Advanced Scala and Functional Programming

Updated for Scala 3. This course is now fully compatible with both Scala 2 and Scala 3.

In this course, we will learn the tricks used by the top 1% of Scala developers. You'll write 2000+ lines of Scala code yourself, with guidance, and you will become a rockstar.

This course is for Scala programmers who need to design complex, scalable systems, or need to customize existing tools (e.g. Spark) or write their own.

Why mastering Scala:

it's the hottest language based on the Java Virtual Machine - the number of Scala jobs has exploded, but demand is even higher
Scala offers significantly higher pay (> 20%) than same-level Java positions - the top Scala devs are paid 2x, 10x, even more.
it's incredibly fun - once tasted Scala, you'll never want to get back
you will not have any trouble using some of the latest technologies written in Scala - Spark, Akka and more

I like to get to the point and get things done. This course

deconstructs advanced Scala concepts into the critical pieces you need
selects the most important ideas in Scala and separates them into the critical and nice-to-have
sequences ideas in a way that "clicks" and makes sense throughout the process of learning
applies everything in live code

The end benefits are still much greater:

a completely new level of skill with the Scala language
significant bump in salary when you switch to Scala - return on investment for this course >100x in the first year alone.
more enjoyable work - Scala is fun.
future-proof skills - you'll be able to work with some of the cutting edge technologies (Spark, Akka etc)

This course is for established programmers with experience with Scala and with functional programming at the level of the Rock the JVM Scala beginners course. I already assume a solid understanding of general programming fundamentals. If you've never coded before, this course is not for you.

The course is comprehensive, but you'll always see me get straight to the point. So make sure you have a good level of focus and commitment to become a badass programmer.

I believe both theory and practice are important. That's why you'll get lectures with code examples, real life Scala code demos and assignments, plus additional resources, instructions, exercises and solutions. At the end of the course, you'll have written thousands of lines of Scala.

I've seen that my students are most successful - and my best students work at Google-class companies and committing to Scala repositories - when they're guided, but not being told what to do. I have assignments waiting for you, where I offer my (opinionated) guidance but otherwise freedom to experiment and improve upon your Scala code.

Definitely not least, my students are most successful when they have fun along the way.

So join me in this course and let's rock the JVM.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Master the scala language at the level of the best developers
Master functional programming
Design and implement complex systems, frameworks and apis

Confidently customize and enhance existing scala tools
Think and approach code with maturity and a deep understanding of implications

Master the scala language at the level of the best developers
Master functional programming
Design and implement complex systems, frameworks and apis
Confidently customize and enhance existing scala tools
Think and approach code with maturity and a deep understanding of implications

Syllabus

Welcome

Welcome! Administrative and Setting up Dev Environment

How to Make the Best Out of This Course

A Taste of Advanced Scala

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Taught by Daniel Ciocîrlan, who is recognized for their work in Scala

Examines advanced Scala concepts, which is highly relevant to software development

Develops functional programming and design skills, which are core skills for software engineering

Builds a strong foundation for intermediate Scala learners

Teaches techniques that may add color to other topics and subjects

Reviews summary

Mastering advanced scala and functional programming

According to learners, this course offers a deep dive into advanced Scala concepts and functional programming patterns. Students frequently praise the instructor's clear explanations and the course's structured approach. The hands-on coding exercises and projects are highlighted as particularly effective for solidifying understanding, though some find the difficulty level high. The course is considered highly relevant for professional developers aiming to master advanced techniques and gain proficiency in areas like implicits, type classes, concurrency, and monads. While largely positive, a few learners note that the pace can be fast and requires a solid foundation in prerequisite topics. Recent reviews confirm its update to include Scala 3.

Hands-on tasks reinforce learning but are tough.

"The exercises were challenging but essential for mastering the concepts."

"Some assignments took me a very long time to solve, but the struggle was worth it."

"The hands-on coding is where the real learning happens for these advanced topics."

"I needed to pause and rethink constantly during the coding tasks, which felt rewarding."

Course content includes Scala 3 updates.

"Glad to see the course is fully updated for Scala 3."

"The Scala 3 specific sections were very helpful and well integrated."

"Content works well with both Scala 2 and Scala 3 environments."

"Up-to-date material like this is crucial for learning modern Scala practices."

Highly applicable for professional development.

"This course is invaluable for anyone working with Scala professionally."

"It directly helps in understanding complex Scala libraries like Spark and Akka."

"I can now confidently apply these advanced patterns in my daily job."

"These are essential skills for advancing as a senior Scala developer."

Covers advanced topics thoroughly.

"This course goes deep into advanced Scala features I couldn't find explained elsewhere."

"Excellent coverage of variance, type members, and higher-kinded types."

"I finally understand monads after completing this module."

"It provided the deep understanding needed for writing robust production Scala code."

Instructor explains complex topics well.

"The instructor is fantastic, explaining really tough concepts clearly."

"His explanations for implicits and type classes finally made sense to me."

"Thank you for making advanced functional programming accessible."

"I appreciated how he broke down complex ideas step by step in the lectures."

Needs strong prior Scala/FP foundation.

"You absolutely need the beginner course or equivalent knowledge before taking this."

"I struggled initially as my functional programming base wasn't strong enough for the pace."

"This is definitely not for beginners; the course pace assumes significant prior experience."

"Make sure you're comfortable with intermediate Scala concepts before starting here."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Advanced Scala and Functional Programming | Rock the JVM with these activities:

Join a Scala Study Group

Show steps

Collaborate with peers to discuss and solve Scala challenges.

Browse courses on Scala

Show steps

Find or create a study group
Participate in discussions and ask questions
Work together on Scala projects

Complete Practice Problems

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of functional programming concepts by solving practice problems.

Browse courses on Functional Programming

Show steps

Identify challenging problems
Break down problems into smaller steps
Apply functional programming techniques to solve problems

Follow Scala Tutorial Series

Show steps

Enhance your understanding of advanced Scala concepts by following video tutorials.

Show steps

Identify relevant tutorials
Watch tutorials actively, taking notes
Practice coding along with the tutorials

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Attend a Scala Workshop

Show steps

Advance your Scala skills by participating in a hands-on workshop.

Show steps

Identify relevant workshops
Register and attend a workshop
Apply what you learn to your Scala projects

Create a Scala Project

Show steps

Apply your Scala skills by designing and implementing a project.

Browse courses on Design Patterns

Show steps

Define project scope and requirements
Design and implement your project using Scala
Test and debug your project

Start a Scala Open Source Project

Show steps

Contribute to the Scala community by starting an open source project.

Browse courses on Open Source

Show steps

Identify a project idea and scope
Create a project repository
Develop and maintain the project

Write a Technical Blog Post

Show steps

Showcase your knowledge by writing a blog post on an advanced Scala topic.

Show steps

Choose a topic and research it thoroughly
Write a well-structured blog post
Publish your post on a relevant platform

Career center

Learners who complete Advanced Scala and Functional Programming | Rock the JVM will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for developing and maintaining software applications. They work on a variety of projects, from enterprise software to mobile apps. This course's comprehensive teachings on advanced Scala will help build a foundation for a successful career as a Software Engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Scala Developer

Scala Developers are responsible for developing and maintaining software applications written in the Scala programming language. They work on a variety of projects, from enterprise software to mobile apps. This course's comprehensive teachings on advanced Scala will help build a foundation for a successful career as a Scala Developer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Scala Developer

Chief Technology Officer

Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) are responsible for the overall technology strategy of an organization. They work with the CEO and other executives to ensure that the organization's technology investments are aligned with its business goals. This course's comprehensive teachings on advanced Scala, functional programming, and systems analysis will help build a foundation for a successful career as a CTO.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Technology Officer

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use their scientific knowledge and knowledge of programming languages to analyze data in a variety of formats. They create algorithms and models that can be used to improve business processes, understand customer behavior, and forecast future trends. This course's teachings on advanced techniques of functional programming and how to confidently customize and enhance existing Scala tools is particularly relevant and will help build a foundation for a successful Data Scientist career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineers develop and implement machine learning models that can be used to automate tasks and improve decision-making. They work on projects such as fraud detection, predictive analytics, and natural language processing. This course's teachings on advanced techniques of functional programming and how to confidently customize and enhance existing Scala tools is particularly relevant and will help build a foundation for a successful Machine Learning Engineer career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts use mathematical and statistical models to analyze financial data. They use this information to make investment recommendations and develop trading strategies. This course's teachings on advanced techniques of functional programming and how to confidently customize and enhance existing Scala tools is particularly relevant and will help build a foundation for a successful Quantitative Analyst career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quantitative Analyst

Software Architect

Software Architects design and implement the architecture of software systems. They work on both the design and implementation of an application. This course's teachings on advanced techniques of functional programming and how to confidently customize and enhance existing Scala tools is particularly relevant and will help build a foundation for a successful Software Architect career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Web Developer

Web Developers are responsible for developing and maintaining websites. They work on both the design and implementation of a website. This course's teachings on advanced techniques of functional programming and how to confidently customize and enhance existing Scala tools is particularly relevant and will help build a foundation for a successful Web Developer career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Full Stack Software Engineer

Full-Stack Software Engineers are responsible for both the front-end and back-end of a software application. They work on both the design and implementation of an application. This course may be useful in developing the coding and systems analysis skills needed to excel as a Software Engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Full Stack Software Engineer

Java Developer

Java Developers are responsible for developing and maintaining software applications written in the Java programming language. They work on a variety of projects, from enterprise software to mobile apps. This course's teachings on advanced Scala, a programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine, may be useful for a Java Developer seeking to advance their career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Java Developer

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers bridge the gap between software development and IT operations. They work to ensure that new software is developed and deployed quickly and efficiently. This course may be useful in developing the coding and systems analysis skills needed for a DevOps Engineer role.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts work with businesses to analyze their current systems and recommend ways to improve them. They may also be responsible for designing and implementing new systems. This course may be useful in developing the coding and systems analysis skills needed for a Systems Analyst role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for defining the vision and roadmap for a software product. They work with engineers, designers, and marketers to ensure that the product meets the needs of users. This course may be useful in developing the coding and systems analysis skills needed for a Product Manager role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Technical Lead

Technical Leads are responsible for leading a team of engineers in the development of software applications. They work with engineers to ensure that the application is developed on time and within budget. This course may be useful in developing the coding and systems analysis skills needed for a Technical Lead role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Lead

Cloud Architect

Cloud Architects implement and manage an organization's cloud computing systems, which store and process large amounts of data. They ensure that these systems are secure, scalable, and efficient. This course can be useful in developing the coding and systems analysis skills needed to excel as a Cloud Architect.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect