Java Essentials Volume 1: Programming Fundamentals

Java Essentials Volume 1: Programming Fundamentals

Name: Java Essentials Volume 1: Programming Fundamentals
Brand: Vibrant Publishers LLC
SKU: 9781636515038
Price: 29.99 USD
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Rating: 4.65 (31 reviews)

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Description

Beginner-friendly explanations
Illustrative code snippets
Emphasis on clean syntax and good coding practices
Coding tasks for hands-on learning

Java Essentials Volume 1: Programming Fundamentals is a comprehensive and beginner-friendly guide designed for anyone seeking a solid foundation in Java programming. Whether you're a self-learner, student, or educator, this volume offers a well-structured and practical introduction to the essentials of Java, blending theory and hands-on examples in a clear and engaging way.

This book introduces readers to the Java programming language with an emphasis on clarity, pedagogy, and real-world relevance. The content is structured to reflect the actual learning curve of new programmers, starting from how to set up the Java Development Kit (JDK) all the way to mastering core programming constructs such as variables, data types, operators, control flow, methods, strings, arrays, and more.

Key topics covered include:

Downloading, installing, and configuring the JDK on your Machine
Understanding Java program structure
Declaring and using variables and constants
Using operators and expressions effectively
Writing conditional and loop-based logic
Creating and using methods
Working with strings, arrays, and user input
Applying good coding practices and debugging techniques

This book is ideal for:

First-year computer science students
Senior high school students in ICT or programming strands
Hobbyists and professionals transitioning into software development
Instructors looking for beginner-level curriculum support

By the end of the book, learners will be confident in writing functional Java programs and well-prepared for more advanced topics like object-oriented programming, which will be covered in Volume 2.

Bibliographic Details

Pages: 275 pages

Paperback (ISBN): 9781636515021

eBook (ISBN): 9781636515038

Hardback (Color): 9781636515045

Trim Size: 5.5” x 8.5”

Category: Business & Economics

Author: Lawrence G. Decamora, Michelle C. Decamora, Vibrant Publishers

Table of Contents

0. Downloading, Installing, and Configuring the Java Development Kit (JDK)
0.1 Where Do I Get My Java Development Kit (JDK)?
0.2 Downloading the Correct JDK For Your Machine
0.3 Installing the JDK in Mac OS X
0.4 Installing the JDK for your Windows Operating Environment
0.5 JDK Installer for Linux Operating Environment
Chapter Summary
Quiz
JDK Installation Task

1. Your First Java Cup
1.1 The Key Features of Java
1.2 The Three Flavors of Java
1.3 JDK vs. JRE
1.4 The Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
1.5 The Garbage Collector
1.6 Three Tasks Performed By Java in Handling Code Security
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Further Reflection

2. Writing Your First Java Program
2.1 “HelloWorld”: Your First Java Application
2.2 The System.out.println() Method
2.3 Debugging Compile-Time Errors and Runtime Errors
2.4 Introduction to JSHELL
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Coding Tasks

3. User Input, Identifiers, Keywords, and The Primitive Data Types
3.1 Three Types of Java Comments
3.2 Semicolons, Blocks, and White Spaces
3.3 Java Identifiers
3.4 The Java Keywords
3.5 Java Programming Language Coding Conventions
3.6 The Primitive Data Types
3.7 The Math Class
3.8 The Scanner Class
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Coding Tasks

4. Java Operators
4.1 Java Operators
4.2 Order of Precedence
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Coding Task

5. Java Control Structures
5.1 Introduction to Java Control Structures
5.2 The if Condition and Its Variants
5.3 The switch-case and Its Variants
5.4 The while Statement
5.5 The do-while Statement
5.6. The for Loop
5.7. The break Statement...Again
5.8. The continue Statement
5.9. Labeled breaks and continues
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Coding Task

6. String, StringBuffer, and StringBuilder
6.1 The String Class
6.2 Commonly Used String Methods
6.3 The StringBuffer and StringBuilder Classes
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Coding Task

7. Arrays
7.1 Introduction to Arrays
7.2 Array Limits
7.3 The Enhanced For Loop
7.4 Copying Arrays
7.5 Command Line Arguments
7.6 Array of Arrays (Two-Dimensional Arrays)
Chapter Summary
Quiz
Coding Task

Glossary

Author

Lawrence G. Decamora III, Ph.D., is a certified Java expert (SCJP, OCPJP), educator, and industry professional with 20+ years of experience in academia and software development.

Michelle C. Decamora, MIT, is an IT educator with a passion for hands-on learning. She has taught at esteemed universities and is an IBM Certified DB2 Associate.

Vibrant Publishers is focused on presenting the best texts for learning about technology and business as well as books for test preparation. Categories include programming, operating systems and other texts focused on IT. In addition, a series of books helps professionals in their own disciplines learn the business skills needed in their professional growth.

Vibrant Publishers has a standardized test preparation series covering the GMAT, GRE and SAT, providing ample study and practice material in a simple and well organized format, helping students get closer to their dream universities.

Series

The Self-Learning Management Series is designed to help students, new managers, career switchers, and entrepreneurs learn essential management lessons and covers every aspect of business, from HR to Finance to Marketing to Operations across any and every industry. Each book includes basic fundamentals, important concepts, and standard and well-known principles as well as practical ways of application of the subject matter.

Editorial Reviews

What I liked the most about this book is that it has learning objectives and a short quiz in every chapter. The discussions and instructions are easy to follow.
-- Christopher D Ladao
Dean, College of Information and Computing Sciences
University of Santo Tomas

Lawrence Decamora has crafted an exceptionally well-structured introduction to Java programming that stands out in the crowded field of programming textbooks. As an educator myself, I'm impressed by the book's thoughtful progression from fundamental concepts to practical application.

What makes this book particularly valuable is its ""learning while practicing"" philosophy. Rather than overwhelming beginners with abstract theory, Lawrence guides readers through hands-on experiences that build confidence incrementally. The integration of JShell for interactive learning is brilliant and reflects modern pedagogical best practices.

The book's comprehensive coverage—from JDK installation across multiple operating systems to essential programming concepts like control structures, arrays, and string manipulation—provides students with a solid foundation. Each chapter's careful construction, complete with exercises, quizzes, and coding tasks, ensures that concepts are not merely memorized but truly understood.

Lawrence's emphasis on real-world programming practices, including debugging techniques and coding conventions, prepares students for actual development work rather than just academic exercises. The clear writing style and logical progression make complex concepts accessible to beginners while maintaining the depth necessary for serious learning.

This volume effectively sets the stage for more advanced topics to be covered in Volume 2, making it an excellent choice for educational institutions and self-directed learners alike.
-- David Smith
CEO, Silicon Valley High School, Inc.

As someone who has seen Lawrence’s teaching style up close, especially when we worked together on the on-demand Java course for LearningWhilePracticing, I’m not at all surprised by how clear, structured, and pedagogically strong this book is. That same clarity and hands-on mindset translate beautifully onto the page. The explanations are precise without being overwhelming, and the pacing feels just right. Concepts are introduced gradually, with each chapter building logically on the previous one. The inclusion of chapter summaries, quizzes, and coding tasks at the end of each section is a fantastic way to reinforce learning.

The structure is excellent. From installing the JDK all the way to understanding arrays, the content covers exactly what a beginner needs to gain confidence. It also goes beyond just “hello world” basics by including crucial real-world elements like debugging, JShell, the Scanner class, and string manipulation—all while staying accessible. The sections on Java control structures and primitive data types really stand out. They strike the perfect balance between theory and application, especially with how coding conventions and readability are emphasized. Also, the “learning while practicing” approach is more than a philosophy—it’s embedded in the book’s DNA.
-- Joe Ghalbouni
Founder, LearningWhilePracticing

Supplemental Resources

Online Resources

Instructor Resources

From Non-Programmer to Confident Java Coder in Eight Chapters

I am a commerce graduate from Nagpur who decided to transition into software development. Java was the language my target employers used most, and this volume was the resource that made learning it genuinely achievable. Lawrence Decamora starts from the very beginning — how to download and install the JDK on any operating system — and progresses through variables, data types, operators, control flow, strings, and arrays in a sequence that never assumes knowledge the reader does not yet have. The introduction to JShell for interactive experimentation was a feature I had not encountered in other Java texts and it made trying new code ideas fast and confidence-building. Michelle Decamora's pedagogy-focused teaching approach is evident in how clearly the coding tasks at the end of each chapter reinforce the chapter content without overwhelming beginners. The section on debugging compile-time and runtime errors was particularly valuable for someone learning without a tutor. Volume 2 on OOP is already on my reading list. An excellent foundational Java resource.

The Cleanest, Most Beginner-Friendly Java Text I Have Used in My Classroom

I teach introductory programming at a community college in Portland, Oregon, and have adopted this volume as the primary text for our first-semester Java course. Lawrence Decamora's 20-plus years of combined academic and software development experience — alongside SCJP and OCPJP certifications — are evident in how carefully every chapter respects the actual cognitive load of a first-time programmer. The decision to begin with JDK installation across Mac, Windows, and Linux operating environments eliminates the most frustrating barrier for new students before a single line of code is written. The progression from Java program structure and primitive data types through operators, control structures, string manipulation, and two-dimensional arrays follows the most logical sequence I have used in fifteen years of teaching. Michelle Decamora's IBM Certified DB2 background adds a database and data-awareness perspective that enriches the string and array chapters. Chapter quizzes and coding tasks make assessment straightforward. As the Dean at the University of Santo Tomas noted — learning objectives and quizzes in every chapter make this a remarkably well-structured instructional resource.

A Well-Structured Java Fundamentals Book That Respects the Learner

I teach computer science at a high school in Ankara and was looking for a Java fundamentals resource that could serve both my advanced students preparing for university computer science programs and those in our ICT strand building basic programming skills. This volume by Lawrence and Michelle Decamora meets both needs. The "HelloWorld" first program introduction is handled with more context and explanation than most beginner texts — the discussion of the System.out.println() method, compile-time versus runtime errors, and the introduction to JShell give students a genuine understanding of the Java environment rather than just a copy-paste exercise. The Java control structures chapter — covering if conditions, switch-case variants, while, do-while, for loops, break, continue, and labeled breaks — is among the most comprehensive treatments of this topic I have seen in a beginner-level text. Chapter quizzes make classroom assessment practical. A reliable and well-authored instructional resource.

The Java Book That Finally Prepared Me for My University CS Program

I am a first-year computer science student at a university in Bengaluru who purchased this volume during my gap year to prepare for my undergraduate program. The structured, chapter-by-chapter progression — from JDK setup and writing the first Java program through primitive data types, the Scanner class, the Math class, operators, control structures, string manipulation using String, StringBuffer, and StringBuilder, and finally one-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays — covered exactly the foundational Java content my first semester assumed. Dr. Decamora's emphasis on good coding practices and coding conventions throughout the book gave me habits that my professors noticed and praised in my early assignments. The Further Reflection sections at the end of key chapters encouraged me to think beyond the syntax — a feature that distinguished this book from pure reference manuals. Michelle Decamora's IT education background makes the explanations patient and precise without ever being condescending. An outstanding pre-university preparation resource.

The Perfect First Java Book for Career Switchers and Self-Learners

I am a marketing manager at a technology company in Austin who decided to learn Java to better understand our development team's work. Finding a book that started from absolute zero — including JDK installation — and built a genuine coding foundation without drowning beginners in jargon was harder than I expected. This volume by Lawrence and Michelle Decamora solved that problem. As the Founder of LearningWhilePracticing noted in his endorsement, the "learning while practicing" philosophy is genuinely embedded in the book's DNA — not just a marketing phrase. The coding tasks at the end of each chapter required me to actually write and run Java programs rather than just read about them. The chapters on Java control structures and primitive data types struck the perfect balance between theory and application that the CEO of Silicon Valley High School highlighted in his review. At 275 well-organized pages, this volume delivers exactly the right depth for a first Java book. I am confident and well-prepared for Volume 2.

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Java Essentials Volume 1: Programming Fundamentals

Customer Reviews