Review Drive Thru

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Questions To Ask Yourself
3. Top 5 Books To Learn Java
4. Conclusion and Comments

Java Books For Beginners

Java programming is everywhere! If this is the first programming language you’re learning, then you’ve picked well. Java is object oriented and very diverse in its applications, with billions of devices running Java and for several reasons.

Reading one of these books will give an introduction on how Java became so prevalent from its introduction by Sun Microsystems and the value of the Java Virtual Machine. But we aren’t here to cover that, just great book recommendations!

I personally first learned Java in college and if you have the chance, I highly recommend a formal course. I made it through Advanced Java Programming and loved every problem! So, check out auditing a course at your local university or an online course to accompany your readings.

I’ll also be going over the book I used for that course, as it covers literally everything you need to know up to an advanced level from starting at the basics.

A few personal questions about learning Java

Before you start learning Java, there are a few questions you should ask yourself to help determine the best books and approach for you.

“Why do you want to learn Java in the first place?”

Just want to learn a programming language?

If this is the case, Java is a wonderful place to start. Most people start with Python, C++, or Java and all are great. They all have countless resources to learn online and an incredibly large community to ask questions.

I can’t count the hours I’ve spent on Stack Overflow browsing their communities for Java help while in college. If you want to simply learn a programming language, then any general beginners book will do.

Want to get into software development and start a new career?

With the heavy demand for software developers and engineers in today’s work force, more people are actively getting into the field. Many jobs can pay upwards of 100k/yr and many times have the option of working from home.

It’s easy to see the appeal of getting into software development and with Java being so prevalent in technology, it makes a great first language. That being said, a general book will be helpful, but also look for books relating to the interview process for software developers. The interviews take a lot of preparation if you plan on making a good first impression.

Learning to program for Android and don’t know basic Java

I completed an honors project in my advanced Java course by applying what I learned to an Android application. I can honestly say that the power of Java in Android is very prevalent and knowing basic java is an absolute must!

That being said, Google has added numerous (maybe too many) options for developing android applications. Examples of your options are programming in Xamarin using C#, Kotlin, and recently Flutter for UI.

All of these new and upcoming options can look daunting just starting out, but the vast majority of Android apps still run on Java and will continue to do so. Don’t feel like learning Java will be a waste of time for android, it’s still very important!

“How best do you learn?”

You’ve probably already asked that question since you’ve ended up at getting Java recommendations for which books to read. That being said, don’t forget about the value of taking a formal course in java. There are quite a few free courses on Udemy.

“How much do I already know about Java?”

This is more important not for picking out the right book, as most will cover Java in it’s entirety. The importance of this question is to verbalize where you’re at so you don’t waste time relearning what you’re familiar with and so you don’t skip what you don’t know. It’s really just about being personally aware and how to best learn from the resource you choose.

On to the best books for Java programming!

Top 5 Java Programming Books

Let’s go over the top 5 books to learn java! We looked for books with already great reviews, that have concepts explained simply, and overall organization of material.

Head First Java

A fantastic starter for Java beginners! It combines Java concepts, puzzles, and visually rich content. It’s not the normal approach of a book and has more than plain text. It was written to keep you engaged and able to follow the topics. A highly recommended book!

Java: The Complete Reference

Another great choice for improving your Java knowledge. The ninth edition is updated for reference up to Java 8 SE. The Java language is covered in it’s entirety, including syntax, keywords, fundamental programming concepts, and much more!

Java For Dummies

This one is probably an obvious choice. The For Dummies series of books are written by experts in their fields and the concepts are always broken down to their simplest. The Java For Dummies is not an exception to their quality and another great recommendation for learning Java.

Java In A Nutshell

The purpose of the book is right in the name. The book gives a quick rundown of the Java programming language that is updated to Java 8. It has a lot of information for more experienced developers who want to learn more about Java, while also going over the basics.

Starting Out With Java

The last recommendation as it is pretty pricey. This is the book I used for college though and it covers every aspect I could think of and practice problems. It has pretty much all of the main topics as the other books, but the value comes from how many problems and tests there are in the book.

Conclusion:

The previous books were the best Java learning resources I could find. If there are other recommendations for books or even courses that would’ve been better for this article, please let me know below in the comments or email! Best of luck on your journey to learning Java!