Understanding what you should know before watching this course

This course is designed for software developers who already have some experience programming with Java. You don't need to have worked in any particular application environment, such as Java enterprise edition, web applications, or android app development. You just need to understand the basics of Java syntax, how to create simple console applications, and how to use the Eclipse development environment to create, compile, run, and debug. If you're brand-new to Java, I recommend first watching the lynda.com course, Java Essential Training.

You will get an introduction to the Java programming language and some valuable information about how the language and virtual machine work during compilation and at runtime. You will learn how to install Eclipse, how to create Java projects, packages, and classes. And you'll get an introduction to the fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming. You should then be ready for this course and for other lynda.com courses that put Java to specific use. And if this is your first time working with an object-oriented language, I also recommend watching lynda.com's course Foundations of Programming: Object-Oriented Design.

This course can help you learn how to build larger Java applications and gain a better understanding of the common object-oriented patterns used by all developers who program with Java.