Java

Introduction to Java Programming

Course Description:

This course introduces the core concepts and practices of programming in Java, a widely-used, high-level programming language. Students will develop a strong foundation in object-oriented programming (OOP), syntax, data structures, algorithms, and basic software development principles. By the end of this course, students will be capable of writing, debugging, and optimizing Java applications.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Understand the core syntax and structure of Java programming.
Write Java applications using object-oriented principles (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism).
Implement common data structures such as arrays, lists, and maps.
Work with fundamental algorithms and problem-solving techniques.
Utilize Java’s libraries for input/output operations, error handling, and file management.
Develop and debug Java programs with the help of integrated development environments (IDEs).

Course Modules:

Module 1: Introduction to Java

History and features of Java
Setting up the Java Development Kit (JDK)
Introduction to Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)
Writing the first Java program: “Hello, World!”
Java syntax: variables, data types, operators, and control structures

Module 2: Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Fundamentals

Classes and objects in Java
Methods and constructors
Access modifiers (public, private, protected)
Encapsulation and data hiding
Introduction to inheritance and polymorphism

Module 3: Control Flow and Loops

Conditional statements (if-else, switch)
Looping structures (for, while, do-while)
Break and continue statements
Handling multiple conditions and exceptions

Module 4: Data Structures and Collections

Arrays and multi-dimensional arrays
Lists, sets, and maps from Java’s Collections Framework
Iterating through collections
Sorting and searching algorithms

Module 5: Exception Handling and File I/O

Understanding exceptions and errors
Try-catch blocks and custom exceptions
File handling in Java (reading from and writing to files)
Serialization and deserialization

Module 6: Java Development Tools and Best Practices

Using debugging tools and breakpoints in IDEs
Writing clean, readable code (comments, indentation, etc.)
Unit testing with JUnit
Refactoring and performance optimization

Module 7: Advanced Topics (Optional for Advanced Courses)

Multithreading and concurrency in Java
Working with databases (JDBC)
Networking and Java’s socket programming
Introduction to JavaFX for GUI development

Assessment & Evaluation:

Assignments: Weekly programming exercises (40%)
Midterm Exam: A practical coding exam (20%)
Final Project: Building a simple Java application, demonstrating all learned concepts (30%)
Participation and Quizzes: Ongoing quizzes and participation in discussions (10%)

Target Audience:

Beginners who are new to programming
Developers looking to switch to Java
Students in computer science or software engineering courses
Professionals interested in learning Java for backend or mobile development