Currently I am studying for an MSc in Software Engineering and Java is the core Object-Orientated (OO) language that is being taught on the course. To support my studies I’m always looking for Java books which start from a basic to intermediate level, are easy to get into and give, quick, easy to find explanations about key concepts in Java. I have browsed through many Java books until I came across SAMS Teach Yourself Java 2 in 21 Days. I’ll briefly cover what is taught over the three weeks:
Week 1, Day 1 begins by introducing the reader to the fundamentatls of OO programming discussing; objects, classes, inheritance and multiple inheritance. Days 2-7 then procede to cover variables and data types, creating new objects, lists, logic and loops, creating classes and methods, packages and interfaces and finally threads and exceptions.
Week 2, Day 8 covers data structures and strings, Day 9 introduces the user to Swing and covers step-by-step how to create a graphical user inteface (GUI) with labels, text fields and scrolling panes etc. Day 10 builds on the GUI introduced in day 8 and covers an Info application example which requests information from the user which is then outputted to text boxes in the applcation’s main window. Days 11-13 builds on the GUI further explaining how Java responds to user input events (mouse events etc) and colour, fonts and graphics. Week 2 really comes together when you learn how to create a Java applet including embedding an applet on to a web page.
Week 3 focuses on how Java reads/writes to and from internal and external files and how data inputted can be saved and retrieved by using object serilization. Most of week 3 is dedicated to how Java communicates across the Internet and writing data using JDBC and XML. Day 21 concludes by teaching the user how to write Java servelets and Java server pages.
I found SAMS Teach Yourself Java 2 in 21 Days met all the criteria that I initially specified when trying to find an introductory Java text. I believe that if and only if you have a spare 21 days with absolutely nothing else to do then you can definitely come a long way in Java using this SAMS publication. There is plenty here for complete novices and the more advanced topics introduced in week 3 will keep advanced Java users interested. If you wish to become a professional Java software developer SAMS helps you prepare for the exams by providing certification exercises.
For my current MSc studies SAMS Teach Yourself Java 2 in 21 Days has already been very useful and I highly recommend the book if you are currently learning Java from scratch.