TweetFollow Us on Twitter

Review-Core Java

Volume Number: 15 (1999)
Issue Number: 5
Column Tag: Programmer's Bookshelf

Review: Core Java, Fundamentals

by Paul E. Sevinç, Switzerland

4th edition covering Java 2

About This Article...

This article reviews volume 1 of the 4th edition of Core Java [Horstmann and Cornell 1999].

Core Java is a two-volume book-set written by Cay Horstmann and Gary Cornell, and published by Sun Microsystems Press and Prentice Hall. Volume 1, subtitled Fundamentals, has been available since December 1998. Volume 2, subtitled Advanced Topics, will be available some time in 1999.

For simplicity, the 4th edition of the 1st volume of Core Java will be referred to only as Core Java in the remainder of this review.

About The Book...

Core Java is an introduction to Java 2 Platform -formerly named JDK 1.2- by Sun Microsystems. (Note: The first printing still refers to it as JDK 1.2.)

According to the authors, Core Java has been written for experienced programmers, i.e. programmers with experience in at least one procedural programming language (e.g., C or Pascal). I'll let you know who I personally think this book is well suited for at the end of the article.

Core Java consists of 12 chapters and 3 appendices as well as an accompanying CD. The major topics are: object-oriented programming (OOP), graphical user interfaces (GUIs), programming for the WWW, exception handling, and input/output (I/O). The CD contains all of the book's source code and freeware & shareware tools in Solaris and Windows (no Mac OS) versions.

Throughout the book, when appropriate, the authors compare Java to Visual Basic and C++. Not being a Windows developer, the Visual Basic notes were of no use to me. The C++ notes, on the other hand, ease the transition from C++ to Java. Here is a simple example: after the integer types have been introduced, a C++ programmer is told that there are no unsigned integers in Java.

Also, when a new standard Java class is introduced, it is followed by an abbreviated version of its interface which allows for a quick overview of its most important methods. Reprinting all of them in alphabetical order at the end of the book would have been a nice thing.

Introducing Java

The first chapter, An Introduction to Java, is about Java in general: Java's history, how Java relates to the Internet, misconceptions about Java, etc. What I really liked about this chapter is that the authors don't mislead the beginner by blindly following the Java hype. Instead, they state that Java is a good programming language but could have been better, and they also point out that some of the concepts Java is famous for have been around for decades (e.g., Niklaus Wirth made platform-independent compilation popular in the seventies).

Chapter 2, The Java Programming Environment, is Windows specific and can be skipped by Mac-only developers.

Java & OOP

Chapter 3, Fundamental Programming Structures in Java, is the chapter that relies most strongly on former experience in procedural programming (e.g., it explains how variables are declared, not what variables are). It covers data types (primitive data types and strings) and their operators, constants and variables, arrays, flow control (conditional statements and loops), and basic console I/O. In Horstmann's and Cornell's opinion, C++ programmers can skim through this chapter; I don't think so. The differences between Java and C++ are big (or rather subtle) enough to cause annoyances. By investing a little time in carefully reading this material, most of them can be avoided. Programmers with a different background (Pascal, say) probably need to read certain paragraphs -or even the whole chapter- more than once, but they shouldn't have any serious problems either. I missed two things only in this chapter: a short explanation of the difference between do-while and repeat-until loops, and that a simple statement can also act as the body of a loop.

The 4th, 5th, and 6th chapters, Objects and Classes, Inheritance, and Interfaces and Inner Classes, are an introduction to the OOP paradigm and how it is supported by Java. Chapter 4 shows how abstract data types (ADTs) are implemented in Java. But first, some OOP vocabulary is introduced and illustrated using clear analogies. (By the way, the authors also recommend two books on object-oriented design and the Unified Modeling Language; the best introduction to OOP I know is [Mössenböck 1998] which, alas, is not available in English at the time of this writing.) Finally, Java's package concept is explained.

Chapter 5 is likely going to split the Core Java readers into two groups. Those in the first group have some basic experience with OOP and love how fast Horstmann and Cornell get to the point. Those in the second group don't have any OOP knowledge prior to reading Core Java and are confused when done with Chapter 5. So should you forget about Core Java if you're going to be in the second group? Not necessarily; just skip the last two paragraphs about run-time type identification (RTTI) and reflection (these are topics I would rather have expected in volume 2). Matters should become clearer when you see object orientation in action.

Chapter 6 is a short chapter on interfaces (Java's construct for multiple inheritance), inner classes, and cloning (deep copying). In the inner-classes sections, the reader also learns about some compilation techniques and possible bytecode security risks.

GUIs

Despite its importance, the first third of the book isn't very exciting - after all, we do not use PowerMacs because we're fond of console I/O. And even though the core language isn't fully covered yet (exception handling is still missing), a really cool topic is the content of the next three chapters: how to design and implement GUIs.

Chapter 7, Graphics Programming, answers fundamental questions regarding GUIs: What are windows in Java? How can different fonts be used when showing text? Etc. What's important to know is that when there is a choice between a Swing class and an AWT class (UI classes where the former replace the latter which were the only ones in Java 1), the Swing class is used. This future-oriented approach is good unless you have to maintain old Java code. The chapter ends with some simple drawing routines.

Chapter 8, Event Handling, covers the Java event model. As a Mac OS programmer, you're already used to event-driven programming, but Java's events are comparatively high-level (objects vs. constants). Horstmann and Cornell make the whole process of learning about broadcasters, listeners, and multicasting so painless that at the end of the chapter, these concepts almost look trivial.

The 9th chapter, User Interface Components With Swing, is by far the biggest, with more than 150 pages. Every UI element I could spontaneously think of is covered: radio buttons, menus, dialogs, text areas, and many more. (Note: volume 2 will cover some components, such as toolbars, too.) At the beginning of the chapter, the model-view-controller (MVC) pattern is introduced (design patterns are to OOP what algorithms & data structures are to procedural programming [Mössenböck 1998]). Knowledge of MVC is especially necessary for some advanced modifications (i.e., subclasses) of the elements. But these advanced sections can safely be skipped and the authors also say so.

More Core

Chapter 10, Applets, shows what changes are necessary in order to turn an application into an applet - that's the easy part. The tedious part is how to make the applet behave properly on different platforms using different browsers. It's not the authors' fault that this is tedious; actually, they do a pretty good job of showing the possibilities one has with the Java plug-in or with older versions of Java.

Chapter 11, Exceptions and Debugging, could -from a purely technical point of view- directly follow Chapter 6 in order to cover the whole language before the Java classes. But from a pedagogical point of view it was smarter to arrange the chapters the way they are; more so because, oddly enough, exceptions are hardly an issue before Chapter 12. After Java's strict rules concerning exceptions and exception syntax and use have been covered, some debug advice is given. Its essence is: either make no mistakes when coding (...) or get a commercial debugger.

The 12th and last chapter, Streams and Files, is mainly about storing information in files. Again, some of the more technical issues (e.g., how does object serialization work in detail) can be skipped. Some security issues are discussed, too. What's going to be useful beyond file manipulation are the sections about streams, but how they relate to network programming is another topic to be found in volume 2.

Conclusion

Core Java is a book that evolved with Java, throwing away text of older editions to replace it with up-to-date information. It is well suited for self-study (beware: there are no exercices), but if most of your books end with "for Dummies", don't even think about buying this one. The examples are very illustrative, even though I would still consider them toy examples.

Programmers with some OOP experience will find it most useful; for those familiar with Java 1.1 it's overkill. Beginners with little practical programming experience might be overwhelmed unless learning procedural programming was no challenge.

If Core Java: Fundamentals is not the best book about this topic, it is still one of the better. And I am certainly going to take a look at Core Java: Advanced Topics. What about you?

References

  • [Horstmann and Cornell 1999] HORSTMANN, Cay, CORNELL, Gary. Core Java: Fundamentals. Sun Microsystems Press / Prentice Hall, 4th edition 1999.
  • [Mössenböck 1998] MÖSSENBÖCK, Hanspeter. Objektorientierte Programmierung in Oberon-2. Springer, 3rd edition 1998.

Paul E. Sevinç is an EE student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) -where he recently designed and implemented a C++ framework for multiobjective optimization with genetic algorithms- and a student member of the IEEE. He is very interested in Compiler Construction, Operating Systems, and Cryptology, but he also likes working as a swimming coach. You can reach him at psevinc@stud.ee.ethz.ch.

 

Community Search:
MacTech Search:

Software Updates via MacUpdate

Latest Forum Discussions

See All

Top Mobile Game Discounts
Every day, we pick out a curated list of the best mobile discounts on the App Store and post them here. This list won't be comprehensive, but it every game on it is recommended. Feel free to check out the coverage we did on them in the links... | Read more »
Price of Glory unleashes its 1.4 Alpha u...
As much as we all probably dislike Maths as a subject, we do have to hand it to geometry for giving us the good old Hexgrid, home of some of the best strategy games. One such example, Price of Glory, has dropped its 1.4 Alpha update, stocked full... | Read more »
The SLC 2025 kicks off this month to cro...
Ever since the Solo Leveling: Arise Championship 2025 was announced, I have been looking forward to it. The promotional clip they released a month or two back showed crowds going absolutely nuts for the previous competitions, so imagine the... | Read more »
Dive into some early Magicpunk fun as Cr...
Excellent news for fans of steampunk and magic; the Precursor Test for Magicpunk MMORPG Crystal of Atlan opens today. This rather fancy way of saying beta test will remain open until March 5th and is available for PC - boo - and Android devices -... | Read more »
Prepare to get your mind melted as Evang...
If you are a fan of sci-fi shooters and incredibly weird, mind-bending anime series, then you are in for a treat, as Goddess of Victory: Nikke is gearing up for its second collaboration with Evangelion. We were also treated to an upcoming... | Read more »
Square Enix gives with one hand and slap...
We have something of a mixed bag coming over from Square Enix HQ today. Two of their mobile games are revelling in life with new events keeping them alive, whilst another has been thrown onto the ever-growing discard pile Square is building. I... | Read more »
Let the world burn as you have some fest...
It is time to leave the world burning once again as you take a much-needed break from that whole “hero” lark and enjoy some celebrations in Genshin Impact. Version 5.4, Moonlight Amidst Dreams, will see you in Inazuma to attend the Mikawa Flower... | Read more »
Full Moon Over the Abyssal Sea lands on...
Aether Gazer has announced its latest major update, and it is one of the loveliest event names I have ever heard. Full Moon Over the Abyssal Sea is an amazing name, and it comes loaded with two side stories, a new S-grade Modifier, and some fancy... | Read more »
Open your own eatery for all the forest...
Very important question; when you read the title Zoo Restaurant, do you also immediately think of running a restaurant in which you cook Zoo animals as the course? I will just assume yes. Anyway, come June 23rd we will all be able to start up our... | Read more »
Crystal of Atlan opens registration for...
Nuverse was prominently featured in the last month for all the wrong reasons with the USA TikTok debacle, but now it is putting all that behind it and preparing for the Crystal of Atlan beta test. Taking place between February 18th and March 5th,... | Read more »

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

AT&T is offering a 65% discount on the ne...
AT&T is offering the new iPhone 16e for up to 65% off their monthly finance fee with 36-months of service. No trade-in is required. Discount is applied via monthly bill credits over the 36 month... Read more
Use this code to get a free iPhone 13 at Visi...
For a limited time, use code SWEETDEAL to get a free 128GB iPhone 13 Visible, Verizon’s low-cost wireless cell service, Visible. Deal is valid when you purchase the Visible+ annual plan. Free... Read more
M4 Mac minis on sale for $50-$80 off MSRP at...
B&H Photo has M4 Mac minis in stock and on sale right now for $50 to $80 off Apple’s MSRP, each including free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: – M4 Mac mini (16GB/256GB): $549, $50 off... Read more
Buy an iPhone 16 at Boost Mobile and get one...
Boost Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, is offering one year of free Unlimited service with the purchase of any iPhone 16. Purchase the iPhone at standard MSRP, and then choose... Read more
Get an iPhone 15 for only $299 at Boost Mobil...
Boost Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, is offering the 128GB iPhone 15 for $299.99 including service with their Unlimited Premium plan (50GB of premium data, $60/month), or $20... Read more
Unreal Mobile is offering $100 off any new iP...
Unreal Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, is offering a $100 discount on any new iPhone with service. This includes new iPhone 16 models as well as iPhone 15, 14, 13, and SE... Read more
Apple drops prices on clearance iPhone 14 mod...
With today’s introduction of the new iPhone 16e, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, and SE. In response, Apple has dropped prices on unlocked, Certified Refurbished, iPhone 14 models to a... Read more
B&H has 16-inch M4 Max MacBook Pros on sa...
B&H Photo is offering a $360-$410 discount on new 16-inch MacBook Pros with M4 Max CPUs right now. B&H offers free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: – 16″ M4 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/1TB/... Read more
Amazon is offering a $100 discount on the M4...
Amazon has the M4 Pro Mac mini discounted $100 off MSRP right now. Shipping is free. Their price is the lowest currently available for this popular mini: – Mac mini M4 Pro (24GB/512GB): $1299, $100... Read more
B&H continues to offer $150-$220 discount...
B&H Photo has 14-inch M4 MacBook Pros on sale for $150-$220 off MSRP. B&H offers free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: – 14″ M4 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB): $1449, $150 off MSRP – 14″ M4... Read more

Jobs Board

All contents are Copyright 1984-2011 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.