Learn Java for Android Development

Book Description

Android development is hot, and many programmers are interested in joining the fun. However, because this technology is based on Java, you should first obtain a solid grasp of the Java language and its foundational APIs to improve your chances of succeeding as an Android app developer. After all, you will be busy learning the architecture of an Android app, the various Android-specific APIs, and Android-specific tools. If you do not already know Java fundamentals, you will probably end up with a massive headache from also having to quickly cram those fundamentals into your knowledge base.

Learn Java for Android Development teaches programmers of any skill level the essential Java language and foundational Java API skills that must be learned to improve the programmer’s chances of succeeding as an Android app developer. Each of the book’s 10 chapters provides an exercise section that gives you the opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the chapter’s material. Answers to the book’s more than 300 exercises are provided in an appendix.

Once you complete this book, you will be ready to dive into Android, and you can start that journey by obtaining a copy of Beginning Android 2.

What you’ll learn

• The Java language: This book provides complete coverage of nearly every pre-Java version 7 language feature (native methods are briefly mentioned but not formally covered). Starting with those features related to classes and objects, you progress to object-oriented features related to inheritance, polymorphism, and interfaces. You then explore the advanced language features for nested types, packages, static imports, exceptions, assertions, annotations, generics, and enums. Continuing, you investigate strictfp, class literals, synchronized, volatile, the enhanced for loop statement, autoboxing/unboxing, and transient fields. The book also briefly presents most (if not all) of Java version 7’s language features, although not much is said about closures or modules (which were not finalized at the time of writing).
• Java APIs: In addition to Object and APIs related to exceptions, you explore Math, StrictMath, BigDecimal, BigInteger, Package, Boolean, Character, Byte, Short, Integer, Long, Float, Double, Number, the References API, the Reflection API, String, StringBuffer, System, the Threading API, the collections framework, the concurrency utilities, the internationalization APIs, the Preferences API, Random, the Regular Expressions API, File, RandomAccessFile, stream classes, and writer/reader classes. You will also get a tiny taste of Swing in the context of internationalization.
• Tools: You will learn how to use the JDK’s javac (compiler), java (application launcher), javadoc (Java documentation generator), and jar (Java archive creator, updater, and extractor) tools. You will also receive an introduction to the NetBeans and Eclipse integrated development environments. Although you can develop Android apps without NetBeans or Eclipse, working with these IDEs is much more pleasant.

Who this book is for

This book is for any programmer (including existing Java programmers and Objective-C [iPhone/iPad] programmers) of any skill level who needs to obtain a solid understanding of the Java language and foundational Java APIs before jumping into Android app development.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started with Java
2. Learning Language Fundamentals
3. Learning Object-Oriented Language Features
4. Mastering Advanced Language Features, Part 1
5. Mastering Advanced Language Features, Part 2
6. Exploring the Basic APIs, Part 1
7. Exploring the Basic APIs, Part 2
8. Discovering the Collections Framework
9. Discovering Additional Utility APIs
10. Performing I/O
11. Solutions to Exercises

中文：

书名：Learn Java for Android Development

Android开发很火热，许多程序员都有兴趣加入这一行列。然而，由于这项技术是基于Java的，您应该首先扎实地掌握Java语言及其基础API，以提高您作为Android应用程序开发人员的成功机会。毕竟，您将忙于学习Android应用程序的体系结构、各种特定于Android的API和特定于Android的工具。如果您还不了解Java基础知识，那么您最终可能会非常头疼，因为您还必须将这些基础知识快速地塞进您的知识库。

学习用于Android开发的Java 向任何技能水平的程序员传授必须学习的基本Java语言和基本Java API技能，以提高程序员作为Android应用程序开发人员的成功机会。这本书的10章中的每一章都提供了一个练习部分，让你有机会加强对这一章材料的理解。这本书300多个练习的答案在附录中提供。

一旦你读完这本书，你将准备好潜入Android，你可以通过获得一份 Beginning Android 2.

你会学到什么

• Java语言：本书全面介绍了Java Version 7之前的几乎所有语言特性(简要介绍了本机方法，但没有正式介绍)。从那些与类和对象相关的特性开始，到与继承、多态和接口相关的面向对象特性。然后探索嵌套类型、包、静态导入、异常、断言、注释、泛型和枚举的高级语言特性。接下来，您将研究strictfp、类文字、已同步、易失性、增强的for loop语句、自动装箱/取消装箱和瞬时字段。该书还简要介绍了Java Version 7的大部分(如果不是全部)语言特性，但对闭包或模块(在撰写本文时尚未完成)的介绍不多。
• Java API：除了对象和与异常相关的API之外，您还可以探索Math、StrictMath、BigDecimal、BigInteger、Package、Boolean、Character、Byte、Short、Integer、Long、Float、Double、Numbers、Reference API、Reflect API、字符串、StringBuffer、System、线程API、集合框架、并发实用程序、国际化API、首选项API、随机、正则表达式API、文件、RandomAccessFile、流类和编写器/读取器类。您还将在国际化的背景下体验一下Swing。
• 工具：您将学习如何使用JDK的javac(编译器)、Java(应用程序启动器)、javadoc(Java文档生成器)和JAR(Java归档创建器、更新器和解压程序)工具。您还将收到NetBeans和Eclipse集成开发环境的介绍。虽然您可以在没有NetBeans或Eclipse的情况下开发Android应用程序，但使用这些IDE要轻松得多。

这本书是为谁而写的

本书面向任何技能水平的程序员(包括现有的Java程序员和Objective-C[iPhone/iPad]程序员)，在投身Android应用程序开发之前，需要对Java语言和基础Java API有扎实的了解。

Table of Contents

1. Java入门
2. 学习语言基础
3. 学习面向对象的语言特性
4. 掌握高级语言功能，第1部分
5. 掌握高级语言功能，第2部分
6. 探索基本API，第1部分
7. Exploring the Basic APIs, Part 2
8. 发现集合框架
9. 发现其他实用程序API
10. Performing I/O
11. 习题解答