Book Image

Introduction to Programming

By : Nick Samoylov
Book Image

Introduction to Programming

By: Nick Samoylov

Overview of this book

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.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)

Java Virtual Machine (JVM) on Your Computer

This book will be your guide to achieving an intermediate level of Java programming skills. Programming is not just about knowing the language syntax. It is also about the tools and sources of information necessary to write, compile, and execute a program or run a whole software system. The first step on this road is to learn the important components of Java, including Java Development Kit (JDK) and Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

This chapter will introduce Java as a language and a tool, and establish the most important terminology. It will also describe the motivation behind Java's creation, cover its history, editions, versions, and technologies, and outline Java's marketing position and main areas of application. Then, a sequence of practical steps will walk readers through the process of Java installation and configuration on their computers, and introduce the main Java commands.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • What is Java?
  • Java platforms, editions, versions, and technologies
  • Java SE Development Kit (JDK) installation and configuration
  • Main Java commands
  • Exercise – JDK tools and utilities