Ask YC: Best book for Java

If you haven't done web development with Java/Struts before, you actually may want to reconsider whether taking this project on with a tight deadline is in your best interest. The tool ecosystem is very different for the Java web developer, and I'm afraid you may find yourself spending more time reading API docs and puzzling through XML configuration files than actually writing code.<p>If the client wants Java/Struts code for a <i>good</i> reason (like they have in-house programmers who can maintain Java webapps) your first Java project may not be up to the standards they expect. If they want it for a <i>bad</i> reason (say, because the CIO read about it in an in-flight magazine) then you should be able to push back on the decision and choose a framework with which you're more comfortable.

I'm assuming you are looking for Struts 2, if this is the case there are only few good books out there. I own all these books below and they are useful, but they are not as updated as the latest release. My suggestion to you is to keep an eye on the struts 2 wiki and join the mailing list to get the latest information.<p>1. Practical Apache Struts 2 Web 2.0 Projects (Practical Projects) by Ian Roughley - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Apache-Struts-Web-Projects/dp/1590599039/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Apache-Struts-Web-Projects/d...</a><p>2. Starting Struts 2 by Ian Roughley - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Struts-2-Ian-Roughley/dp/1430320338/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Struts-2-Ian-Roughley/dp/1430...</a><p>3. Struts 2 in Action (In Action) by Don Brown, Chad Davis, and Scott Stanlick - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Struts-2-Action-Don-Brown/dp/193398807X" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Struts-2-Action-Don-Brown/dp/193398807...</a>

A few things to remember when programming java:<p>1) It's <i>not</i> pass-by-reference. Java is pass-by-value, but it is passing pointer values, not variable values. This sometimes behaves like pass-by-reference but if pass a from foo() to bar() and call new on a inside bar, a will get it's old value once bar() returns to foo().<p>2) Eclipse has a tremendously useful debugger and, as an emacs guy, I can vouch for Eclipse being well worth learning. You can change code in running programs, but beware it reruns whatever method you're in. Sometimes (possibly all times) without resetting values changed in that method.<p>3) Use interfaces when you can. Map instead of HashMap, etc.<p>4) Leverage the classpath for testing bugfixes easily. Create a jar with your <i>fixed</i> class, put it in front in the classpath. Keeps things simple and let's you build upon anything you shipped to a client.<p>5) If you have to use RMI, understand why readExternal() must reflect the order of things from writeExternal() and how this can break easily. This specific case may not be useful to you right now, but it will help you understand what RMI, and serialization in general, is actually doing.<p>I'm sure there are other good lessons but it's been a while since I worked with someone new to java.

Bruce Eckel's _Thinking in Java_ (available free online, just as are his C++, Design Patterns and .NET books) is excellent, combined with just API references.

I'm developing a webapp in Java/Struts for a client now and have found the internet (a variety of sites, via search engines) to be my best resource. I don't think I've used a book in years now.<p>Here's a few I've run across:<p><a href="http://www.theserverside.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theserverside.com/</a><p><a href="http://www.developer.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.developer.com/</a><p><a href="http://www.javaworld.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.javaworld.com/</a><p>There's a ton more.<p>And the sources, of course:<p><a href="http://struts.apache.org/" rel="nofollow">http://struts.apache.org/</a><p><a href="http://java.sun.com/" rel="nofollow">http://java.sun.com/</a><p>I use MyEclipse to develop and it's pretty helpful and has Struts support:<p><a href="http://www.myeclipseide.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.myeclipseide.com/</a>

I would also read Effective Java along with Struts related text book. Here's the link to the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Java-2nd-Joshua-Bloch/dp/0321356683/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&#38;s=books&#38;qid=1213823747&#38;sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Java-2nd-Joshua-Bloch/dp/032...</a>

Kashif:<p>1) Head First Java 5 1) Effective Java<p>The strategy here is to study both interchange; once you learned a topic from HF Java 5, check the best practice in Effective Java.<p>2) Head First JSP/Servlet 2) Any Struts 2 book<p>You can start with the basic few chapters from HF JSP/Servlet and move on to Struts 2. If you found alien concepts in Struts 2, check back HF JSP/Servlet.

Just Java by Peter Van der Linden is an exceptional introduction thats comprehensive and well thought out (may be not just for complete newbiee)<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0131482114" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0131482114</a>

Go over "How to Win Friends and <i>Influence People</i>" by Dale Carnegie and then convince them to stay away from Java.<p>You will benefit not only yourself, but the humanity as whole :)

If you read this book you will <i>know</i> Java.<p><a href="http://www.deitel.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1191" rel="nofollow">http://www.deitel.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1191</a><p>Highly recommend.

I started with the Java tutorial. Back then I really liked it. Not sure if it is still as good (feature creep), but might be worth a look.

SICP

Please save yourself from the limitations in java syntax and use clojure/jython/scala. Clojure is my favorite -native java speed but lisp syntax, and awesome lock-free multithreading.<p>What your client really wants is the JVM and its libraries, not java the language.