Writing Java Programs

Writing Java Programs: Table of Contents

If you want to learn about writing Java programs in a linear fashion, start at the first lesson listed in this Table Of Contents and walk your way through the lessons and pages of the "book". Each page has Next and Previous links at the bottom that guide you through the pages in the order listed here.

• Object-Oriented Programming Concepts: A Primer
  • What is an Object?
  • What are Messages?
  • What are Classes?
  • What is Inheritance?
  • Where Can I Get More Information?
• The Anatomy of a Java Application
  • Comparison of DateApp and "Hello World"
  • Defining a Class
  • The main() Method
  • Using Objects in Java Programs
    • Declaring, Instantiating and Initializing an Object
    • Class Members vs. Instance Members
  • Saving, Compiling and Running an Application
• The Nuts and Bolts of the Java Language
  • A Simple Class Definition
  • The main() Method
  • Introducing Exceptions
  • Variables and Data Types
  • Control Flow Statements
  • The Standard Input Stream
  • Operators
  • The Standard Output Stream
  • Character Data
  • Running the Application
• Objects, Classes, and Interfaces
  • The Life Cycle of an Object
    • Creating an Object
    • Using an Object
    • Garbage Collection of Unused Objects
  • Creating Your Own Classes
    • The Class Declaration
    • The Class Body
      • Constructors
      • Writing a finalize() Method
  • Declaring a Member Variable
    • A Variable's Type
    • A Variable's Name
    • Other Variable Declaration Components
      • Controlling Access to a Class's Variables
      • The Scoop on Instance and Class Variables
      • Declaring a Constant
      • Declaring a Transient Variable
      • Declaring a Volatile Variable
  • Writing Methods
    • The Method Declaration
      • Returning a Value from a Method
      • A Method's Name
      • Other Method Declaration Stuff
        • Controlling Access to a Class's Methods
        • The Scoop on Instance and Class Methods
        • Passing Information into a Method
      • Summary of A Method Declaration
    • The Method Body
  • Subclasses, Superclasses, and Inheritance
    • Creating a Subclass
      • Overriding Methods
    • Writing Final Classes and Methods
    • Writing Abstract Classes and Methods
  • Creating and Using Interfaces
    • Creating an Interface
    • Using an Interface
• The String and StringBuffer Classes
  • Why Two String Classes?
  • Creating Strings and StringBuffers
  • Accessor Methods
    • More Accessor Methods
  • Modifying StringBuffers
  • Converting Objects to Strings
  • Converting Strings to Numbers
  • Strings and the Java Compiler
• Setting Program Attributes
  • Properties
  • Command Line Arguments
    • The Space Character Separates Command Line Arguments
    • Conventions
    • Parsing Command Line Arguments
• System
  • Using the System Class
  • The Standard I/O Streams
  • System Properties
  • Cleaning up Unused Objects
  • Loading Dynamic Libraries
  • Miscellaneous System Methods
  • Using System-Dependent Resources
• Threads of Control
  • What Are Threads?
  • A Simple Thread Example
  • Thread Attributes
    • Thread Body
      • The Clock Applet
    • Thread State
    • Thread Priority
    • Daemon Threads
    • Thread Group
      • The ThreadGroup Class
  • Multithreaded Programs
    • Synchronizing Threads
      • Monitors
        • Java Monitors are Re-entrant
      • The notify() and wait() Methods
    • Fairness, Starvation, and Deadlock
      • Deadlock and the Dining Philosophers
  • Summary
• Handling Errors using Exceptions
  • What's an Exception and Why Do I Care?
  • Your First Encounter with Java Exceptions
  • Java's Catch or Declare Requirement
  • Dealing with Exceptions
    • The Example
    • Catching and Handling Exceptions
      • The try Block
      • The catch Block(s)
      • The finally Block
      • Putting It All Together
    • Declaring the Exceptions Thrown by a Method
  • How to Throw Exceptions
    • The throw Statement
    • The Throwable Class and Its Subclasses
    • Creating Your Own Exception Classes
  • Runtime Exceptions--The Controversy
• Input and Output Streams
  • Your First Encounter with I/O in Java
  • Overview of java.io's Input and Output Streams
  • Using Input and Output Streams
  • Working with Filtered Streams
    • Using DataInputStream and DataOutputStream
    • Writing Your Own Filtered Streams
  • Working with Random Access Files
    • Using Random Access Files
    • Writing Filters for RandomAccessFiles and DataInput/DataOutput

Writing Java Programs