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Java in a Nutshell - A Desktop Quick Reference for Java Programmers (2nd Edition)
David Flanagan
O'Reilly
ISBN 1-56592-183-6, 438 pages, $19.95 US
The 2nd Edition covers JDK 1.1. Also available is the Deluxe Edition, which includes a CD-ROM of the five-book Java Reference Library (ISBN 1-56592-304-9, 628 pages, $69.95).

The 1st Edition (now discontinued) is very good and also got my highest rating. This book is very good if you already know C++ or are heavy into OO already. However, it doesn't contain alot of descriptions of the classes and methods, and now other books surpass it in reference quality. But it does include lots of cross-references that other books do not. It's still a "best buy" and convenient for stashing with your laptop, or carting around. In its own words, it "contains an accelerated introduction to Java for C and C++ programmers who want to learn the language fast." I especially like the "defined-in" references in the back ("What class was that method defined in?"). Basic, but not prolific, javadoc info is also included.

The 2nd Edition gets mixed reviews, since many of the good examples have been omitted for space reasons (to quote the author, so that it wouldn't turn into "Java in a packing crate"). The examples, and many new ones, have now been included in the new Java Examples in a Nutshell. (I've ordered both editions in massive quantities when I've taught classes; it's still a good value.) I still wish there were a few more words in the reference section instead of just method names and arguments. But the concise, no-nonsense descriptions are still valuable, especially if space or cost is at a premium.

The Deluxe Edition includes five books on CD-ROM plus the Nutshell book in hardcopy. The CD-ROM is great and I will probably stop carrying books when I travel now! (Well, I'll stop carrying reference books anyway. I still like reading new books when I travel.) The five books on the CD-ROM are the O'Reilly books:

  • Java in a Nutshell
  • Java Language Reference
  • Java AWT Reference
  • Java Fundamental Classes Reference
  • Exploring Java

There is also a Web version of the book. It also includes a combined index and search mechanism, and they are all 2nd Edition and/or cover 1.1.

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