Hello there! I noticed that this was fairly popular on the forums, and everywhere for that matter. How to learn java.

What is java?
Java is a programming language that is used to run minecraft. It is also used to run minecraft server, bukkit servers, some online games, and lots of other random programs. Eclipse is the most popular software that java developers use. It allows them to program server plugins, minecraft mods, and anything else.

Wait, i have heard of java script, isnt that the same thing?
NO Java script and java are two completely different things. This is a common mixup people make. Java is the programming language used for minecraft, java script is for website development.

Okay, you've got me hooked. how do i start earning java?
Learning a programming language isnt very easy. You never fully understand it and it takes years to master. But a good first step is to look up videos and tutorials on the basics of java. I learned from thenewboston on youtube, but you can find many many other tutorials from other people on youtube, and there's also many many websites out there for learning programming languages. If you don't mind spending a bit of money, Udemy is a website i recently found that has video tutorials in several different programming languages and topics, including java.

After you know basic java, and want to develop bukkit plugins, or minecraft mods, search for more tutorials! There's a huge community of other programmers wanting to help younger less experienced ones. I learned how to code bukkit plugins by reading there guide on how to make them on the bukkit wiki.

It does take time, but there's lots of support out there. Bukkit has a forum thread dedicated to helping people who are coding plugins for bukkit. I am sure there's tons more out there if you need help with forge, modloader, or any other minecraft mod-making tools.

Have fun and good luck!