Thought and Freedom

If you are new to Java, or are more experienced than anyone, you still need to look up stuff. Every developer has moments in their language of choice where they just can’t solve a problem. Or, they may just be looking for an easier way. Don’t be ashamed to look up a result. Doctors do it all the time. Engineers do it. Why shouldn’t programmers do it as well. It helps us all develop cheaper, faster, and smarter code without reinventing a wheel that someone else already created.
To make life easier for us all, Sun publishes some of the best documentation that I have seen for a programming language. In a very clear layout, all functions in the Java API are laid out in one place. Each class has easy to understand instructions on the class in general, it’s interfaces, classes, exceptions, and errors. This is all published on Sun’s website as the Java API Specifications.

I knew about this for a while, but just today realized it’s complete usefulness. This has quickly become my favorite “book” on Java programming. To top that off, it is freely available online.  This is a useful set of documents for any Java coder.
Sun even caters to the more graphically inclined persons, the documentation can be formatted in the form of a tree (extending from the package).

Also, you can use the “index” link to show an entire “glossary” for a package. This can be a speedy way to get results when using the find function on your web browser.

So, whether you are a Java Newbie, or a super Java coder, using the API specs will help improve your programming ability.

Related posts:

1. Learn Java Swing If you talk to a lot of programmers these days, you will hear an increased number of conversations about Java. With the open sourcing of parts of the actual language,...
2. Java to become open source Sun Microsystems announced on October 25th that they are on the fast track to making Java an open source product. Sun has been on an open source soapbox since their...
3. Java SE 6 Released. Sun Microsystems announced that they just released Java SE 6. Depending on who you ask, this is a great thing, or just so so....
4. Installing a Java Compiler So you have a great looking program. Perhaps you typed out the source code for the hello world tutorial. Now, you need to transfer that source code into a computer...
5. Java: Hello World Java is becoming an important language for every programmer to know. It is key to creating platform independent software. In my opinion, Java will continue to play a greater role...