Sebastopol, CA--The latest release of Java 2 Standard Edition is a major one, with sixty-two percent more classes and interfaces than the previous release, says David Flanagan, author of O'Reilly's bestselling Java in a Nutshell book. "Needless to say," he adds, "there are lots of new features." The good news for Java programmers is that they will not be on their own in mastering Java 1.4, but will have the just-released fourth edition of Flanagan's book (US $39.95) to guide them through the changes.
Java in a Nutshell is considered the essential reference for all Java programmers, having sold more than 700,000 copies since the release of its first edition. The book contains an accelerated introduction to the Java language and its key APIs, so seasoned programmers can start writing java code right away.
The book also includes quick-reference material for all the classes in the essential Java packages, including java.lang, java.io, java.beans, java.math, java.net, java.test, and java.util. The reference covers the many new classes in Java 1.4, including the NIO, logging, and SML functionality. "Probably the most important new feature of Java 1.4 is the new I/O API," Flanagan says. "It's documented in my book, so readers can learn to program with it."
Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition is part of the multi-volume set of quick references on which Java programmers have come to rely. It is a companion to "Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell," which covers the graphics, printing, and GUI APIs in the Java 2 platform. A third volume, "Java Enterprise in a Nutshell" focuses on the Java Enterprise APIs. The fourth volume, "J2ME in a Nutshell" covers the new Java 2 Micro Edition APIs and explores its use in limited-resource devices.
What the critics said about the previous edition:
"This is one of the best books on Java that I have read. In the first part of the book, the core Java language and the Java platform have been described concisely, but without sacrificing clarity. In fact, clarity is probably the most important virtue of this book (as it should be of any good writing)."
--Arunprasad P. Marathe, alt.books.technical, October 2001"Best of 2001: Customers' Picks," amazon.com
"Best of 2001 Award: Computing and Internet," Fatbrain.com
"David Flanagan's Java in a Nutshell has quality stamped on its cover and embedded in its acid-free paper. O'Reilly has a reputation for books with terse, accessible writing--and this book is no exception. I'm sure this book will meet the needs of programmers everywhere who want to get up to speed with Java."
--Doug Nickerson, ERCB.com"Keep a copy of Java in a Nutshell, by David Flanagan nearby. You will use it quite often."
--Online, May 1, 2001"This book should find a home next to many Java programmers' keyboards."
--Computer Contractor, January 28, 2000"If you have to limit yourself to one Java book, Java in a Nutshell would be an excellent choice. This is doubly true if you are a consultant, travel around a bit, and need something light but extremely useful."
--Billy Barron, javamug.org, April 2000"Not just for newbies, it's also a concise reference for all Java programmers...an excellent book to learn Java--and as a useful reference book, too."
--Karl W. Pfalzer, Devx.com, March 2000
Online Resources:
An article by the author, Top Ten Cool New Features of Java 2SE 1.4
More information about the book, including Table of Contents, index, author bio, and samples
For Java hands-on training, consider the Java Track at the O'Reilly Open Source Convention
Java in a Nutshell, 4th Edition
By David Flanagan
Fourth Edition, March 2002
ISBN 0-596-00283-1, 969 pages, $39.95 (US), $61.95 (CAN)
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
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