Java Cookbook

The reason I bought this book was because I thought it was the logical place to go for some advanced topics and guru wisdom after reading "Learning Java". I was expecting this book to include lots of cool tricks for solving everyday problems in intelligent ways, or to be jam-packed with neat coding philosophies. This was not what I got. It's actually a bunch of boiler-plate utility methods that the author has cooked up over the years, and are now largely deprecated by more thoroughly tested open source projects.

This book does not even get as advanced as "Learning Java" and most solutions are insanely obvious with little discussion beyond what you will find in the Javadocs. For example, the entire regex chapter is almost a word-by-word transcription of the Pattern Javadoc (but with needless command-line parameter parsing thrown in just for the hell of it). In the first 200 pages, the only intelligent comment that the author makes is "use JUnit", but only a few pages are invested in this little gem.

Concepts such as Cloneable and Serializable are simply skimmed over. These are advanced topics that are often misunderstood entirely, the conclusions presented in this book only cloud the true story and will lead the naive programmer into pitfalls and bad habits for a lifetime. In fact, using his equals and hashCode examples can potentially lead to broken code if extended! The awesome "Effective Java" by Josh Bloch gives these topics the discussion they deserve.

Code examples are needlessly long by including boiler-plate code and are rarely (if ever) insightful. Most of the time, Ian's advise is to use his home-brew code to do something, even when rich, well tested APIs already exist... the Berkeley Database is a perfect example. His discussions would have been best spent giving tutorials on their use.

There is no insight in this book, there are no time-saving utilities that you will put in your coding toolbox and there is absolutely nothing you won't find in the Javadocs or with 5 minutes on Google.

Essential for java introduction (3/5 people found this helpful)

Coming back to alter my review of the cookbook, after having owned it for a sensible period of time, and reading S.Hallidays comments on the book I do tend to agree.

If you are a competent Java coder - by competent I infer write a distributed system, meaningfully thread or, for the geeks, write a compiler or integrate other languages the hard way - this book is not for you. A combination of JavaDocs, Java developers almanac and Google searches will cover those annoying pit-falls you occasionally encounter. There are other books about that are highly recommended, but I suspect you already know their names.

For those of you still reading, the Questions that I will attempt to answer is where does the Java Cookbook fit into my learning of Java and how will I benefit?

The fitting in part is relatively trivial. If your have some basic knowledge of Java or programming in general this will acquaint you with all the introductory concepts and, personally I think more importantly, the language framework to make those concepts happen [concepts such as binary search for the uninitiated].

Those people which will benefit the most from this book will be those with limited skill, and a falling level of advantage occurs all the way up to the ceiling of competent . [Although if you have never programmed before this is not the book for you as there is no form of tuition included. Basic skills are assumed in the book]. If you can complete and implement all the items, when there is the need to do so, you will have become proficient in Java.

The star rating should read

5 for beginners/low level
3 for those that understand ALL the basics and need to increase their language understanding
0 for those competent and above

Essential Reading (11/12 people found this helpful)

Of all the java books on my bookshelf I have two Java books that deal with trying to teach or explain Java by using examples: "Java Examples" and "Java CookBook" both by O'Reilly. The Java Cookbook is so much the better book it's almost embarassing that O'Reilly are responsible for both. This book is an essential part of a Java developers knowledgebase and I would urge anyone learning Java to buy it. The only reason I don't recomend this book to experienced developers is that I'm pretty sure that you already have it!

As good as it gets (9/10 people found this helpful)

Unlike other Java reference books this is much more than a book filled with abstract notions and useless API specs that you can get off the web. Instead, real code samples are organized in meaningful chapters and I've found it an ideal and natural way to get to grips with the methods offered by the various Java classes and where they fit in to the Java landscape.

If you are new to Java but have previous programming experience dont even think twice about buying this book. I find myself rushing for my IDE to try new ideas out whenever I read a new chapter.

I simply love this book with its logical layout and will keep it by my side as long as I program Java.

Genie in a book (14/15 people found this helpful)

I bought this book a long time back while holidaying in Sri Lanka thinking that it might have 'a few useful recipes'. And after a few months when I actually decided to sit down and do some java coding to prepare for the Sun's developer certification exam I realized the true value of this book. This book may not turn you into a "Java almighty". But it takes you as close as you can get to that. Don't get me wrong. If you know nothing about java this book is not going to be a great introduction to the language. But if you know the basics then this can do to you - in programming terms - what that fairy did to Cinderella. Trust me I have seen an awful lot of Java books. I very rarely get so excited about a book on programming. Just buy it.

Ian Darwin

Reader Reviews:

Tagline should read "Uninsightful answers to questions you'll never have, for people who can't read Javadocs" (4/8 people found this helpful)

Essential for java introduction (3/5 people found this helpful)

Essential Reading (11/12 people found this helpful)

As good as it gets (9/10 people found this helpful)

Genie in a book (14/15 people found this helpful)

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