Introduction to Programming

Get a solid understanding of Java fundamentals to master programming through a series of practical steps

Key Features

• Enjoy your first step into the world of programming
• Understand what a language is and use its features to build applications
• Learn about a wide variety of programming applications

Book Description

Have you ever thought about making your computer do what you want it to do? Do you want to learn to program, but just don't know where to start? Instead of guiding you in the right direction, have other learning resources got you confused with over-explanations?

Don't worry. Look no further. Introduction to Programming is here to help.

Written by an industry expert who understands the challenges faced by those from a non-programming background, this book takes a gentle, hand-holding approach to introducing you to the world of programming. Beginning with an introduction to what programming is, you'll go on to learn about languages, their syntax, and development environments. With plenty of examples for you to code alongside reading, the book's practical approach will help you to grasp everything it has to offer. More importantly, you'll understand several aspects of application development. As a result, you'll have your very own application running by the end of the book. To help you comprehensively understand Java programming, there are exercises at the end of each chapter to keep things interesting and encourage you to add your own personal touch to the code and, ultimately, your application.

What you will learn

• Understand what Java is
• Install Java and learn how to run it
• Write and execute a Java program
• Write and execute the test for your program
• Install components and confgure your development environment
• Learn and use Java language fundamentals
• Learn object-oriented design principles
• Master the frequently used Java constructs

Who This Book Is For

Introduction to Programming is for anybody who wants to learn programming. All you'll need is a computer, internet connection, and a cup of coffee.

Table of Contents

1. Java Virtual Machine (JVM) on Your Computer
2. Java Language Basics
3. Your Development Environment Setup
4. Your First Java Project
5. Java Language Elements and Types
6. Interfaces, Classes, and Object Construction
7. Packages and Accessibility (Visibility)
8. Object-Oriented Design (OOD) Principles
9. Operators, Expressions, and Statements
10. Control Flow Statements
11. JVM Processes and Garbage Collection
12. Java Standard and External Libraries
13. Java Collections
14. Managing Collections and Arrays
15. Managing Objects, Strings, Time, and Random Numbers
16. Database Programming
17. Lambda Expressions and Functional Programming
18. Streams and Pipelines
19. Reactive Systems

Nick Samoylov graduated from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, has worked as a theoretical physicist, and learned to program a tool for testing his mathematical models. After the demise of the USSR, Nick created and successfully ran a software company, but was forced to close it following pressure from the government and criminal elements. In 1999, with his wife Luda and two daughters, he emigrated to the USA and has been living in Colorado ever since, working as a Java programmer. In his free time, Nick likes to write and hike in the Rocky Mountains.