Course objectives
Java is rather a recent programming language.
It is in development since 1991 (its creator is James Gosling) and has been formally announced by Sun Microsystems in
May 1995.
Actually, Java is both a programming language and a development/execution environment.
To create (compile) and/or execute (interpret) Java programs, you need the Java Development Kit (JDK) or Java 2
Software Development Kit (SDK), i.e. JDK 1.0, JDK 1.1, SDK 1.2, SDK 1.3, SDK 1.4, JDK 5, or JDK 6.
The JDK/SDK is available on a lot of platforms, among others Sun's Solaris, Microsoft's Windows 95/98/2000/NT/XP,
Apple's Macintosh, Linux, IBM's OS/2, OS/400, AIX, and z/OS.
The Java compiler creates platform-independent (i.e. portable) bytecode consisting of data and instructions for a
theoretical machine, the so-called Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
Java bytecode generated on one platform can be shipped to another platform for execution.
For instance, when you browse a Web page, this may cause an applet residing on the server to be downloaded and executed
on your own machine.
Every Java interpreter is a platform-dependent implementation of the JVM whose purpose is to convert Java bytecode into
native (i.e. local) machine code.
So, Java enhances the application programmer's productivity: neither the development nor the execution is restricted to
a particular platform! Java enables the WORA (Write Once, Run Anywhere) approach.
The syntax of the Java language is very similar to C++ syntax. So, most Java courses require the course participants to
master the C++ language before attending the course session.
However, for our Java course there isn't such a prerequisite!
The Java philosophy is, unlike C++, fully object-oriented. The Java semantics are actually based upon SmallTalk.
Therefore, most Java courses expect the participants to fully understand Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and its
principles before enrollment.
Again, for our Java course there isn't such a prerequisite !
Audience
Programmers who intend to use Java on any platform
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites about C, C++, or Object-Oriented Programming.
You just need to have some programming experience, i.e. you need to know at least one other programming language (such
as COBOL or REXX).
Class infrastructure
The students must have a workstation equipped with Sun's Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE)
JDK. It's free.
Course contents
- A step-by-step explanation of the OOP-concepts
- An exhaustive study of the Java language
- Using the J2SE class libraries provided by Sun
- Writing stand-alone Java programs (i.e. Java applications)
- Writing text-based as well as graphical programs
- Writing Java applets
- Advanced topics such as multithreading, synchronization, applet security, etc., etc.
- A lot of useful information about Java in z/OS in particular.
The following is an example of an applet the course participants will learn to code.
This calculator's display has a capacity of 9 characters, i.e. it accepts up to 8 digits plus a decimal point, or a
minus sign followed by up to 7 digits and a decimal point.
If the applet doesn't appear, you may have to download and install Sun's J2SE Java Runtime
Environment (JRE). It's free.
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