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Getting Started with Java

Before you can develop Java applications, you must download the Java Java Development Kit (JDK). This is free and can be downloaded from Java Downloads. Although you can use a program like Notepad to write programs in Java, it is easier if you use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). There are several out there. We will look at three free IDEs and how to install and configure them to begin developing with Java.

BlueJ (www.blueJ.org): BlueJ is an easy to use IDE that was developed as part of a university research project about teaching object-orientation to beginners. BlueJ is a highly interactive and visual IDE geared towards first year programmers.
JCreator LE (www.jcreator.org): JCreator is the development tool for programmers of every level, from learning programmer to Java-specialist. It has many great features like code coloring. For $89, you can buy the professional version which includes many of the features you would find in more expensive development tools (i.e. debugging, auto-completion, wizards).
Eclipse (www.eclipse.org): Eclipse is an open source project that provides an IDE to develop in a wide variety of different languages (Java, PHP, C, C++, ...). It is the most sophisticated of the three IDEs and is therefore the most complicated to use. But, don't let that scare you. If you are serious about becoming a programmer, learning to use Eclipse is well worth it. When downloading, download the Eclipse IDE for Java Developers.

Installing the JDK

After downloading the JDK and an IDE, the first step is to install the JDK. Installing the JDK is straightforward. If you run into any problems, please consult the documentation for help.

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