Java3140 java oop java documentation

Revised: Fri Apr 08 18:13:10 CDT 2016

This page is included in the following Books:

• ITSE 2321 - Object-Oriented Programming (Java)
• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) with Java

Table of contents

• Preface
  • Viewing tip
    • Figures
• Discussion
• Java Platform, Standard Edition 7 API Specification
• A universal documentation format
• Typical usage of the API documentation
• Summary
• Miscellaneous

Preface

This module is one of a series of modules designed to teach you about Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) using Java.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of Oracle's Java documentation to aspiring Java programmers. The documentation package, which can be downloadedfor installation and local access or accessed online, contains a wealth of information.

In my opinion, it is not possible to write Java programs of any substance without frequent reference to the documentation. No one canmemorize everything that they need to know to be a successful Java programmer.

(Note that each time Oracle releases a new version of the Java Development Kit (JDK), they also release a new version of the documentation. Therefore, asnew versions are released, the links provided in this document may become outdated and may not take you to the latest version of the documentation.However, you should be able to find the latest documentation via an online search.)

Viewing tip

I recommend that you open another copy of this module in a separate browser window and use the following links to easily find and view the figureswhile you are reading about them.

Figures

• Figure 1 . Screen shot of the API specification at startup.
• Figure 2 . Screen shot of the API documentation after selecting the JButton class.

Discussion

Small core language, large class library

The Java Platform Standard Edition programming environment consists of a small core programming language and a large class library.

(As of the date of this writing, you can view The Java Language Specification online. This specification will tell you just about everything that most programmers need to know about the corelanguage.)

The size of the class library grows with the release of each new version of the JDK, because each new version provides capabilities that didn't exist in theprevious version. New capabilities are added through the addition of new classes and new interfaces to the library.

The true power of Java resides in the class libraries

Once you understand how OOP is implemented in Java and you get beyond while loops, if statements, and other fundamental programming concepts, virtually all the power of Javaresides in:

• Classes, interfaces, and methods in the various class libraries that you use directly.
• Classes, interfaces, and methods in the various class libraries that you extend.
• New classes, interfaces, and methods that you and others define.

You will always use material from Oracle's standard class libraries. You will often use material from other libraries that you create yourself, or that youobtain from sources outside of Oracle (such as Barb Ericson's multimedia library , for example) .