This updated edition of the Nutshell guide not only helps experienced Java programmers get the most out of versions through Java 17, it also serves as a learning path for new developers. Chock-full of examples that demonstrate how to take complete advantage of modern Java APIs and development best practices, this thoroughly revised book includes new material on recent enhancements to the Java object model that every developer should know about.

The first section provides a fast-paced, no-fluff introduction to the Java programming language and the core runtime aspects of the Java platform. The second section is a reference to core concepts and APIs that explains how to perform real programming work in the Java environment.

• Get up to speed on language details through Java 17
• Learn object-oriented programming using basic Java syntax
• Explore generics, enumerations, annotations, and lambda expressions
• Understand techniques used in object-oriented design
• Examine how concurrency and memory are intertwined
• Work with Java collections and handle common data formats
• Delve into Java's latest I/O APIs including asynchronous channels
• Become familiar with development tools in OpenJDK

Table of Contents

Part I. Introducing Java

Chapter 1. Introduction to the Java Environment

Chapter 2. Java Syntax from the Ground Up

Chapter 3. Object-Oriented Programming in Java

Chapter 4. The Java Type System

Chapter 5. Introduction to Object -Oriented Design in Java

Chapter 6. Java's Approach to Memory and Concurrency

Part II. Working with the Java Platform

Chapter 7. Programming and Documentation Conventions

Chapter 8. Working with Java Collect ions

Chapter 9. Handling Common Data Formats

Chapter 10. File Handling and I/O

Chapter 11. Classloading, Reflect ion, and Method Handles

Chapter 12. Java Platform Modules

Chapter 13. Platform Tools

This book is a desktop Java reference, designed to sit faithfully by your keyboard while you program.

Part I, “Introducing Java” is a fast-paced, “no-fluff” introduction to the Java programming language and the core runtime aspects of the Java platform.

Part II, “Working with the Java Platform” is a reference section that blends elucidation of core concepts with examples of important core APIs.

The book covers Java 17, but we recognize that some shops may not have adopted it yet—so where possible we call out if a feature was introduced after Java 8. We use Java 17 syntax throughout, including var and lambda expressions.

Changes in the Eighth Edition

The seventh edition of this book covers Java 11, whereas this edition covers Java 17. However, the release process of Java changed significantly with the arrival of Java 9, and certain releases of Java are now badged as long-term support (LTS) releases. So, Java 17 is the next LTS release of Java after Java 11.

With the eighth edition we have tried to update the concept of what it means to be a “Nutshell” guide. The modern Java developer needs to know more than just syntax and APIs. As the Java environment has matured, such topics as concurrency, object-oriented design, memory, and the Java type system have all grown in importance for all developers.

In this edition, we have taken the approach that only the most recent versions of Java are likely to be of interest to the majority of Java developers, so we usually only call out when new features arrived after Java 8.

For example, the module system (that arrived with Java 9) is still likely to be new for at least some developers, and it represents a major change. However, it is also something of an advanced topic and is in someways separate from the rest of the language, so we have restricted our treatment of it to a single chapter.

About the Author

Ben Evans is a Java Champion and Senior Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat. Previously he was Lead Architect for Instrumentation at New Relic, and co-founded jClarity, a performance tools startup acquired by Microsoft. He has also worked as Chief Architect for Listed Derivatives at Deutsche Bank and as Senior Technical Instructor for Morgan Stanley. He served for 6 years on the Java Community Process Executive Committee, helping define new Java standards. Ben is the author of six books, including "Optimizing Java", the new editions of â??Java in a Nutshell and the recently-updated â??The Well-Grounded Java Developer and writes regularly for Oracle's Java Magazine and other industry publications.

Jason Clark is a Principal Engineer and Architect at New Relic where he's worked on everything from petabyte-scale JVM data processing pipelines to Ruby instrumentation libraries. He was previously an Architect at WebMD building .Net-based web services. Jason is a regular conference speaker and co-author of The Well-Grounded Java Developer.

David Flanagan is a computer programmer who spends most of his time writing about JavaScript and Java. His books with O'Reilly include Java in a Nutshell, Java Examples in a Nutshell, Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, and JavaScript Pocket Reference. David has a degree in computer science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.