Previous versions

There have been a number of previous versions of the SCJP. The current version, SCJP 6.0, is aimed at the JDK 6.0 release of Java. It introduces new topics covering Console, NavigableSet, and NavigableMap. SCJP 5.0 (designated CX-310-055) was based on JDK 5. It introduced variable arguments, autoboxing, and generic types, and dropped the bit shifting topics from previous exams.

SCJP 1.4 (designated CX-310-035) was based on JDK 1.4. Compared to the previous version of the exam, SCJP 1.2, it dropped questions on GUI topics and shifted the emphasis towards core language features[3]. SCJP 1.4 features 61 questions to be answered within 120 minutes. 32 questions or more (52%) need to be answered correctly in order to pass. SCJP 1.2 (designated CX-310-025) was based on JDK 1.2, and was first live on 15 June 2000. The exam had 59 questions (both multiple choice and short answer) to be answered within two hours. The pass mark was 61 percent. However, exam 310-025 has been withdrawn from the market; certified professionals can retain their certification and use the title, but this version is no longer being offered.