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Contents of the Book

• The Way of the Program

• What is programming — defining the act of writing instructions
• What is computer science — study of computation and problem-solving
• Programming languages — tools for expressing algorithms
• The hello world program — first basic program
• Displaying strings — printing text
• Escape sequences — newline, tab, etc.
• Formatting code — indentation and readability
• Debugging code — finding and fixing errors
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Variables and Operators

• Declaring variables — creating named storage
• Assignment — storing values
• State diagrams — visualizing variables
• Printing variables — displaying values
• Arithmetic operators — +, −, ×, ÷
• Floating-point numbers — decimals
• Rounding errors — precision issues
• Operators for strings — concatenation
• Composition — combining operations
• Types of errors — syntax, runtime, logic
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Input and Output

• The System class — standard I/O
• The Scanner class — reading user input
• Program structure — main method layout
• Inches to centimeters — simple conversion
• Literals and constants — fixed values
• Formatting output — controlling appearance
• Centimeters to inches — reverse conversion
• Modulus operator — remainder
• Putting it all together
• The Scanner bug — common pitfall
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Void Methods

• Math methods — built-in math tools
• Composition revisited — method chaining
• Adding new methods — defining procedures
• Flow of execution — order of steps
• Parameters and arguments — method inputs
• Multiple parameters — more flexible methods
• Stack diagrams — visualizing calls
• Reading and writing documentation
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Conditionals and Logic

• Relational operators — comparisons
• Logical operators — AND, OR, NOT
• Conditional statements — if/else
• Chaining and nesting — complex conditions
• Flag variables — boolean trackers
• The return statement — exiting early
• Validating input — enforcing correctness
• Recursive methods — methods calling themselves
• Recursive stack diagrams
• Binary numbers — base-2 representation
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Value Methods

• Return values — getting results back
• Writing methods — defining functions
• Method composition — combining results
• Overloading — multiple method signatures
• Boolean methods — returning true/false
• Javadoc tags — documentation comments
• More recursion — deeper patterns
• Leap of faith — reasoning about recursion
• One more example
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Loops

• The while statement — repeated execution
• Generating tables — iterative output
• Encapsulation and generalization — reusable patterns
• More generalization
• The for statement — counting loops
• The do-while loop — run-then-test
• Break and continue — controlling flow
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Arrays

• Creating arrays — fixed-size lists
• Accessing elements — index operations
• Displaying arrays — printing contents
• Copying arrays — duplication methods
• Array length — size property
• Array traversal — looping through elements
• Random numbers — generating values
• Traverse and count — counting patterns
• Building a histogram — frequency arrays
• The enhanced for loop — simplified iteration
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Strings and Things

• Characters — primitive text units
• Strings are immutable — cannot be changed
• String traversal — looping through characters
• Substrings — cutting pieces
• The indexOf method — searching
• String comparison — equals and compareTo
• String formatting — structured output
• Wrapper classes — object versions of primitives
• Command-line arguments — passing inputs
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Objects

• Point objects — simple geometry class
• Attributes — object data
• Objects as parameters — passing references
• Objects as return types — returning instances
• Mutable objects — changeable states
• Aliasing — two references, one object
• The null keyword — absence of value
• Garbage collection — automatic memory cleanup
• Class diagrams — visual structure
• Java library source — exploring built-ins
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Classes

• The Time class — example model
• Constructors — building objects
• More constructors — overloading
• Getters and setters — access control
• Displaying objects — printing custom forms
• The toString method — representation
• The equals method — comparison
• Adding times — arithmetic with objects
• Pure methods and modifiers — safe vs. mutating
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

• Arrays of Objects

• Card objects — representing cards
• Card toString — text representation
• Class variables — shared fields
• The compareTo method — ordering
• Cards are immutable — fixed properties
• Arrays of cards — collections
• Sequential search — linear search
• Binary search — efficient search
• Tracing code — step-by-step execution
• Recursive version — recursive search
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

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• Objects of Arrays

• The Deck class — full deck model
• Shuffling decks — randomizing order
• Selection sort — simple sorting
• Merge sort — efficient sorting
• Subdecks — slicing arrays
• Merging decks — combining sorted lists
• Adding recursion — recursive merges
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

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• Objects of Objects

• Decks and hands — game structures
• CardCollection — shared behavior
• Inheritance — extending classes
• Dealing cards — distributing
• The Player class — representing players
• The Eights class — game logic
• Class relationships — associations
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

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• Development Tools

• Installing DrJava
• DrJava interactions
• Command-line interface
• Command-line testing
• Running Checkstyle
• Tracing with a debugger
• Testing with JUnit
• Vocabulary

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• Java 2D Graphics

• Creating graphics
• Graphics methods
• Example drawing
• Vocabulary
• Exercises

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• Debugging

• Compile-time errors — syntax issues
• Run-time errors — crashes
• Logic errors — wrong behavior

Book Description

Ever wondered what goes on inside a computer’s mind? Think Java: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist is your ticket to understanding the world of programmingwithout all the scary jargon. Written by Allen B. Downey and Chris Mayfield, this book brings Java to life for total beginners and curious minds alike. You’ll find each concept explained in plain English, with just enough wit and warmth to keep you smiling as you learn.

Book Overview

This isn’t your average dry programming textbook (thank goodness!). Instead, Think Java takes you on a journey through the basics of computer science, all while teaching you how to code in Java. The authors use relatable exampleslike turtles drawing on screens or simple gamesto make abstract ideas click. They don’t just throw code at you; they explain why things work the way they do, so you can actually understand what’s going on under the hood.

Why Read This Book

If you’ve ever felt lost staring at lines of code, this book is for you. Downey and Mayfield have a knack for making complicated topics feel like friendly conversations. They sprinkle in real-world analogies and practical exercises that actually make sense (imagine that!). Plus, they’re not afraid to poke fun at themselves or toss in a joke when you least expect itbecause who says learning can’t be fun?

Who This Book Is For

Are you brand new to programming? Maybe you’re a student who wants to ace your computer science class, or an adult looking for a career change into tech? Or perhaps you’re just plain curious about how software works? Think Java is designed with you in mind. No prior coding experience requiredjust bring your curiosity and maybe a cup of coffee!

What You Will Learn

• The fundamentals of programming using Java (no magic required)
• How computers “think” and process information
• The basics of variables, loops, methods, and classes explained simply
• Problem-solving strategies that real programmers use every day
• How to write clean, readable code (your future self will thank you)
• The art of debugging without losing your sanity
• Building small projects that actually workbecause practice makes perfect
• How to read code written by others (and not panic!)
• A little bit about algorithms and why they matter
• Tons of practical tips that make learning Java less intimidating and more rewarding

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