Content Summary : Java for WebObjects developers—Java in 21 minutes If you plan on building WebObjects applications, you need to become a Java programmer. Java is a popular programming language available in many diverse contexts for implementing real software solutions. But Java is more than just a programming language—it is a set of tools, a runtime with a virtual machine, a broad landscape of packages full of reusable classes. Java is an environment. Learning Java “the environment” seems overwhelming the first time you approach it. There are reams of on-line materials, and bookstores are brimming with all kinds of Java books. It may be difficult to decide where to start, especially if your primary goal is to learn how to develop applications with WebObjects. Aside from the glamour of applets with sophisticated graphical user interfaces, and the rigors of multi-threaded or networked programming, Java turns out to be a rather simple language for humble, general-purpose jobs running on a plain old computer. With some basic ideas, and some familiarity with the most commonly used language constructs, you can go a long way. This is especially true when your Java code is part of a larger system that handles a lot of the details already. To get started, all you need is the Java relevant for a WebObjects developer. But Java “the language” is still something to learn. It is a general-purpose programming language, and it is object-oriented. The term “object-oriented” is vague and spooky to some, fresh and intuitive to others, even old hat to a few. Mostly, it means just good, modern software technology. Object-oriented programming is based on a small set of powerful concepts and somewhat specialized terminology. From this perspective, it should be clear that Java is a way of thinking. Your job, however, is to communicate your thinking to others—a computer, or another programmer. From this perspective, Java is a way of speaking.