Java in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference

In a Nutshell

by David Flanagan

This bestselling quick reference contains an accelerated introduction to the Java language and its key APIs, so seasoned programmers can start writing Java code right away. The third edition of Java in a Nutshell covers Java 1.2 and Java 1.3 beta and includes:

A description of the syntax of the Java language, written in a tight, concise style, that can serve as both a fast-paced tutorial and a language reference. An explanation of the object-oriented features of Java that does not assume any prior object-oriented programming experience. An overview of the essential Java APIs that shows how to perform common tasks, such as string manipulation, input/output, and thread handling, with the classes and interfaces that comprise the Java 2 platform. Documentation for the Java development tools shipped with Sun's Java SDK. This book also includes O'Reilly's classic-style, quick-reference material for all of the classes in the essential Java packages, including java.lang, java.io, java.beans java.math, java.net, java.security, java.text, java.util, and javax.crypto. This reference material covers all of the new classes in Java 1.2 and 1.3. Once you've learned Java, you'll keep this book next to your keyboard for handy reference while you program.

This book is part of the two-volume set of quick references that every Java programmer needs. It is an essential companion to Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, which covers the graphics and graphical user interface APIs in the Java 2 platform, including Swing, AWT, and Java 2D. A third volume, Java Enterprise in a Nutshell, focuses on the Java Enterprise APIs and is of interest to programmers working on server-side or enterprise Java applications.

Genres: Programming, Reference, Nonfiction, Technical, Computers, Technology, Computer Science

648 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

David Flanagan is a computer programmer who has spent much of the last 20 years writing books about programming languages. He now works at Mozilla. David lives with his wife and children in the Pacific Northwest, between the cities of Seattle and Vancouver.

Reviews

[Gang Lei · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book to read for any coder. The ratio of time spent reading vs. writing is well over 10:1.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know what you're thinking... "Why did you read the 4th edition in 2010? It only covers up to Java 1.4 - and it was published 8 years ago." My answer? "It was what my library had. And it covered what I needed to learn."

I suppose I should have known better, considering the O'Reilly "Nutshell" format. A couple hundred pages of "nutshell" overview material to digest some high-level concepts -- but you're wading through generic code samples. Then several hundred more pages of what is basically an index of core API stuff. And so almost all of it makes your eyes glaze over. It isn't bad or badly written; it's that the book has a target audience of which I am not really a member.

But that didn't stop me from getting out of it what I needed. (Which was just enough. The rest of those gaps I expect to fill with Eckel's Thinking in Java and Bloch's Effective Java...

[Jeanne Boyarsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Java in a Nutshell” has been updated for Java 11. It has everything you'd expect from the prior editions – syntax, examples and a great reference. New features from Java 8+ are highlighted. Some design patterns and tradeoffs are explained. A lot of concepts, like garbage collection, are covered as well.

I particularly liked the examples of common methods. There were a few in Collections that I could use and didn't realize existed. I also learned about a trick to with var and anonymous inner classes (that I hope not to see in real code). And of course, I like that big O notation was used in discussing collections. Many new features were covered well including method handles and modules.

A number of garbage collectors were discussed. I was surprised the g1 garbage collector didn't get more attention. It was well explained but didn't have a section header. I was also surprised to see an appendix that covered Nashorn since it a deprecated feature.

Overall, this is a great book and I recommend it for your Java learning/reference.

[Sebastian Salamanca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very straightforward, lightweight. Concepts are very well explained.

It covers all importan aspects (at least the ones i need). I'm learning android

I took it from my local library but i liked it so much i decided to buy it. I want to keep it as a reference if my book shelf.

Very recommended

[Calvin Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good JAVA examples/exercises. Good for references.

Full review: https://stalk-calvin.github.io/blog/2...

[Mr. H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview and refresher of what happened in the Java world (7th edition with Java 17)

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 8th edition but didnt see it as an option on Goodreads and don't feel like manually creating an entry for it.

Great book, except the code examples did not include expected output. For example, it would have some System.out.println statements and say something like, you can see XYZ behavior from this, but you can't, unless you compile the code and run it yourself. I want to read the book standalone, not with a laptop open so I can type out and run these snippets. It would make a book trivially longer to include the output (usually only a few lines per example), but well worth it from a reader's perspective.

[Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts starting at the beginning of the book:

I enjoyed this book. It goes into detail about most aspects of the language.

It anticipates questions that arise and clears them up later.

It is very verbose, so I started skipping parts after the first chapter.

It spends too much time on easy parts and glosses over complicated ones in some cases.

Not really "in a nutshell". There's a lot of information that I would call trivia.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presents a survey of the Java technology as evolved up to java 8. At the point I am writing this Java 11 is already released. So as it happens with technology books, they get older by the day. The presentation of all new features is not deep, but it is comprehensive enough to get a good idea of what is out there and offers good pointers to get more info as necessary. A good time saver and good starting point for a refresher.

[Burak Dede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done. Author gives the balance between too much boring detail and skimming the surface. Book updated with newest featues like stream api, nashorn engine, diamond, method handles and all other java7/8 features. Not a great way to learn generics and collections topic especially with lambdas/streams, book did not do a great job on those topics.

[Nick Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to meaningfully evaluate a book about Java 1.1 in 2008. This book was certainly at my side throughout CS 1502 (Introduction to Programming), and I imagine newer editions are similarly strong. Then again, there's really no need for this book, given the great Sun documentation.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first third of the book is a pleasantly terse primer on the language and some of the more common platform features, including a section on the features that were new to Java 5. The rest is an API reference which mainly serves to keep the book heavy and expensive.

[Jack Repenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all the O'Reilly Nutshell books, this is clear, helpful, and human. It's not a take-you-by-the-hand tutorial, but it's tutorial enough if you've already mastered a language or two, and it'll be well worth keeping on your shelf after you're trained and effective.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The inclusion of the reference in the final section is idiotic. That reference is more easily found online and can be kept up to date easily.

I can find no problems with the rest. It does exactly what a nutshell book should do.

[Knute Snortum]

A good mid-level overview of the Java language. I haven't read the summaries on the core libraries yet, but that would be the only reason to read the reference area. The rest you can get, more updated, off the web.

[Qubitng · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having a background in C and C++, I foolishly tried to learn Java with this book. It is pretty much unusable as a Java text. And the reference in the back is unnecessary even back then because the javadoc was available online.

[Anton Antonov · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read to keep up with the ever growing JDK. The latest (6th) edition addresses Java 7 and 8.
I enjoyed learning more about lambda expressions, NIO, Async I/O and Meta-programming (Classloading and Reflection).

[Otis Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I learned Java - my first language after college.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty helpful, but it's been a long time since I programmed.

[Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a text to my first java class, I don't think it's the best book for beginners... it also was not my style of book... but helpful.

[Nancy]

still reading

[Nivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for someone looking for details on Java programming methods. Used as an additional textbook.

[Joe Martin]

Java in a Nutshell (The Java Series) by David Flanagan (1997)

[Fatma Hassan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i learnt java from this book , fifth edition..covers main aspects cleverly , i strongly recommend it for beginners

[Alistair Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just one of those standard references that I can't really do without. I find myself comning back to it time and time again.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reference but I don't use it so much because most of the time it is more convenient to use the Java API reference on the net.

[Michael Durrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

O'reilly's best book for Java 101 and a great reference book to keep.

[Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Java for someone who is already familiar with programming concepts.

[Ahmed Aouine · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is ok

[Muas · Rating 3 out of 5]

its cool !