An object-oriented programming language enables a programmer to construct reusable program components. With such components, other programmers can quickly build large new programs and program fragments. In the ideal case, the programmers do not modify any existing code but simply glue together components and add a few new ones. This reusability of components, however, does not come for free. It requires a well-designed object-oriented language and a strict discipline of programming.

Java is a such a language, and this book introduces its object-oriented elements: (abstract) classes, fields, methods, inheritance, and interfaces. This small core language has a simple semantic model, which greatly helps programmers to express themselves. In addition, Java implementations automatically manage the memory a program uses, which frees programmers from thinking about machine details and encourages them to focus on design.

The book's second goal is to introduce the reader to design patterns, the key elements of a programming discipline that enhances code reuse. Design patterns help programmers organize their object-oriented components so that they properly implement the desired computational process. More importantly still, design patterns help communicate important properties about a program component. If a component is an instance of an explicitly formulated pattern and documented as such, other programmers can easily understand its structure and reuse it in their own programs, even without access to the component's source.

The Intended Audience

The book is primarily intended for people---practicing programmers, instructors and students alike---who wish to study the essential elements of object-oriented programming and the idea of design patterns. Readers must have some basic programming experience. They will benefit most from the book if they understand the principles of functional design, that is, the design of program fragments based on their input-output behavior. An introductory computer science course that uses Scheme (or ML) is the best way to get familiar with this style of design, but it is not required.

What this Book is Not About

Java provides many useful features and libraries beyond its object-oriented core. While these additional Java elements are important for professional programming, their coverage would distract from the book's important goals: object-oriented programming and the use of design patterns. For that reason, this book is not a complete introduction to Java. Still, readers who master its contents can quickly become skilled Java programmers with the supplementary sources listed in the Commencement .

The literature on design patterns evolves quickly. Thus, there is quite a bit more to patterns than an introductory book could intelligibly cover. Yet, the simplicity of the patterns we use and the power that they provide should encourage readers to study the additional references about patterns mentioned at the end of the book.

Acknowledgments

We are indebted to many people for their contributions and assistance throughout the development of this book. Several extensive discussions with Shriram Krishnamurthi, Jon Rossie, and Mitch Wand kept us on track; their detailed comments deeply influenced our thinking at critical junctures.

Michael Ashley, Sundar Balasubramaniam, Cynthia Brown, Peter Drake, Bob Filman, Robby Findler, Steve Ganz, Paul Graunke, John Greiner, Erik Hilsdale, Matthew Kudzin, Julia Lawall, Shinn-Der Lee, Michael Levin, Gary McGraw, Benjamin Pierce, Amr Sabry, Jonathan Sobel, and George Springer read the book at various stages of development and their comments helped produce the final result. We also wish to thank Robert Prior at MIT Press who loyally supported us for many years and fostered the idea of a ``Little Java.'' The book greatly benefited from Dorai Sitaram's incredibly clever Scheme typesetting program SLaTeX. Finally, we would like to thank the National Science Foundation for its continued support and especially for the Educational Innovation Grant that provided us with the opportunity to collaborate for the past year.

Reading Guidelines

Do not rush through this book. Allow seven sittings, at least. Read carefully. Mark up the book or take notes; valuable hints are scattered through out the text. Work through the examples, don't scan them. Keep in mind the motto ``Think first, experiment later.''

The book is a dialogue about interesting Java programs. After you have understood the examples, experiment with them, that is, modify the programs and examples and see how they behave. Since most Java implementations are unfortunately batch interpreters or compilers, this requires work of a repetitive nature on your side. Some hints on how to experiment with Java are provided on the following pages.

We do not give any formal definitions in this book. We believe that you can form your own definitions and thus remember and understand them better than if we had written them out for you. But be sure you know and understand the bits of advice that appear in most chapters.

We use a few notational conventions throughout the text to help you understand the programs on several levels. The primary conventions concern typeface for different kinds of words. Field and method names are in italic . Basic data, including numbers, booleans, and constructors introduced via datatypes are set in sans serif . Keywords, e.g., class , abstract , return and interface are in boldface . When you experiment, you may ignore the typefaces but not the related framenotes. To highlight this role of typefaces, the programs in framenotes are set in a typewriter face.

Food appears in many of our examples for two reasons. First, food is easier to visualize than abstract ideas. (This is not a good book to read while dieting.) We hope the choice of food will help you understand the examples and concepts we use. Second, we want to provide you with a little distraction. We know how frustrating the subject matter can be, and a little distraction will help you keep your sanity.

You are now ready to start. Good luck! We hope you will enjoy the experiences waiting for you on the following pages.

Bon appetit!

Matthias Felleisen
Daniel P. Friedman