In just 21 days you can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop applications on your computer and apps that run on Android phones and tablets. With this complete tutorial you’ll quickly master the basics and then move on to more advanced features and concepts. Completely updated for Java 8, this book teaches you about the Java language and how to use it to create applications for any computing environment and Android apps. By the time you have finished the book, you’ll have well-rounded knowledge of Java and the Java class libraries. Using your new skills, you will be able to develop your own programs for tasks such as web services, database connectivity, XML processing, and mobile programming. No previous programming experience required. By following the 21 carefully organized lessons in this book, anyone can learn the basics of Java programming. Learn at your own pace. You can work through each chapter sequentially to make sure you thoroughly understand all the concepts and methodologies, or you can focus on specific lessons to learn the techniques that interest you most. Test your knowledge. Each chapter ends with a Workshop section filled with questions, answers, and exercises for further study. There are even certification practice questions. Completely revised, updated, and expanded to cover the latest features of Java 8 Learn to develop Java applications and Android apps using NetBeans and Google’s new Android Studio -- two excellent (and free!) programming platforms Covers new features of Java 8 such as closures, the most eagerly anticipated language feature in years Easy-to-understand, practical examples clearly illustrate the fundamentals of Java programming Discover how Swing can help you quickly develop programs with a graphical user interface Find out about JDBC 4.2 programming with the Derby database and XML parsing with the open source XOM class library Learn how to use streams to write programs that communicate with the Internet, including socket programming, buffers, channels, and URL handling.  Contents at a Glance WEEK 1: The Java Language DAY 1 Getting Started with Java DAY 2 The ABCs of Programming DAY 3 Working with Objects DAY 4 Lists, Logic, and Loops DAY 5 Creating Classesand Methods DAY 6 Packages, Interfaces, and Other Class Features DAY 7 Exceptions and Threads WEEK 2: The Java Class Library DAY 8 Data Structures DAY 9 Working with Swing DAY 10 Building a Swing Interface DAY 11 Arranging Components on a User Interface DAY 12 Responding to User Input DAY 13 Creating Java2D Graphics DAY 14 Developing Swing Applications WEEK 3: Java Programming DAY 15 Working with Input and Output DAY 16 Using Inner Classes and Closures DAY 17 Communicating Across the Internet DAY 18 Accessing Databases with JDBC 4.2 and Derby DAY 19 Reading and Writing RSS Feeds DAY 20 XML Web Services DAY 21 Writing Android Apps for Java APPENDIX A Using the NetBeans IDE APPENDIX B This Book’s Website APPENDIX C Fixing a Problem with the Android Studio Emulator APPENDIX D Using the Java Development Kit APPENDIX E Programming with the Java Development Kit

Table of Contents:
Introduction WEEK I: The Java Language  DAY 1: Getting Started with Java The Java Language      History of the Language      Introduction to Java      Selecting a Development Tool  Object-Oriented Programming Objects and Classes Attributes and Behavior      Attributes of a Class of Objects      Behavior of a Class of Objects      Creating a Class      Running the Program Organizing Classes and Class Behavior      Inheritance      Creating a Class Hierarchy      Inheritance in Action      Interfaces      Packages DAY 2: The ABCs of Programming  Statements and Expressions Variables and Data Types      Creating Variables      Naming Variables      Variable Types      Assigning Values to Variables      Constants Comments Literals      Number Literals      Boolean Literals      Character Literals      String Literals Expressions and Operators      Arithmetic      More About Assignment      Incrementing and Decrementing      Comparisons      Logical Operators      Operator Precedence String Arithmetic  DAY 3: Working with Objects Creating New Objects How Objects Are Constructed  A Note on Memory Management  Using Class and Instance Variables      Getting Values      Setting Values      Class Variables Calling Methods      Formatting Strings      Nesting Method Calls      Class Methods References to Objects Casting Objects and Primitive Types      Casting Primitive Types      Casting Objects      Converting Primitive Types to Objects and Vice Versa Comparing Object Values and Classes      Comparing Objects      Determining the Class of an Object DAY 4: Lists, Logic, and Loops Arrays      Declaring Array Variables      Creating Array Objects      Accessing Array Elements       Changing Array Elements       Multidimensional Arrays      Block Statements  If Conditionals Switch Conditionals The Ternary Operator For Loops  While and Do Loops      While Loops      Do-While Loops Breaking Out of Loops       Labeled Loops DAY 5: Creating Classes and Methods Defining Classes Creating Instance and Class Variables      Defining Instance Variables      Class Variables Creating Methods      Defining Methods      The this Keyword      Variable Scope and Method Definitions      Passing Arguments to Methods      Class Methods Creating Java Applications      Helper Classes Java Applications and Arguments      Passing Arguments to Java Applications      Handling Arguments in Your Java Application Creating Methods with the Same Name Constructors      Basic Constructors      Calling Another Constructor      Overloading Constructors Overriding Methods      Creating Methods That Override Existing Methods      Calling the Original Method      Overriding Constructors  DAY 6: Packages, Interfaces, and Other Class Features  Modifiers      Access Control for Methods and Variables Static Variables and Methods Final Classes, Methods, and Variables      Variables      Methods      Classes Abstract Classes and Methods Packages      The import Declaration      Class Name Conflicts Creating Your Own Packages      Picking a Package Name      Creating the Folder Structure      Adding a Class to a Package      Packages and Class Access Control Interfaces      The Problem of Single Inheritance      Interfaces and Classes      Implementing and Using Interfaces      Implementing Multiple Interfaces      Other Uses of Interfaces Creating and Extending Interfaces      New Interfaces      Methods Inside Interfaces      Extending Interfaces      Creating an Online Storefront DAY 7: Exceptions and Threads Exceptions      Exception Classes Managing Exceptions      Exception Consistency Checking      Protecting Code and Catching Exceptions      The finally Clause Declaring Methods That Might Throw Exceptions      The throws Clause      Which Exceptions Should You Throw       Passing on Exceptions      throws and Inheritance Creating and Throwing Exceptions      Throwing Exceptions      Creating Your Own Exceptions      Combining throws, try, and throw When Not to Use Exceptions      Bad Style Using Exceptions Threads      Writing a Threaded Program      A Threaded Application      Stopping a Thread WEEK II: The Java Class Library DAY 8: Data Structures Moving Beyond Arrays Java Structures      Iterator      Bit Sets      Array Lists      Looping Through Data Structures      Stacks      Map      Hash Maps Generics  Enumerations DAY 9: Working with Swing Creating an Application      Creating an Interface      Developing a Framework      Creating a Component      Adding Components to a Container  Working with Components      Image Icons      Labels      Text Fields      Text Areas      Scrolling Panes      Check Boxes and Radio Buttons       Combo Boxes Lists The Java Class Library DAY 10: Building a Swing Interface Swing Features      Standard Dialog Boxes      Using Dialog Boxes      Sliders      Scroll Panes      Toolbars      Progress Bars      Menus      Tabbed Panes DAY 11: Arranging Components on a User Interface Basic Interface Layout      Laying Out an Interface      Flow Layout      Box Layout      Grid Layout      Border Layout Mixing Layout Managers Card Layout      Using Card Layout in an Application      Cell Padding and Insets DAY 12: Responding to User Input Event Listeners      Setting Up Components      Event-Handling Methods Working with Methods      Action Events      Focus Events      Item Events      Key Events      Mouse Events      Mouse Motion Events      Window Events      Using Adapter Classes      Using Inner Classes DAY 13: Creating Java2D Graphics The Graphics2D Class      The Graphics Coordinate System Drawing Text      Improving Fonts and Graphics with Antialiasing      Finding Information About a Font Color        Using Color Objects      Testing and Setting the Current Colors Drawing Lines and Polygons      User and Device Coordinate Spaces      Specifying the Rendering Attributes       Creating Objects to Draw      Drawing Objects DAY 14: Developing Swing Applications Java Web Start Using Java Web Start      Creating a JNLP File      Supporting Web Start on a Server      Additional JNLP Elements Improving Performance with SwingWorker WEEK III: Java Programming DAY 15: Working with Input and Output Introduction to Streams      Using a Stream      Filtering a Stream      Handling Exceptions Byte Streams      File Streams Filtering a Stream      Byte Filters Character Streams      Reading Text Files      Writing Text Files Files and Paths DAY 16: Using Inner Classes and Closures Inner Classes      Anonymous Inner Classes Closures DAY 17: Communicating Across the Internet Networking in Java      Opening a Stream Over the Net      Sockets      Socket Servers      Testing the Server The java.nio Package      Buffers      Channels DAY 18: Accessing Databases with JDBC 4.2 and Derby Java Database Connectivity      Database Drivers      Examining a Database      Reading Records from a Database      Writing Records to a Database      Moving Through Resultsets DAY 19: Reading and Writing RSS Feeds Using XML  Designing an XML Dialect Processing XML with Java  Processing XML with XOM      Creating an XML Document      Modifying an XML Document      Formatting an XML Document      Evaluating XOM DAY 20: XML Web Services Introduction to XML-RPC Communicating with XML-RPC      Sending a Request      Responding to a Request Choosing an XML-RPC Implementation Using an XML-RPC Web Service Creating an XML-RPC Web Service DAY 21: Writing Android Apps with Java The History of Android Writing an Android App      Organizing an Android Project      Creating the Program Running the App Designing an Android App       Preparing Resources      Configuring a Manifest File      Designing the Graphical User Interface       Writing Code APPENDIXES APPENDIX A: Using the NetBeans Integrated Development Environment  Installing NetBeans Creating a New Project  Creating a New Java Class  Running the Application  Fixing Errors  Expanding and Shrinking a Pane Exploring NetBeans APPENDIX B: This Book’s Website  APPENDIX C: Fixing a Problem with the Android Studio Emulator Problems Running an App      Install HAXM in Android Studio      Install HAXM on Your Computer       Checking BIOS Settings APPENDIX D: Using the Java Development Kit  Choosing a Java Development Tool      Installing the Java Development Kit Configuring the Java Development Kit Using a Text Editor Creating a Sample Program      Compiling and Running the Program in Windows Setting Up the CLASSPATH Variable APPENDIX E: Programming with the Java Development Kit Overview of the JDK The java Virtual Machine The javac Compiler The appletviewer Browser The javadoc Documentation Tool The jar Java File Archival Tool The jdb Debugger      Debugging Applications      Debugging Applets      Advanced Debugging Commands Using System Properties The keytool and jarsigner Code Signing Tools