Learn Object-Oriented Java the Hard Way

Introduction: Object-Oriented Java

Java is an object-oriented programming language. My first book covered all the basic syntax of the Java language, but avoided all the object-oriented parts. This book covers the rest.

If you have never programmed before in any language, this book is probably not for you. You need some experience in a similar language before you will be able to make it through this book. If you already know the basics of Java or another language like C, C++, C# or Javascript, you will be okay. If you only know a very different language like Python or Ruby then you’ll have a little catching up to do.

If you get lost trying to follow the code in exercise 1, then you should probably go back and work through a simpler book before trying this one.

What You Will Learn

How to install the Java compiler and a text editor
How to work with Java objects and create your own classes
Fields and instance variables
Methods and Parameters
Constructors
Reference Variables vs Primitives
Generics and Casting
Inheritance
Interfaces
Abstract Classes and Methods
Packages
How to create JAR files
Graphical User Interfaces in JavaFX
Mouse and Keyboard Input in GUIs
Testing and Efficiency
Algorithmic Complexity and Big-O Notation
ArrayLists
Sorting

…and more!

In the final chapter you’ll write a graphical version of a popular checker-dropping game and be able to package that up to send to others.

All the examples in this book will work in version 1.8 of Java or any newer version. If you omit the last few chapters on JavaFX, most of the code will work in Java version 1.6 or later.

What You Will Not Learn

How to compile and run Java programs in a terminal
The basics of Java
How to make an Android app
Specifics of different “versions” of Java
Javascript

Create, compile & run: If you have written some Java before but you have always used an IDE, you should learn how to write your code in a simple text editor and how to compile your code from a terminal. My first book has an entire chapter on it which is free to read online, so work through that first if you need to.
No basics: If you don’t already know how to create variables and write if statements, loops and functions in Java, then you should learn that before trying to work through this book.
No Android: Android apps are pretty complex, and if you’re a beginner, an app is way beyond your ability. Nothing in this book will hurt your chances of making an app, though, and the kinder, gentler pace may keep you going when other books would frustrate you into quitting.
No specific version: I will not cover anything about the differences between Java SE 7 and Java SE 8, for example. If you care about the difference, then this book is not for you.
Except for the last few graphics chapters, I will also not cover anything that was only recently added to Java. This book is for learning the basics of object-oriented programming and nothing has changed about the basics of Java in many years.
No Javascript: “Javascript” is the name of a programming language and “Java” is also the name of a programming language. These two languages have nothing to do with each other. They are completely unrelated.

I hope to write more books after this one. My third book will cover making a simple Android app, assuming you have finished working through the first two books.

How to Use This Book

Although I have provided a zipfile containing the source code for all the exercises in the book, you should type them in.

For each exercise, type in the code. Yourself, by hand. How are you going to learn otherwise? None of my former students ever became great at programming by merely reading others’ code.

Work the Study Drills. Then watch the Study Drill videos (if you have them) to compare your solutions to mine. And by the end you will be able to code, at least a little.

License

Some chapters of this book are made available free to read online but you are not allowed to make copies for others without permission.

The materials provided for download may not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Educators who purchase this book and/or tutorial videos are given permission to utilize the curriculum solely for self-study or for one-to-one, face-to-face tutoring of a single student. Large-group teaching of this curriculum requires a site license.