Still A Great Java Resource!
I bought the first version of the Java Cookbook many years ago and it was a huge find back then. There were few online resources at the time loaded with really great, consistent sample code, like http://www.javaalmanac.com. The Java Cookbook filled a need then and it fills a need now.
The book covers subjects of interest for programmers with any level of Java expertise. It is written in the classic 'cookbook' format. Each chapter concentrates on a specific area, like 'Strings and Things', 'Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions', 'Object-Oriented Techniques', 'Network Clients', 'Database Access', 'Threaded Java', etc.
Within each chapter, several problems are tackled. One or more pages are devoted to each problem, with a general format of: 'Problem', 'Solution', and 'Discussion'. Many of the problems build on previous solutions. Nearly every solution contains a Java example and the code tends to be simple enough to grok at a glance.
The book has been updated to cover most of the new Java 1.4 and 1.5 goodies, but doesn't have as much coverage as I would have liked. However, the most fundamental topics are covered well. The 800+ page book includes 312 recipes that cover a wide range of topics.
If you are like me and spend a lot of time learning by example, you will find this book an excellent resource.
Disappointing
I am a Java newbie and purchased this book in addition to the Head First Java text to get me started. I am a big fan of the Cookbook series, and have generally been very satisied with them. However, the Java Cookbook has been a disappointment.
I must echo the sentiments of "schrapnel" in his review of this text. The recipies given seem designed to teach general concepts rather than solve common programming problems. The result is a general Java textbook that is encumbered with the Cookbook format of Problem, Solution, Discussion. There are numerous instances of the Problem being trivial, or downright silly. For example, "You really want to know about end-of-line characters" and "You need to learn the syntax of JDK 1.4 regular expressions" are presented as Problems for recipies. Clearly, the author is reaching a bit too far in his attempt to present the material in cookbook format.
Great source for how to code specific situations
Anyone who has been involved in programming very long soon comes to realize the value of the various programming cookbooks. The cookbooks are not for the person who wants to learn how to program in a particular language, but are very useful for programmers with a basic knowledge of the language. The idea is simple, take the most common problems people deal with and put the solutions into a book. Simply state the problem and then show the code to resolve it. So, if you need to know how to do something you can look it up, enter the code, and test it.
Some of the chapter subjects include Interacting with the Environment, Strings and Things, Pattern Matching, Numbers, Dates and Times, Object-Oriented Techniques, Directory and Filesystem Operations, Graphics and Sound, Network Clients, Server-Side Java, Database Access, XML, and Threaded Java. Typical of any of the programming cookbooks, it is a quick and easy source for answers. Each item has a short explanation of the problem and then goes straight to the code to demonstrate how it works. A great time saver and required resource for Java programmers, Java Cookbook, 2nd Edition is highly recommended.
Excellent resource
This is an excellent book-it manages to make itself appropriate for both introductory and experienced Java developers. If you've ever looked at any of the books in O'Reilly's "Cookbook" series, you'll know that the book is organized into "recipes", which illustrate how to accomplish various development tasks in Java.
Many of the beginning recipes are pretty basic, but will be used by developers new to Java to get started. Recipes include setting up the IDE to work correctly, working with a debugger, and even an introduction to JUnit. The next few sections of recipes are similar to what you would expect from any "Learn to Program in Language" book. There is a discussion on strings and string use, numbers, and date time values.
As the book progresses, the recipes become increasingly technical. I was quite impressed to see a discussion of Generics in chapter 8, which were added to 1.5. Additional technical recipes include I/O, graphics and sound, and using sockets in Java. The author is able to successfully discuss a lot of different topics in a very clear and concise way. Additionally, I was both pleased and surprised to see the author include brief discussions on software patterns and agile methodologies, both of which are very much coming into vogue.
Naturally, this book isn't easy to read from cover to cover, but it was never designed that way. Much like an actual cookbook, it is designed to best be used as a reference manual. Experienced non-Java programmers will benefit from this book, which can be used as a good tutorial to learn the Java language quickly. Java programmers will also benefit greatly from this book, and will likely want to have it next to their computer as a reference manual. I would highly recommend this book to anyone either wanting to learn Java or anyone looking for a good Java reference book.
My favorite type of supplemental reference manual...
I make no apologies about being an "R&D" developer... "Rob & Duplicate". I learn best by seeing something that works, and then adapting it to my own needs. Therefore, a book like Java Cookbook by Ian Darwin (O'Reilly) is the exact type of book I look for and use on a regular basis.
The chapter breakdown: Getting Started; Interacting With The Environment; Strings and Things; Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions; Numbers; Dates and Times; Structuring Data with Java; Data Structuring with Generics, foreach, and Enumerations; Object-Oriented Techniques; Input and Output; Directory and Filesystem Operations; Programming External Devices: Serial and Parallel Ports; Graphics and Sound; Graphical User Interfaces; Internationalization and Localization; Network Clients; Server-Side Java: Sockets; Network Clients II: Applets and Web Clients; Java and Electronic Mail; Database Access; XML; Distributed Java: RMI; Packages and Packaging; Threaded Java; Introspection, or "A Class Named Class"; Using Java with Other Languages
For those unfamiliar with the "Cookbook" style, the chapters have a series of real-life problems, such as playing a sound file, playing a video clip, and printing in Java. The problem is followed by a short one or two line solution and an expanded discussion of the issue complete with code. This approach makes it really easy to find something that is similar to the issue you're facing and to see how someone else would solve it.
For me, the quality of this book is really high. It's a second edition covering the Java 1.5 package, so it's fully up on the current technology. In fact, the Generics chapter deals exclusively with new features in 1.5. Some of the solutions are code classes developed by the author and made available for download. But unlike some books I've reviewed where the author supplies code, this isn't an attempt to push their company or product. It's just a clean way to use a solution that someone else has worked through.
This isn't a book you'd use to learn Java from scratch, but it's a book you'll use on a regular basis as you continue to expand your Java knowledge. Highly recommended.
(32 reviews)
