Java Collections (Paperback)

~ John Zukowski (Author) "When learning a new computer programming language, one of the first things you tend to ask is how to work with large groups of data..." (more)
Key Phrases: linked list, array list, standard template library, Irish Setter, The Dictionary, Gordon Setter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For Java developers of all levels, Java Collections provides a truly indispensable guide to using the built-in collection classes, in an extremely clear and well-organized text. This title sets a high standard for a programming reference, one that will be appreciated by a wide range of readers.

Although the Java collection classes are not nearly as complicated as the Standard Template Library classes in C++, it can still be a bit daunting to figure out what's included and what's not. Beginning with the simple "historical" Java collection classes (for arrays, Vector, Hashtable, and Stack), the author shows you just how to do it, with clear reference to useful APIs for each collection type, plus short code snippets showing these APIs in action.

The standout feature of this title is its clear presentation of the Java Collection Framework, the built-in set of classes in today's Java 2 standard. Other texts can get muddled with their coverage of these classes, but this one never loses the reader. Starting with the APIs that are available for every collection class, the book builds to show what's available in linked lists and map classes. The author does a great job at avoiding the confusion between different "implementations" of these basic container shapes. (Of course, he does explain the difference between HashMap, WeakHashMap, and TreeMap, for example, but not before showing which APIs are common to all map classes.)

Beyond choosing and using the right collection class for the job, this text also excels at showing off the built-in algorithms that are available for manipulating collections (like for sorting and searching). Advanced sections give advice for defining your own custom collection classes should you need to go beyond the built-in classes. Final chapters look at third-party collection classes (like the JGL and util.concurrent package) for doing even more.

It's the clear focus on understanding and using today's Java collection classes effectively that helps make this title a winner. In all, Java Collections is a handy and truly worthwhile guide to using Java collections, something that all Java developers need to master to write effective software. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered:

• Guide to programming with Java collection classes
• The "historical" Java collection classes
• Arrays (declaring and creating arrays, copying and cloning, immutability, assignments and reflection, character arrays)
• The Vector and Stack classes (basic operations and programming tips)
• The Enumeration interface (custom enumeration classes)
• The Dictionary, Hashtable, and BitSet classes (APIs and programming hints)
• The Java Collections Framework
• The Collection interface (built-in APIs for all collections)
• Using sets (including HashSet and TreeSet)
• List classes (including bidirectional iteration)
• Maps (including map entries, the HashMap, WeakHashMap, and TreeMap classes)
• Sorting with collections (designing with Comparable, SortedSet, and SortedMap)
• Advanced features (prebuilt collections, searching and generic list operations)
• Array algorithm support (filling, sorting, and searching arrays)
• Hints for building custom collection classes
• Forward and backward compatibility with Java collection classes
• Choosing the right collection
• Alternative collection class libraries (JGL, util.concurrent, and Colt, installation and programming hints)
• Quick reference to collection APIs

Product Description

<p>The Collections Framework is supplied with all versions of the Java 2 platform and provides programmers with incredibly efficient ways to manipulate data. However, given the large number of methods and classes in this library, using them correctly is hardly a cakewalk. Well-known columnist and bestselling author John Zukowski gives the Java professional exactly what he or she needs to know about this vital library in order to maximize productivity. This practical book contains comprehensive coverage of the important Collections Framework from the working programmer's point of view, while staying away from academic abstractions.</p>

<p><i>Java Collections</i> leads you through the standard Java support for maintaining abstract groups of data, from the historical collection classes available since the inception of Java time, through the Collections Framework introduced with the Java 2 platform, and on to third-party alternative libraries for times when the standard support isn't enough. If you're working with data in Java programs, you need to understand the Collections Framework. Let Zukowski's <i>Java Collections</i> be your guide!</p>

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Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Apress; New edition (April 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893115925
• ISBN-13: 978-1893115927
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,038,339 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything you ever wanted to know about Java Collections..., June 27, 2001

By	"patdurante" (Byfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Everything you ever wanted to know about Java Collections...including some things that you probably didn't want to know!!!

This is an excellent book and coverage of this important topic is long overdue.

I really like the detailed method by method explainations and I also like the attention to the subtle detail provided to call out semantic differences between often very similar classes/interfaces. The best examples in the book (in my opinion), are the PriorityQueue and the Multimap since they are real-world collections that I would be able to use immediately. I thought the diagrams in the book were extremely well done. The use of UML was a great choice...I was able to read and understand the relationships between classes and interfaces without having to learn "yet-another-object-modeling-language".

I read the book front-to-back, but I'm not sure that you will need to...The sections on each collection interface and implementation form a great reference...I will likely re-read individual chapters the next time I need to use one of the collection classes.

Don't skip over Part I (Historical Collection Classes), I've been working with Java for years and I still learned something about arrays!

All and all, it is money well spent if you want detailed information on the Collections support in the Java language.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad book, but way to large for the subject, December 2, 2001

By	Victor J. Grazi (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I can't say this was a bad book - it is well written and covers the subject pretty completely.

The problem is that it is too large a book for what it covers. It could have been 25% the size and probably more useful if it had charts instead of pages.

Also, I find it a little annoying that the api tables don't show the parameters or return types, you have to read the method descriptions to find that.

Also, I would have liked to see an appendix with UML diagrams for the Collections framework. The diagrams are scattered throughtout the book, but they are not summarized in one appendix where you can review all of them.

Also, I don't think the author went deeply enough into sample uses for the various collections - I found myself asking - when would you ever use a HashSet?

Again, the book is good and fast reading, but I think you can get all of the information from this book and more if you put your money into something like Core Java Advanced features - that would be a lot more information for the money.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Java Collections, November 26, 2001

By A Customer

Java Collections is broken into three basic sections. The first section describes the Java historical collections classes, and offers tips on optomizing and some more advanced techniques. The second section describes the Java Collections Framework, which was introduced with the release of Java 2. And the third section describes some of the other collection libraries available for Java programmers.

The book is well organized and is an easy to use reference. The contents and appendices allow the reader to only read/use the chapters that are of interest. The example code given in the book could be easily adapted for many programming uses. The book also offers tips on choosing an appropriate data collection type. While the code is not included on a CD with the book, it is available on line.

The book is not intended for a beginning programmer. While it does assume that the target audience has some experience with Java programming and a basic understanding of data structures, it also does a fairly comprehensive job of explaining the data collections and methods of the Framework. The text and coding examples are supplemented with easy to follow diagrams, and useful tips and warnings.