If there’s any proof that age is just a number, it’s Java.
Despite being one of the oldest programming languages, Java continues to be the #2 most searched programming language on Google.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge of the language or simply connect with other Java programmers, you’re in the right place.
In the list below, we’ve compiled 14 of the best online Java communities. We broke down each community by platform, required skill level, level of activity, and ease of access (as well as how to sign-up).
1. The Java Community
As the backbone of the Java Programming Forums, the first community on our list offers one of the widest range of resources for Java developers that we’ve seen.
Accessible to both novice and professional Java programmers, The Java Community offers users thousands of threads for asking questions about problems with their code and posting about Java Theory, networking, and database manipulation.
- Platform: Java Programming Forums
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~85k users
- How to join: Register for free here with a valid email address and Java skill level
2. Beginning Java
Of all the Java-related communities on Coderanch, none offer a forum as strongly tailored for junior developers as Beginning Java.
From problems with coding syntax to more general queries, Beginning Java welcomes all questions about the programming language. And unlike most forums, Beginning Java allows you to directly upload your Java code instead of having to manually write out your code as an unformatted string.
In addition, the front page provides the Java Beginners FAQ – a concise cheat sheet of universal Java tips that is helpful to keep open while you code!
- Platform: Coderanch
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Activity Level: ~400K threads
- How to join: Register for free here with a valid email address
3. Java in General
If you’re looking for solutions to more advanced Java-related questions on Coderanch, then Java in General is your best bet. While it lacks some of the more universal advice posts from Beginning Java, this forum more than makes up for it with over 1600 threads dedicated to finding solutions to problems involving advanced functions and algorithms. Java in General also boasts one of the most active communities on Coderanch so you don’t need to worry about waiting too long to find an answer to your question.
- Platform: Coderanch
- Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Activity Level: ~300K threads
- How to join: Register for free here with a valid email address
4. Stack Overflow – Questions tagged [java]
There’s a reason why most software developers frequent the threads on Stack Overflow: as it nears 23 million questions asked, this website has transformed into the one of the most comprehensive repositories of programming knowledge on the internet.
The Java community itself remains strong on Stack Overflow with an impressive 1.8 million questions containing the [java] tag. With a wide range of topics including logging, dependencies, and optimization, Stack Overflow continues to be a go-to resource for finding answers to anything related to the Java programming language. And similar to Coderanch, Stack Overflow allows you to upload your Java code directly to provide more accurate solutions to users’ problems.
- Platform: Stack Overflow
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: >1.86M questions
- How to join: Register for free here with a valid email address
5. r/javahelp
Of the many active Java-related subreddits, r/javahelp represents a solid option for improving your skills as a programmer.
With its motto of “teaching a person to fish is better than feeding a person a fish,” this subreddit explicitly forbids providing solutions to any problems to encourage users to instead guide one another to finding the solutions themselves.
While this approach requires you to have some additional patience when searching for the answer to your question, you will ultimately gain useful coding wisdom that you can pull from in the long run.
- Platform: Reddit
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~80k users
- How to join: Click the “Join” button here after signing in with a valid Reddit account
6. r/learnjava
Similar to r/javahelp, the strength of this subreddit lies in the community’s desire to guide you to the right answer.
But if you’re just starting out in Java, r/learnjava is a great asset when you feel stuck and need someone to help walk you through where you went wrong in your code.
In addition, this subreddit is a popular community for sharing helpful tutorials and articles to give you a leg up as you dive into the Java space.
- Platform: Reddit
- Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Activity Level: ~125k users
- How to join: Click the “Join” button here after signing in with a valid Reddit account
7. Dev.to – #java
Maybe you just want to learn more about the ins and outs of Java. In that case, consider checking out Dev.to.
Whereas most other online communities prioritize finding solutions to coding problems, this platform exists exclusively to provide explanations to high-level Java concepts and share helpful resources between users. From learning about recursions to discovering how to use Java to make a smile filter for headshots, Dev.to is a great option if you want to understand how you can fully take advantage of the power of Java.
- Platform: Dev.to
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~7k posts
- How to join: Register for free here with a valid Apple, Forem, GitHub, or Twitter account
8. Java Specialists
With over 40 active channels, Java Specialists serves as a one-stop shop for all things Java including beginner questions, course recommendations, and a dedicated technical support line.
In addition, the #feeding-the-family channel is a superb resource for finding relevant job offers and networking with likeminded Java developers in more personal conversations than you’d find on other platforms.
- Platform: Slack
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~11k users
- How to join: Sign-up for free with a valid email here and wait to receive an approval email from the community moderators
9. Discord – Java
The Java server on Discord promotes an expansive range of channels to share Java tips, resources, and career advice (and memes) in the laidback and relaxed atmosphere that Discord is known for. You’ll find useful information in standard channels like #code-challenges and #discuss-java. But stay on the lookout for the Levels tab – this area invites you to ask specific coding questions but allows you to categorize it by skill level from Beginner all the way to Expert.
- Platform: Discord
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~4k users
- How to join: Register for a free Discord account here and search “Java” under “Explore Public Servers” tab
10. Java Community | Help. Code. Learn.
Looking for a Discord community that offers 1:1 help for coding problems? Then Help. Code. Learn. is the right server for you.
While other Discord servers only offer general discussion threads to present your Java-related questions, Help. Code. Learn. allows you to reserve entire channels to discuss your problem with other users until you reach a solution. You must be very specific with your question to be considered for your own thread; however, the ability to reserve an entire channel ensures that you get proper 1:1 support to walk you through where you’re currently struggling.
Likewise, Help. Code. Learn. supports a project showcase channel for receiving feedback on any Java projects that you’re working on.
- Platform: Discord
- Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Activity Level: ~15k users
- How to join: Register for a free Discord account here and search “Java Community | Help. Code. Learn.” under “Explore Public Servers” tab (alternatively, you can directly join the community here )
11. Together Java
If you’re a fan of the Java public server on Discord, you may want to consider browsing Together Java as well.
Similar to the other Java servers, Together Java offers a substantial selection of channel topics including career talk and educational media but encourages casual and informal conversations everywhere.
And with one of the largest userbases for a Java Discord server, there are ample resources, tips, and friendly banter being shared at all times.
- Platform: Discord
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~21k users
- How to join: Register for a free Discord account here and search “Together Java” under “Explore Public Servers” tab (alternatively, you can directly join the community here)
12. Java Developers Community (moderated)
Unlike other LinkedIn Groups that prioritize the sharing of job opportunities, the Java Developers Community is primarily built for contributing high quality articles, video tutorials, and Java-related advice.
With over 369,000 users, the Java Developers Community has grown to become one of the most active programming communities on all of LinkedIn.
- Platform: LinkedIn Groups
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~369k users
- How to join: Click “Join” here after logging in with a valid LinkedIn account
13. Java / J2EE / Core Java / Corejava / Java Developer / Software Engineer – (JAVA)
If you’re looking for new job opportunities, then you should consider joining this Java community. If you manage to overcome its intimidatingly long name, you’ll uncover a passionate and friendly group of engineers promoting relevant Java-related job offers and contracts for various skill levels. You will have to perform some additional detective work to get a clearer sense of the full job descriptions, but the ability to put a name to those who make the job postings ultimately provides a better opportunity to network with your target companies than you would find on a standard job board.
- Platform: LinkedIn Groups
- Skill Level: All Skill Levels
- Activity Level: ~9k users
- How to join: Click “Join” here with a valid LinkedIn account and wait to be approved by the community moderators
14. Oracle Communities – Java EE (Java Enterprise Edition)
Last, but certainly not least, are the Oracle Communities: a discussion board designed for professional programmers and high-level coding topics.
Of the numerous Java-related communities on Oracle, the Java Enterprise Edition community boasts the highest daily activity with over 165,000 total threads.
While you won’t find many advice or tutorial posts, this community serves as a strong outlet for finding solutions to specific error messages for a wide range of Java applications.
Furthermore, the Oracle Communities organizes every post by category to make the website easier to navigate and find the posts most relevant for their needs.
- Platform: Oracle Communities
- Skill Level: Advanced
- Activity Level: ~165k posts
- How to join: Register for free here with a valid email and company name
In summary
This list is just the tip of iceberg.
Use it as a springboard to explore the incredible breadth of Java forums and content online and become an active member in the communities that best suit your Java-related interests and needs.
You never know; you just might find the exact group that you’re looking for!
