David Barnes, University of Kent at Canterbury
Michael Kolling, Maersk Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2005
Format: Paper Bound w/CD-ROM; 496 pp

ISBN-10:	0131249339
ISBN-13:	9780131249332

The object-oriented paradigm continues to dominate the teaching of introductory computer programming. Objects First With Java is the first textbook to completely integrate the BlueJ Java development environment with the teaching of object-oriented principles. By using BlueJ, the authors are able to take a truly objects first approach, introducing the student to objects and classes from the outset, and enabling him/her to create an object and call its methods as the very first activity.

Part One: Foundations of Object Orientation
1. Objects and Classes
2. Understanding Class Definitions
3. Object Interaction
4. Grouping Objects
5. More Sophisticated Behaviour
6. Well-behaved Objects
7. Designing Classes
Part Two: Application Structures8. Improving Structure with Inheritance
9. More About Inheritance
10. Further Abstraction Techniques
11. Building Graphical User Interfaces
12. Handling Errors
13. Designing Applications
14. A Case Study
Appendices
A. Working with a BlueJ Project
B. Java Data Types
C. Java Control Structures
D. Operators
E. Running Java without BlueJ
F. Configuring BlueJ
G. Using the Debugger
H. JUnit Unit-testing Tools
I. Javadoc
J. Program Style Guide
K. Important Library Classes

·        Objects First Approach

·        BlueJ supports teaching tools that are not available in other environments, including the visualisation of class structure. This means that the student can interact with objects directly, even before looking at the first line of Java syntax.

·        Project Driven Approach to Problem Solving

·        Each chapter contains problems which are analyzed before the language constructs are introduced that can solve them. Furthermore, the book is constructed along the lines of fundamental development tasks, giving clear coverage of the principles of object-oriented programming.

·        Spiral Approach

·        Challenging topics are introduced early, and then revisited later in the book in a new context in order to deepen understanding.

·        Thorough Treatment of Object-Oriented Principles

·        Pointers are used within each chapter to refer the student to further reading, supplementary sources, and language references.

·        CD containing the JDK, BlueJ, a BlueJ tutorial and code for all projects

• New chapter on GUI programming and Swing
• Incorporates coverage of JUnit-style testing and assertions
• 100 new exercises, many independent of the projects
•  4 colour text to improve pedagogy and aid student learning