4. Comparing OCA Java exam versions
This section will clear up any confusion surrounding the different versions of the OCA Java exam. As of now, Oracle offers three versions of the OCA certification in Java:
- OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I (exam number: 1Z0-808)
- OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I (exam number: 1Z0-803)
- OCA Java SE 5/SE 6 (exam number: 1Z0-850)
Table 2 compares these exams on their target audience, Java version, question count, duration, and passing score.
Table 2. Comparing exams: OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I, OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I, and OCA Java SE 5/6
|
OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I (1Z0-803) |
OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I (1Z0-803) |
OCA Java SE 5/SE 6 (1Z0-850) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Target audience | Java programmers | Java programmers | Java programmers and IT managers |
| Java version | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Total number of questions | 77 | 70 | 51 |
| Exam duration | 150 minutes | 120 minutes | 115 minutes |
| Passing score | 65% | 63% | 68% |
The OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I Certification adds the following topics to the ones covered by the OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I Certification:
- Features and components of Java
- Wrapper classes
- Ternary constructs
- Some classes from the new Java 8 Date and Time API
- Creating and using lambda expressions
- Predicate interface
Figure 2 shows a detailed comparison of the exam objectives of the OCA Java SE 8 and OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I exams. Here’s the legend to understand it:
- Light gray background— Main exam objective.
- Medium gray background— Covered only in the OCA Java SE 8 exam.
- Dark gray background— Although the text or main exam objective of this subobjective differs, it is covered by the other exam.
Figure 2. Comparing exam objectives of the OCA Java SE 8 Programmer I and OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I certifications
Figure 3 shows a detailed comparison of the exam objectives of OCA Java SE 5/6 (1Z0-850) and OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I (1Z0-803). It shows objectives that are exclusive to each of these exam versions and those that are common to both. The first column shows the objectives that are included only in OCA Java SE 5/6 (1Z0-850), the middle column shows common exam objectives, and the right column shows exam objectives covered only in OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I (1Z0-803).
Figure 3. Comparing objectives of exams OCA Java SE 5/6 and OCA Java SE 7 Programmer I
