This course combines engaging instructor-led presentations and useful demonstrations with valuable real-world hands-on labs and engaging group activities. Throughout the course you'll:  

• Mastery of Groovy Syntax and Language Features: Gain a thorough understanding of Groovy’s syntax, data types, control structures, and operators, enabling you to write more efficient and readable code. 
• Advanced String Manipulation and Regular Expression Skills: Develop expertise in handling strings and using regular expressions, crucial for data parsing, pattern matching, and text processing tasks in various programming scenarios. 
• Proficiency in Collections and Closures: Learn to effectively use Groovy's collections (lists, maps, ranges) and closures, enhancing your ability to manage data structures and implement functional programming techniques. 
• Object-Oriented Programming Techniques in Groovy: Acquire skills in defining classes, methods, and applying concepts of inheritance and polymorphism, essential for developing robust and scalable applications. 
• Skills in Metaprogramming and Integrating Groovy with Java Frameworks: Understand and apply Groovy’s metaprogramming capabilities and AST transformations, along with integrating Groovy with popular Java frameworks like Spring Boot, to build sophisticated applications. 
• Practical Debugging and Problem-Solving Abilities: Develop strong debugging skills, learning to troubleshoot and resolve common programming issues in Groovy, which enhances your overall problem-solving abilities and prepares you to tackle complex challenges in your development work. 

If your team requires different topics, additional skills or a custom approach, our team will collaborate with you to adjust the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals. 

The ideal audience for this introductory-level course includes experienced software developers, especially those familiar with object-oriented programming concepts, especially for Java developers looking to enhance their skillset with Groovy's dynamic features. System architects and senior programmers (who have Java experience) seeking to streamline their development process or integrate Groovy into existing Java projects would find this course useful. 

Please note that this list of topics is based on our standard course offering, evolved from typical industry uses and trends. We'll work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most. Topics, agenda and labs are subject to change, and may adjust during live delivery based on audience skill level, interests and participation. 

Day 1: Getting Started with Groovy 

Introduction to Groovy 

• Overview of Groovy and its place in the Java ecosystem 
• Key features and benefits of using Groovy 
• Real-world applications and case studies 

Setting Up the Environment 

• Installing Java JDK: Step-by-step guide 
• Groovy installation and configuration 
• Introduction to SDKMAN for Groovy management 

Groovy Development Tools 

• Navigating the Groovy Console: Basic operations and shortcuts 
• Utilizing groovysh for interactive scripting 
• Compiling scripts with groovyc: Tips and best practices 

Getting Hands-On  

• Writing your first Groovy script: Syntax essentials 
• Basic data types and variable declarations 
• Simple input/output operations in Groovy 

Day 2: Groovy Language Features 

Data Types, Control Structures, and Operators 

• Deep dive into Groovy data types 
• Understanding Groovy's operator overloading 
• Decision-making and control structures: if-else, switch-case 

String Manipulation and Regular Expressions 

• Effective string handling techniques 
• Utilizing regular expressions for pattern matching and text processing 
• Practical exercises on strings and regex 

Collections and Closures 

• Exploring lists, maps, and range objects 
• Advanced collection methods and Groovy enhancements 
• Introduction to closures: Definition, syntax, and practical uses 

Control Structures in Depth 

• Loops and iteration: for, while, and advanced looping techniques 
• Exception handling in Groovy: try-catch-finally blocks 
• Case study: Practical examples of control structures in action 

Day 3: Advanced Groovy Concepts and Applications 

Object-Oriented Programming in Groovy 

• Defining classes, fields, and methods 
• Understanding inheritance and polymorphism in Groovy 
• Package organization and modular programming 

Metaprogramming and AST Transformations 

• Concepts of runtime metaprogramming 
• AST transformations: Enhancing Groovy at compile-time 
• Real-life examples of metaprogramming applications 

Groovy Builders and I/O Operations 

• Working with MarkupBuilder and JSON Builder for easy data representation 
• File input/output best practices 
• Introduction to database programming and JDBC integration 

REST APIs and Spring Boot Integration 

• Developing RESTful services with Groovy 
• Best practices for API development and documentation 
• Integrating Groovy with Spring Boot: Configuration and setup 

Debugging and Final Project 

• Debugging techniques in Groovy 
• IDE and Tool-Based Debugging 
• Advanced Debugging Practices 
• Troubleshooting Scenarios