpenJDK Project Lambda)
• SR 310: Date and Time API
• Nashorn javascript 
• Improved security

Project "Adopt a JSR"
They are projects leaded by Java User Groups (JUG), that promote that Java developers community be involved in the implementation in the scpecification JSRs that will configure the Java future versions.