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My daughter needs to learn Java (not Java script). I am looking for a good book for a total beginner with no programming experience. My Java books are too advanced.
Can anyone offer any recommendations? Thanks!
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
modified 19-Jul-22 14:25pm.
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I'm always on the look-out for good resources for beginners and younger-beginners because I teach a lot of family (nephews, nieces, etc) that it is easy to program.
Learn Java the Easy Way: A Hands-On Introduction to Programming[^] (No Starch Press) is a really well-written book that eases the reader/learner into Java.
Sets up the background needed for learning.
Eases into JShell.
Continues into deeper subjects & even teaches some UI programming.
Probably one of the better beginner resources out there & No Starch books are often targeted to younger / earlier readers/learners.
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I was just about to post this as well. I have a few of the Headfirst books and I have found them all useful, they have a different teaching style to traditional 'dry' text books that I found refreshing.
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I always liked Thinking in Java by Bruce Eckels/MindView.
There used to be free e-books available.
I am not sure if it is the best book for a first language book.
There are multiple threads in the Lounge for intro to programming.
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Head First Java is a book with a number of pictures, and this makes it an interesting read, an introductory one.
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Yes!!!
Go look this guy up on Linked-In & Quora.com
Alan Mellor
Then from there, find his Java Books, you won't be disapointed.
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If I wanted to teach a newbie today, I would start with an interactive online tutorial like the one on W3Schools.
Books are nice to have in case of internet failure, but especially to young "google it" folks they are a last resort.
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Java in a Nutshell, 7th Edition [Book]
A book you keep.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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Out of curiosity is her goal to eventually become a developer using Java.
Or is this to help her get past a single class?
Or just to introduce her to programming?
So, it boils down to understanding the Motivation and the Destination.
I am HUGE on learning code from reading code. I had source code access to huge chunks of our old operating system.
I was able to patch the binaries by hand to change how things worked from that knowledge.
So, it's okay to have a code heavy book and let her breeze through the code, and try to guess what things do.
But again, if her motivation is only to dip her toes into programming, to see. That changes the amount of effort and the depth of the task.
This is always hard for us who are too deep into the topics.
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It's to help her get through a single class. 
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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If that is the case (having taught a couple of college courses on Java)...
1) Have her practice by putting EVERY Example in the chapter into the computer and getting it to run!
[Many of us teachers will use the examples to drive test questions]
2) If her exams will be on the computer (mine were, then she should also practice creating "Hello World"
a few times, so she knows how to start a project in the platform, and make it work without "stressing")
3) Have her do all of her homework assignments twice! The second time, without looking at her first attempt.
[This can really build her confidence, but it is just good practice, and practice makes perfect!]
4) She MUST pre-read the material the teacher is going to cover. She should have a list of every new word/phrase to her from the reading. She DOES NOT need to lookup/define them. She scans this list before class. And her brain will detect when the teacher is using it. [During the pre-reading is when I usually like students to do all of the examples]
If she attacks it this way. She will be focused on REALLY learning what the class is covering (not getting confused by different levels of depth into various things). She is in "Acquisition Mode". She needs to learn to do PATTERN Recognition on the concepts/code/structure. Then Application Mode (How to modify/manipulate).
I would rather her do EVERY problem in this book 3 times than crack another book, if it is just to pass this class.
She doesn't need to learn Java. She needs to learn what this teacher is expecting her to understand after going through their course, and that is usually a function of the Lectures, Examples, And Homework assignments.
My exams were open notes, open book. I would take 1 homework assignment, change it and add a flavor/essence from 2-3 of the other assignments that was teaching a specific concept. if the student could read that, start with the right homework problem, and TRULY understood the other concepts. They could finish in 30 minutes. I gave them 4 hrs.
As long as the program compiled/ran, they could get partial credit. (A lot of my first students failed my class, but to the universities surprise, half of them took ME the next semester for the same class!!! When there was another teacher available at a similar time!)
Like anything, Comfort and Repetition go a long way!
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I learned Java using Deitel books, (Java How to Program), so that's what i would recommend.
"Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn’t exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again." Ray Bradbury
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Many thanks to all who have responded! Thanks for your valuable advice. 
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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I have about 40 Java Books that were downloaded when you could find free books
All have been scanned for malware with MS Security Essentials
They are PDF format
Happy to place the lot on a thumb drive and Snail Mail OR
other option your your choice
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Thanks for your offer, but I believe one or two books is about all she can handle at this stage!
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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Not to be an asshat - honest question. Does anyone develop in Java anymore other than the backend?
To the OP, if your daughter is just getting her teeth into it - fine. Not commenting on that - code is code.
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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Just received 3 RPi Picos. (snapshot[^])
Let's see what we can do with these. 
Amazingly inexpensive.
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Awesome, what's the plan for them?
The most expensive tool is a cheap tool. Gareth Branwyn
JaxCoder.com
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Thanks for asking.
Not entirely sure yet, but I want to compare them to what I can do with Arduino Nano devices.
I've done a lot with Nanos and they are relatively easy to use.
It'll be interesting to see if it feels more natural / easy to get things working on these.
These use a system based on Python for development so I want to see how easy/difficult it will be to learn to get data from UART etc with these.
I'm working on ways to easily send data from iPhone apps over bluetooth so I want to see how easy it is to use Pico with a Bluetooth module too.
Have you tried Picos or done any Arduino? It is a very interesting challenge.
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Good deal, looks like an article may be forthcoming?
The most expensive tool is a cheap tool. Gareth Branwyn
JaxCoder.com
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Have fun!
"In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano?"
-- Rigoletto
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Nice, 5€. They are becoming interesting for a pet project of mine.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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...where the planets are aligned to make everything not work the first time, second, and third time. Maybe sacrificing a vegetable to the gods will help. 
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Marc Clifton wrote: Maybe sacrificing a vegetable to the gods will help.
It didn't help the spartans...
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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