Secrets of the
Java Masters
O'Reilly Releases "Hardcore Java"
Sebastopol, CA--Had they but world enough, and time, all Java developers
would be Java gurus. But at their backs they always hear--not time's
winged chariot hurrying near--but the unyielding insistence of deadlines
and managers that can't be ignored. And even if deadlines and managers
would relent, where would they turn for instruction? As Robert Simmons,
Jr., author of "Hardcore Java" (O'Reilly, US $39.95) notes, the majority
of computer books are often not appropriate for the intermediate to
advanced programmer.
Says Simmons, "When looking at my rather impressive computer book library,
I notice that my books tend to fall into two categories: many are
introductions to concepts and most of the others are references to
concepts. Although these books are very useful, there is a distinct lack
of books that target the intermediate to advanced programmer." In short,
there are few books that can really transform a developer from an
intermediate-level programmer to a true guru.
That transformation is the goal of "Hardcore Java." The book distills
years of experience into a concise but generous compendium of java guru
expertise, revealing the difficult and rarely understood secrets of Java
that true master programmers need to know. Written for the working Java
developer, "Hardcore Java" takes the language and breaks it apart, piece
by piece. The book moves quickly through the fundamentals and then turns
to advanced memory-management techniques, optimization and bytecode-level
enhancements, and the techniques required to build lightning-fast GUIs.
Thousands of lines of code, heavily commented and easily runnable,
illustrate each concept in the book. Developers will master the art of
writing and maintaining indestructible, error-proof code, while grasping
the intricacies of the Java language.
"Hardcore Java" covers:
-Using the "final" keyword to optimize and protect your Java classes
-All types of nested classes, including how to optimize anonymous and
inner classes
-Immutable objects, including unique tips on when to use them (and when
not to)
-The elimination of bugs through exception-handling management
-Constants, including their impact on the Java memory model
-Reflection--moving far beyond the typical "Hello World" coverage
-The construction and use of dynamic proxies, in both Java Standard and
Enterprise editions
-Weak references, including usage
patterns and their role in garbage
collection and memory management
There's an enormous difference between writing code that compiles and runs
and writing code that reads like poetry: robust, extensible, and just
plain elegant. It's that difference that distinguishes a master Java
developer from a good developer. "Hardcore Java" will help even the most
advanced developers move beyond their own limiting conceptions about Java
into truly advanced applications of the language.
Additional Resources:
Chapter 2, "The Final Story," is available online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/hardcorejv/chapter/index.html For more information about the book, including table of contents, index,
author bio, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/hardcorejv/ For a cover graphic in JPEG format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/0596005687.jpg Hardcore Java
Robert Simmons, Jr.
ISBN 0-596-00568-7, 324 pages, $39.95 US, $57.95 CA
order@oreilly.com 1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000
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