Java just keeps growing, adding features, functionality, complexity, and tempting developers to growl with frustration. The new 1.4 release of Java 2 Standard edition increases the size of the platform by 50%, to 2757 classes in 135 packages. How are you going to figure out what this means for your applications? As always, Java in a Nutshell has the answers. The new 4th edition still contains an accelerated introduction to the Java programming language and its key APIs so you can start writing code right away. And with more than 250 new pages, author David Flanagan quickly brings you up to speed on new features that come with version 1.4:

• High-performance NIO API
• Support for pattern matching with regular expressions
• A logging API
• A user preferences API
• New Collections classes
• An XML-based persistence mechanism for Java Beans
• Support for XML parsing using both the DOM and SAX APIs
• User authentication with the JAAS API
• Support for secure network connections using the SSL protocol
• Support for cryptography

The book contains O'Reilly's classic quick-reference for all the classes in the essential Java packages, so you can dive in and find what you need to make the new 1.4 version work for you. For as long as Java developers have existed, Java in a Nutshell has been ready, willing and able to take you right to the heart of the program, turning those frustrated grrrrss into purrrss of satisfaction. No wonder readers of Java Developer's Journal voted this the "Best Java Book" the past two years in a row!

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Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition Review,  February 07 2003
Submitted by nick grayson   [Respond | View]

most (or all, im not sure) of the classes are in alphabetical order at the back of the book "Class, Method and Field" and there is a black box on the right of the page to help you find this section (and all others) quickly.

Flanagan says: "Part I of the book is a fast paced, "no fluff" introduction to the Java programming language and the core APIs of the Java platform. Part II is a quick-reference section that succinctly details most classes and interfaces of those core APIs. The book covers Java 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4."

-better than Bruce Eckels 'ground up' Thinking In Java. you need know nothing of Java to start this book, only a very brief knowledge of object oriented programming and compiling but no knowledge of expressions or operators. if you want an introduction to OOP then type "java tutorial", dont click on the Sun ones, click on the .edu site ones- they seem to know people better and won's stereotype you or patronise you.

-has comparisons with c and C++

-fast paced lesson in Java (no "hello, world" program. much more mature)

-my above quote sums it all up very nicely.

i would have to give 4.5 fluffly animals out of 5 (but i cant) becuase i am a strong believer that all programming books should have test/ question pages in them, like maths books at school did. i keep forgetting things that i should know like operator precedence and because i have not learnt it (though i have read it) i repeatedly have to go back again and again. this is my only real criticism of the book. you'd never learn a thing in school maths if you didnt keep getting quizzed. maybe this book is too mature for me or maybe the writer forgets how people learn...


Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition Review,  September 20 2002
Submitted by yun kim   [Respond | View]

i from china too.

I think book is vey vey good. recommend big time to gi joe.


Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition Review,  September 18 2002
Submitted by martin   [Respond | View]

i am from china.

i know this book was famous in computer world,but its chinese version was so bad!


Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition Review,  May 15 2002
Submitted by Norman Richards   [Respond | View]

This book is a step back from previous editions in terms of usefullness. The class API reference no longer has the package names in the black boxes on page borders, which makes it impossible to quickly locate classes. Furthermore, the class package diagrams showing the reltionship between classes in a package are missing. This is very disappointing. On the positive side, the API reference

does a good job of indicating which version of java classes and methods are available in.

My other complaint is the size. 900+ pages is a bit more than a nutshell. I hope in the future the publisher splits up the content (perhaps an API reference and a feature tutorial) to keep the size manageable and adds back in the tabs and other essential parts of the API quick reference section.




Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition Review,  May 11 2002
Submitted by Craig Pfeifer   [Respond | View]

If I was trapped in a desert cubicle and allowed only one Java book this would

be it. I dig Sun's Javadocs that come with the SDKs, but Java in a Nutshell has proved invaluable to java developers. It is compact, easy to browse, and

provides a very handy language/SDK guide. With each major release of J2SE. This edition is no exception:

- most up to date coverage of SDK & language changes:

- assertions

- cryptography

- XML processing

- new IO facilities

- logging

- properties & preferences,

- collections changes

A quick search of Amazon yielded only one other book that is up to date for J2SE 1.4, and it was not a reference for experienced programmers. This nutshell reference is ahead of the pack.

However, there have been a few changes to this edition that aren't popular with me. I was a big fan of the quasi-UML class diagrams on the first page of each package. Especially for the IO and Util (collections) packages, it was a great way to see the architecture of an entire package. I could find out at a glance who implements a certain interface, or to find a common ancestor class. These diagrams are gone. Instead of having one diagram for all the elements (interfaces, classes, exceptions) in a single package, the authors present a class diagram for each individual class and place it with each class' entry. To somewhat make up for this, the author has provided expanded narrative at the beginning of each package, hitting the highlights and providing an almost javadoc style listing of the elements contained in the package.

I understand this was probably done for practical reasons. Some of the packages have grown very large with one or more subpackages (java.util being the biggest offender here) and diagrams for some of the packages wouldn't fit on the smaller pages of the Nutshell series. Irregardless, it a loss of key functionality for this edition.

Lastly, the authors removed the singlemost important navigational tool of the previous editions: the thumb tabs on the margins of the pages indexed by package. These tabs made it very easy to quickly flip to the exact package you were looking for. In this edition you have to rely on the page footers for this information.

Despite the small changes, this edition continues in the tradition of the Java in a Nutshell series: the most up to date java reference that is available on the market.




Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition Review,  May 02 2002
Submitted by Wayne Cater   [Respond | View]

This book is very well written. I didn't fall asleep trying to get through it. The author held true to his commitment stated in the front of the book. I felt my money was well invested. I have spent a small fortune on computer books in the past. I will be sticking with O'Reilly as much as is possible for my future needs.

I came from a C/C++, and Visual Basic background. The layout of the book made me feel at ease and was actually very interesting reading. It will also double as a wonderful reference for my future use.

I was a little concerned at first about how the author would do teaching Java to a split audience -- newbies to Java coming from another language (like me) and to seasoned professionals. I was presently surprised. I never felt lost.

If you are learning Java, or need a reference, get this book. Be sure to get the Java Foundation Classes related book too.

Wayne

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