Career OS

The Plan · Aug 10 → Nov 30, 2026

16 weeks to interview-ready

Your one path. Never look at the whole thing — only at the week you're in. The dashboard picks today's task from here.

Phase 1
Foundation
Weeks 1–4
Java, Git, SQL basics, HTTP/REST, Spring Boot basics, DSA fundamentals.
Phase 2
Backend Development
Weeks 5–8
JPA/Hibernate, Security + JWT, validation, transactions, pagination, filtering.
Phase 3
Engineering
Weeks 9–12
Testing, logging, Redis + caching, Docker, performance, background jobs.
Phase 4
Interview Mode
Weeks 13–17
System design, AWS, DSA + SQL revision, resume, referrals, applications, mocks.
W1 Aug 10–16 Java refresh + developer setup
☕ Java/SpringOOP, methods, classes, collections intro
🧩 DSAArrays + Strings
🗄️ SQLSELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, GROUP BY
🖥️ CSHTTP + client/server
🏗️ ProjectRepo setup + User CRUD skeleton
🌍 Open SourceLearn GitHub issues; observe 1 repo
💼 CareerBaseline resume/GitHub audit
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W2 Aug 17–23 Core Java
☕ Java/SpringCollections, equals/hashCode, exceptions
🧩 DSAHashMap + Two Pointers
🗄️ SQLJoins
🖥️ CSTCP/IP basics
🏗️ ProjectUser CRUD + PostgreSQL
🌍 Open SourceRead code + docs issue
💼 CareerLinkedIn/GitHub cleanup
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W3 Aug 24–30 Java depth
☕ Java/SpringGenerics, streams, lambdas, Maven
🧩 DSASliding Window + Sorting
🗄️ SQLSubqueries
🖥️ CSProcesses vs threads
🏗️ ProjectAuth model + validation
🌍 Open SourceFind good-first-issue
💼 CareerStart technical notes
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W4 Aug 31–Sep 6 Spring Boot basics
☕ Java/SpringSpring DI, MVC, configuration
🧩 DSABinary Search
🗄️ SQLIndexes basics
🖥️ CSREST + HTTP status codes
🏗️ ProjectSpring API + PostgreSQL
🌍 Open SourceRead contribution guide
💼 CareerBackend resume draft
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W5 Sep 7–13 Persistence
☕ Java/SpringJPA/Hibernate, relationships
🧩 DSALinked List
🗄️ SQLTransactions + ACID
🖥️ CSDB connection basics
🏗️ ProjectOrganizations + roles
🌍 Open SourceDocumentation improvement
💼 CareerFirst backend applications research
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W6 Sep 14–20 Security
☕ Java/SpringSpring Security + JWT
🧩 DSAStack + Queue
🗄️ SQLConstraints + normalization
🖥️ CSCookies vs tokens
🏗️ ProjectAuthentication/authorization
🌍 Open SourcePick contribution target
💼 CareerMock Java interview #1
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W7 Sep 21–27 API quality
☕ Java/SpringValidation, exception handling, pagination
🧩 DSAQueue + Binary Search review
🗄️ SQLWindow functions
🖥️ CSTLS/DNS basics
🏗️ ProjectAudit Trail + filtering
🌍 Open SourceSmall docs/bug contribution
💼 CareerResume v1
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W8 Sep 28–Oct 4 Interview checkpoint
☕ Java/SpringSpring revision
🧩 DSAMixed medium set
🗄️ SQLSQL interview set
🖥️ CSOS: memory + processes
🏗️ ProjectNotifications + API tests
🌍 Open SourcePrepare first PR
💼 CareerMock interview #2; start referrals
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W9 Oct 5–11 Testing & observability
☕ Java/SpringJUnit, Mockito, logging
🧩 DSATrees
🗄️ SQLQuery optimization
🖥️ CSThreads + synchronization
🏗️ ProjectAutomated test suite + logs
🌍 Open SourceCode reading
💼 CareerApplications begin
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W10 Oct 12–18 Caching
☕ Java/SpringRedis + caching patterns
🧩 DSABST + Heap
🗄️ SQLIndexes in practice
🖥️ CSDeadlocks
🏗️ ProjectCaching + performance benchmark
🌍 Open SourceFirst meaningful PR
💼 CareerMock interview #3
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W11 Oct 19–25 Containers
☕ Java/SpringDocker + Docker Compose
🧩 DSAHeap + review
🗄️ SQLTransactions under load
🖥️ CSConcurrency concepts
🏗️ ProjectContainerize full stack
🌍 Open SourceSecond contribution
💼 CareerApplications + referrals
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W12 Oct 26–Nov 1 Cloud/deployment
☕ Java/SpringAWS basics + CI/CD
🧩 DSAGraphs intro
🗄️ SQLSQL mixed set
🖥️ CSNetworking review
🏗️ ProjectCI/CD + deploy
🌍 Open SourceContribution follow-up
💼 CareerMock interview #4
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W13 Nov 2–8 System design
☕ Java/SpringService boundaries, API design
🧩 DSAGraphs
🗄️ SQLDB scaling concepts
🖥️ CSOS/networking revision
🏗️ ProjectArchitecture diagram + design doc
🌍 Open SourceReview an issue/PR
💼 CareerSystem design interview #1
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W14 Nov 9–15 Performance
☕ Java/SpringProfiling + optimization
🧩 DSADP intro
🗄️ SQLAdvanced SQL
🖥️ CSCaching/queues
🏗️ ProjectLoad test + optimization
🌍 Open SourceThird contribution if feasible
💼 CareerMock interview #5
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W15 Nov 16–22 Interview mode
☕ Java/SpringJava/Spring revision
🧩 DSAMixed timed sets
🗄️ SQLSQL timed sets
🖥️ CSCS rapid review
🏗️ ProjectPolish README + demo
🌍 Open SourceMaintain contributions
💼 CareerSystem design #2 + behavioral
⏱ Target18 focused hrs
W16 Nov 23–29 Final push
☕ Java/SpringFull backend revision
🧩 DSAFinal curated set
🗄️ SQLFinal SQL set
🖥️ CSFinal CS review
🏗️ ProjectRelease v1.0 + deployment
🌍 Open SourceShowcase contribution
💼 CareerApplications/interviews/negotiation
⏱ Target20 focused hrs
W17 Nov 30 Closeout
☕ Java/SpringGap analysis
🧩 DSAWeak-area review
🗄️ SQLWeak-area review
🖥️ CSWeak-area review
🏗️ ProjectPortfolio final check
🌍 Open SourceContribution status
💼 CareerDecember strategy
⏱ Target6 focused hrs

🏁 November exit criteria

The definition of "interview-ready". This is the finish line.

  • One deployed, tested Java/Spring Boot portfolio project
  • Strong command of core Java and Spring Boot fundamentals
  • Curated DSA set completed with revisit cycles
  • Interview-ready SQL
  • Working knowledge of DBMS, OS and networking fundamentals
  • Basic system design interview readiness
  • At least one serious open-source contribution attempt, ideally merged
  • Resume + GitHub + LinkedIn aligned to backend engineering
  • Active application/referral pipeline