The Java Tutorial

Trail Map
Your guide to The JavaTM Tutorial

Note: This page is out of date and we plan to remove it. If you feel strongly that we should keep it (even though it's likely to remain out of date), please let us know. If you like having a complete list of trails and lessons, we recommend that you use The Really Big Index, which also lists content pages. Our tutorial search service is another way to find the content you need.

You can begin reading the Tutorial sequentially, or visit only those trails that interest you. If you have questions about the Tutorial (how to download it, when it was updated, ...), go to the Tutorial's first page or to our FAQ.

The Tutorial's trails fall into four categories:

Trails Covering the Basics

Published in:
The Java Tutorial Third Edition

Most, if not all, programmers need to know about the APIs
discussed in these trails and lessons.

Getting Started     [ TOC ]

Start here to write, build, and run your first Java application and applet.
  • Your First Cup Of Java
  • The Java Phenomenon
  • The "Hello World" Application
  • The "Hello World" Applet
  • Common Problems (and Their Solutions)
    		•

    Learning the Java Language     [ TOC ]

    Learn the language from variables, expressions, and flow-control to objects, classes, and interfaces.
  • Object-Oriented Programming Concepts
  • Language Basics
  • Object and Data Basics
  • Classes and Inheritance
  • Interfaces and Packages
  • Common Problems (and Their Solutions)
    		•

    Writing Applets     [ TOC ]

    Wanna spice up your web pages with applets? Discover what applets can, cannot, and should not do.
  • Overview of Applets
  • Taking Advantage of the Applet API
  • Practical Considerations of Writing Applets
  • Finishing an Applet
  • Common Problems (and Their Solutions)
    		•

    Essential Java Classes     [ TOC ]

    Find out how to use the classes in the JDK API that you are most likely to use in your Java programs.
  • Setting Program Attributes
  • Accessing System Resources
  • Handling Errors with Exceptions
  • Doing Two or More Tasks at Once: Threads
  • Reading and Writing (but no 'rithmetic)
    		•

    Custom Networking     [ TOC ]

    Write programs that communicate with resources and other programs on the network.
  • Overview of Networking
  • Working with URLs
  • All About Sockets
  • All About Datagrams
    		•

    JDKTM 1.1--And Beyond!     [ TOC ]

    Learn what's new in 1.1 and upcoming in 1.2, and how to convert programs from 1.0 to 1.1.
  • What's New in 1.1
  • Migrating to 1.1
  • A Preview of Things to Come
    		•

     

    Trail on Constructing GUIs

    Published in:
    The JFC Swing Tutorial

    Look here if you want to write programs
    with a graphical user interface.

    Creating a GUI with JFC/Swing  [ TOC ]

    Put a face on your program with the JFC Swing components.
  • Getting Started with Swing
  • Learning Swing by Example
  • Using Swing Components
  • Using Other Swing Features
  • Laying Out Components Within a Container
  • Writing Event Listeners
  • Performing Custom Painting

    •  

    Specialized Trails

    Published in:
    The Java Tutorial Continued

    Many, but not all, programmers need the APIs
    covered by these trails and lessons.

    Overview     [ TOC ]
        by Monica Pawlan

    Find brief descriptions of the topics covered in The Java Tutorial Continued.
  • Overview
    		•

    Collections     [ TOC ]
        by Joshua Bloch

    Use Java's collection framework to store and manipulate groups of related objects; it can can make your programs smaller, faster, and more reusable.

  • Introduction
  • Interfaces
  • Implementations
  • Algorithms
  • Custom Implementations
  • Interoperability
  • Solving Common Collections Problems
    		•

    Internationalization     [ TOC ]
        by Dale Green

    Write programs for the global market. After internationalization, your software can support new languages and cultures without changes to the source code.

  • Introduction
  • Setting the Locale
  • Isolating Locale-Specific Data
  • Formatting
  • Working with Text
    		•

    2D Graphics     [ TOC ]
        by Deborah Adair

    Enhance the appearance of your GUI with shapes, color, stylized text, foreign-language text, and image processing. Also, learn how to add printing capability to your programs.

  • Overview of the Java 2D API
  • Displaying Graphics with Graphics2D
  • Working with Text and Fonts
  • Manipulating and Displaying Images
  • Printing
  • Solving Common 2D Graphics Problems
    		•

    Sound     [ TOC ]
        by Deborah Adair

    Play sounds in AIFF, AW, WAV, MIDI, or RAF formats in your applets and applications.

  • Overview
  • Playing Sounds

    • JavaBeansTM     [ TOC ]
        by Andy Quinn

    Learn how to develop platform-independent components in the Java programming language. This trail covers JavaBeans basics, the BeanBox, and the Beans Development Kit.
  • JavaBeans Concepts and the Beans Development Kit
  • Using the BeanBox
  • Writing a Simple Bean
  • Properties
  • Manipulating Events in the BeanBox
  • The BeanInfo Interface
  • Bean Customization
  • Bean Persistence
  • Using the BeanContext API
  • New Features

    • JDBCTM Database Access     [ TOC ]
        by Maydene Fisher

    Use the JDBC to connect to a database, send SQL statements, and process the results. The JDBC provides uniform access to a wide range of relational databases and provides a common base on which database tools can be built.

  • JDBC Basics
  • New Features in the JDBC 2.0 API

    • RMI     [ TOC ]
        by Ann Wollrath and Jim Waldo

    Call methods on an object running in another VM. RMI is often used to implement client/server applications.

  • An Overview of RMI Applications
  • Writing an RMI Server
  • Creating a Client Program
  • Compiling and Running the Example

    • IDL     [ TOC ]
        by Jim Inscore

    Java IDL provides CORBA-compliant interoperability for programs written in Java. This trail gives you an overview of CORBA and takes you through the steps to building a CORBA-compatible client/server combination with Java IDL.

  • Introducing Java IDL
  • The Hello Client/Server Example
  • Summary

    • Security in Java 2 SDK 1.2     [  TOC ]
        by Mary Dageforde

    Learn how the built-in security features protect you from malevolent programs. See how to use tools for controlling access to resources, generating and checking digital signatures, and creating and managing keys needed for signature generation and checking. See how to incorporate security checks and cryptography services into your programs.
  • Security Features Overview
  • Quick Tour of Controlling Applets
  • Quick Tour of Controlling Applications
  • API and Tools Used for Secure Code and File Exchanges
  • Signing Code and Granting It Permissions [Tools]
  • Exchanging Files [Tools]
  • Generating and Verifying Signatures [API]
  • Implementing Your Own Permission
  • Summaries

    • JAR Files     [ TOC ]
        by Alan Sommerer

    Bundle a Java program and its resources into an easily downloadable, secure archive.

  • Using JAR Files: The Basics
  • Signing and Verifying JAR Files
  • Using JAR-related APIs Introduced in 1.2

    • The Extension Mechanism     [ TOC ]
        by Alan Sommerer

    Expand the functionality of the Java platform by using a standard, scalable way to make custom APIs available to all applications running on the Java platform.

  • Creating and Using Extensions
  • Setting Extension Security Privileges
    		•

    Java Native Interface     [ TOC ]
        by Beth Stearns

    Use the Java Native Interface API to retain your investment in code written in other languages. The JNI lets you integrate native methods written in C or C++ with Java programs.
  • Overview of the JNI
  • Writing Java Programs with Native Methods
  • Integrating Java and Native Programs
  • Interacting with Java from the Native Side
  • Invoking the Java Virtual Machine
  • Summary
    		•

    Reflection     [ TOC ]
        by Dale Green

    Learn how to dynamically create objects, invoke methods, access fields, and examine classes.
  • Examining Classes
  • Manipulating Objects
  • Working with Arrays
  • Summary of Classes
    		•

     

    Trails Available Online Only

    These trails haven't made it to print.

    Putting It All Together     [ TOC ]

    Explore a comprehensive example in depth to learn about the organization and interaction of the components of a Java program.
  • BINGO!
    		•

    Drag and Drop     [ TOC ]

    A collection of Drag and Drop resources. This is not yet a developed trail. It contains a links to some examples and articles.

    		  

    Security in JDK 1.1     [ TOC ]
        by Mary Dageforde

    See how to use the JDK Security API in JDK 1.1 to generate and verify digital signatures.

  • Java Security API Overview
  • Using the Security API to Generate and Verify a Signature
    		•

     
    All of the material in The Java Tutorial is copyright-protected and may not be published in other works without express written permission from Sun Microsystems.