Member Avatar for kovidd

i have recently started learning java .... i completed "head first java" recently ....it is just an intro to java . now i am looking to learn other aspects of java so could you tell me which book to read next . Or should i jump straight into a example project .... if I wanted to get into android development will i have to learn more concepts
One more question do people still use java applets ..... and can java be used as a sub for php(sorry if its naive question) .
thanks ..(do suggest a book)

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by JamesCherrill

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Good move finishing Head First Java — the usual next step is "one solid book + one real project." Follow ’s nudge toward data structures and ’s point about fundamentals, and combine that with ’s advice to build something non-trivial. Pick one deeper book (Effective Java by Joshua Bloch is the most commonly recommended next read; for concurrency see Java Concurrency in Practice by Brian Goetz; for broad coverage consider Core Java or a DSA text in Java), then apply those topics in a single focused project.

Project ideas that teach useful skills: a small RESTful service (CRUD API + persistence), a command-line utility that parses files, a desktop tool (JavaFX), or a simple multi-screen mobile app. Keep the first project small but end-to-end: spec features, use Git, add automated tests, build with Maven or Gradle, and iterate. That workflow forces you to learn builds, dependencies, packaging, and debugging — the practical stuff Head First only outlines.

If Android is the goal, expect to learn platform concepts beyond core Java: app components (Activities, Services), the lifecycle, UI layouts, threading for background work, permissions, and how to call web APIs. New Android development centers on Android Studio as the supported IDE, and Kotlin is the language Google recommends for most new apps — Java remains interoperable but Kotlin is the modern path. (developer.android.com)

About applets and server-side use: browser applets are effectively a dead end — browsers removed the needed plugin architecture and the Applet API was deprecated in recent Java releases, so do not invest time in applets. Java is absolutely usable on the server (servlets, JSP, and frameworks like Spring Boot are typical choices), but it’s a different ecosystem and workflow than PHP — more tooling and structure, steeper setup, and stronger typing and scalability tradeoffs. (openjdk.org)

Final practical tip: pick one book, pick one project, and finish it. That combination accelerates learning far more than reading multiple intro books back-to-back.

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Member Avatar for soapyillusion

Well how far into java are you? Did you learn arrays?, pointers? about garbarge clean up, instances? these are considered the basics as well? The more you tell us what you know the better we can be at telling you what your missing :) And yes people still use apps on the computer but the new big trend is android obviously :P

Member Avatar for Stuugie

Hi kovidd, as soapyillusion pointed out you haven't really let anyone know what you do know. If you are comfortable with arrays and pointers you could move onto data structures and algorithms located . I think that learning about stacks, queues, lists, iterators, and trees would be the next step, at least it is at the university I am going to.

Member Avatar for kovidd

here are the topics covered in head first java book..... i already know php ,c , c++

gc
serialization
file i/o
networking
threads
jar
hash maps etc

as i earlier said book is just an intro to these concepts ..... how to learn more

Member Avatar for Stuugie

here are the topics covered in head first java book..... i already know php ,c , c++

gc
serialization
file i/o
networking
threads
jar
hash maps etc

as i earlier said book is just an intro to these concepts ..... how to learn more

See my last post for a good book to learn more.

Member Avatar for JamesCherrill

I say "do a project". It almost doesn't matter what it is as long as it's not too simplistic. Now you have the essential concepts you will learn best by doing.

Member Avatar for kovidd

thank you for your response.... could you suggest any project after that i am going to close the thread.... it has been helpful

Member Avatar for JamesCherrill

Have a lookm through this forum - you'll find many different projects that people have been set as part of their formal Java education (and plenty of hints about how to do them, if needed)

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