Java Software
- You need sofware to develop your Java programs.
- You can use the software in the UMUC computer labs, but most students install Java software on their own machines.
- Fortunately, there is an abundance of free software.
- You must install Sun's J2SE JDK 1.5 (java.sun.com)
- In addition choose one (or more) of the following.
- TextPad editor (www.textpad.com)
- NetBeans (www.netbeans.org)
- jGrasp or JCreator
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
An IDE puts many tools in one package.
- A program text editor
- A compiler (usually Sun's JDK).
- A way to run your programs from within the IDE.
- A debugger to help you find errors in your programs.
- Many other tools, eg, a GUI editor, jar file generator, ...
- Examples
- Top ranked: IntelliJ IDEA ($), Eclipse (no GUI editor, not in UMUC labs)
- Also good: NetBeans (in UMUC labs, GUI editor), JBuilder
- Simpler: jGrasp (in UMUC labs), JCreator (nicer?), ...
NetBeans 5.0 (www.netbeans.org)
- Features
- GUI editor - Many IDEs don't have one.
- Formatter for source code fixes indentation errors.
- Continuous compilation shows errors as you make them.
- Download java.sun.com (with SDK), www.netbeans.org.
- Tutorials
Sun's SDK / JDK
- Sun Microsystems - Software/Java Development Kit
- This is mainly a compiler.
- Download from java.sun.com (53 MB).
- Latest version is 1.5.0_06, earlier versions of 1.5 are ok too.
j2sdk-1_5_0_06-windows-i586-p.exe
- Latest version is 1.5.0_06, earlier versions of 1.5 are ok too.
- Documentation
j2sdk-1_5-doc.zip (34 MB), install in JDKdocs
directory. - This compiler is the basis for most other Java tools.
- Must be used with a text editor (TextEdit, jEdit, Notepad (yech), ...)