Complete Review
Java in a Nutshell - A Desktop Quick Reference for Java Programmers (2nd Edition)
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David Flanagan
O'Reilly
ISBN 1-56592-183-6, 438 pages, $19.95 US
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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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