Member Avatar for curt22

Hello everyone,
I was wondering what a good book to start learning Java would be. I know a little about programming like variables, function, etc. , but not object-oriented stuff. I was thinking of buying Learning Java, 3rd Edition, but I'm not sure. What do you think is the best book for me:icon_question:

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Short answer for : pick a modern, beginner-friendly resource that teaches object-oriented design as part of the language, and pair it with small, repeatable practice projects. is right to suggest trying books in a library first; different authors suit different learning styles. ’s point about OO being central is important — treat classes and interfaces as core language features, not an optional add-on.

A simple study path that works well in practice:

  1. Learn the basics quickly (types, control flow, methods, arrays).
  2. Move to OO: classes, objects, constructors, fields, access modifiers, encapsulation, inheritance, interfaces, and composition.
  3. Learn practical APIs: collections, exceptions, I/O, generics, and (in modern Java) lambdas/streams.
    Do this chapter-by-chapter: read a short section, implement the example, write 5 tiny tests or exercises, then refactor. Project ideas: a contact manager, a small bank-account simulator, or a command-line to-do app — each forces you to model objects and behaviors.

Tools and resources: use an IDE (IntelliJ Community or Eclipse), a recent JDK (target Java 8+; prefer a current LTS if possible), and the official tutorial for API reference and examples (Oracle Java Tutorials). Add lightweight unit testing (JUnit) early so you practice writing verifiable code.

Choosing a book: confirm the edition targets modern Java, has exercises and worked projects, and explains OO with concrete examples. Pair one explanatory text with one hands-on, exercise-driven resource. After basic fluency, read a deeper book on best practices (for example, items on API design and common pitfalls). Following this mix of reading + short, repeated projects will get you past beginner confusions quickly.

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Member Avatar for peter_budo

There are different opinions what is the best book to learn Java from. This topic was discused in numerous places of this forum for example Starting "Java" [Java tutorials / resources / faq] that is on top of this forum and recently Java Book For Newbies?. Have look at these books in your local or school library and pick the one that suite best to your reading preferences...

Member Avatar for Ezzaral

Hello everyone,
I was wondering what a good book to start learning Java would be. I know a little about programming like variables, function, etc. , but not object-oriented stuff. I was thinking of buying Learning Java, 3rd Edition, but I'm not sure. What do you think is the best book for me:icon_question:

You can't learn Java to any useful degree and not learn "object-oriented stuff". Java IS object-oriented and the entire API is built upon that. You won't get beyond anything trivial in the language without some understanding of OO concepts.

Member Avatar for jasimp

He does want to learn OO. He was saying he has had a little experience in programming but nothing OO before.

Member Avatar for Ezzaral

He does want to learn OO. He was saying he has had a little experience in programming but nothing OO before.

Ah, my bad, sorry. I misread it.

Member Avatar for satya5321

i am reading the Java Complete Reference and
HeadFirst Java. I feel these two books are great books.

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