12 Things Java Developers Should Know About Scala

By Alvin Alexander. Last updated: May 2, 2017

In my spare time I’ve been working on a talk about “X Things Java Developers Should Know About Scala,” inspired by the “Ten things every Java programmer should know about Ruby” presentation. Currently I’m thinking there are a baker’s dozen things Java developers should know about Scala, and I’d organize them as follows.

(If I just show a slide below, that means I haven’t finished a video for that topic yet.)

1) The REPL is Your Friend

2) Scala Feels Dynamic

3) Easy integration with Java

4) Understanding class constructors and fields

5) Understanding methods and functions

6) Everything is an object

7) Understanding traits

8) The collections library is huge (and that's a good thing)

9) Eliminate null values

10) The awesome-ness of Scala for loops

11) Concurrency (actors and futures)

12) Use OOP, FP, whatever

One more thing ...

If you’re familiar with Scala, you can probably imagine what’s behind each of those slides. If you’re not, well, that’s why I’d like to travel around and give this presentation. I think Scala is a great programming language, and I’d like to help spread the word.

Ideas

If you have any ideas that you think should be included in the presentation, leave a note in the Comments section below, or send me an email using my contact form. You can’t cover everything in a 45-90 minute presentation, but I don’t want to miss anything good or obvious.

Interest

If you think your organization or local Java User Group (JUG) would like to hear presentations like this, let me know. I don’t mind traveling, and in fact, I enjoy it quite a bit. (I’ve driven back and forth to Alaska twice so far.) Leave a note in the Comments section below, or send me an email using my contact form. If there’s enough interest, I’ll see if I can put together a little tour.

Background: A singer/songwriter I met in Alaska, Marian Call, did a tour of 50 states in 50 days a few years ago. I’m not quite that ambitious, or that fast of a mover, but I’m game for some travel.