
Head First Java
O'Reilly (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 24. June 2003
Book
Paperback/Softback
650 pages
978-0-596-00465-1 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Description
Between Moore's law and the notion of "Internet time", we're constantly being bombarded with more and more information - most of it in the form of disorganized data. Turning this information into useful knowledge is getting harder and harder to do, and it takes time that we just don't have. The current economic situation hasn't helped either. With money spread thin, who hasn't had to take on new tasks and learn new things? And slashed training budgets mean there's little to rely on for learning except books- but learning a complex new programming language like Java from a book is no simple task. Maybe your boss is giving you two weeks to come up to speed for a project, or maybe you're ready to take that next step up in your current job, or be a more viable candidate for a new job. Whatever the reason, the onus is on you to learn. All these factors make it more important than ever to have a way to learn - fast. And that's what "Head First Java" does - by exploiting the way your brain works, it compresses the time it takes to really learn. Why?
Because its unique approach not only shows you what you need to know about Java syntax, it enables and encourages you to think like a Java programmer. Mastering object oriented programming requires a certain way of thinking, not just a certain way of writing code. The latest research in cognitive science, neurobiology and educational psychology shows that learning at the deeper levels takes a lot more than text on a page. Actively combining words and pictures not only helps in understanding the subject, but in remembering it. According to some studies, an engaging, entertaining, image-rich, conversational approach actually teaches the subject better. Head First Java puts these theories into practice with a vengeance. Chock full of mind stretching exercises, memorable analogies, and stories, humor and attitude that aren't just pasted-on distractions but that are used to drive home key points and make ideas come alive, the Head First approach is as effective as it is unique.
Because its unique approach not only shows you what you need to know about Java syntax, it enables and encourages you to think like a Java programmer. Mastering object oriented programming requires a certain way of thinking, not just a certain way of writing code. The latest research in cognitive science, neurobiology and educational psychology shows that learning at the deeper levels takes a lot more than text on a page. Actively combining words and pictures not only helps in understanding the subject, but in remembering it. According to some studies, an engaging, entertaining, image-rich, conversational approach actually teaches the subject better. Head First Java puts these theories into practice with a vengeance. Chock full of mind stretching exercises, memorable analogies, and stories, humor and attitude that aren't just pasted-on distractions but that are used to drive home key points and make ideas come alive, the Head First approach is as effective as it is unique.
Reviews / Votes
"I can heartily recommend it ... It takes a lot of effort to produce a book this good and it's going to be difficult to sustain." - Computer Shopper, October 2003 "In general the book works well. I found it interesting in the way that it presented Java in a not overtly technical manner; the prose was readable and generally well structured. For example the coverage of object references I thought was well done remaining accurate while being clear to a non-expert reader." - James Robert, CVu, April 2004More details
Edition
1., Aufl.
Language
English
Place of publication
Sebastopol
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 206 mm
Weight
1058 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-596-00465-1 (9780596004651)
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions

Book
05/2022
3rd Edition
O'Reilly
€79.50
Available immediately

Book
03/2005
2nd Edition
O'Reilly
€37.00
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
Kathy Sierra has been a master Java trainer for Sun Microsystems, teaching Sun's instructors how to teach the latest Java technologies. She is the founder of one of the largest java community websites in the world, javaranch.com. She is also a key member of the development team for the Sun Certified programmer exam and has developed dozens of applications to demonstrate Java technology. Bert Bates is a long-time Java developer, a Sun Certified Programmer, a Java instructor, and has been writing code for the last 20 years. His background features a long stint in artificial intelligence, with clients like the Weather Channel, A&E Network, Rockwell, and Timken.
Content
1) Dive In (a quick dip into Java) 2) Welcome to Objectville (intro to OO) 3) Know your Variables (understanding Java types: primitives, object references, pass-by-value) 4) How objects behave (instance variables and methods) 5) Extra-strength methods (writing more complex code) 6) Using the Java Library (solving problems with the API) 7) Better Living in Objectville inheritance, OO design, abstract classes) 8) Serious Polymorphism (interfaces, more OO design, polymorphism) 9) Life and Death of an object (constructors and memory management / garbage collection) 10) Do the Math (static methods and variables, Math methods, Wrappers, and number formatting) 11) Risky Behavior (handling exceptions) 12) A very graphic story (GUI intro, inner classes, event handling) 13) Work on your swing (more GUI, layout managers and Swing components) 14) Saving objects (object serialization and file I/O) 15) Make a connection (networking: sockets and server sockets) 16) Release your Code (deployment: code organization, packages, executable JARs, and Java Web Start) 17) Distributed Code (deployment via RMI and Servlets)