Synopsis
Based on Bloch and Gafter's standing room only Java Puzzlers talk at JavaOne, the heart of the book comprises over 100 Java programming language puzzlers: brainteasers that challenge the intellect while alerting programmers to the traps, pitfalls, and corner cases that lurk in the nether regions of the Java platform. All of the puzzles from the authors' popular JavaOne presentations are included, as are many puzzles never before seen in public. There are two major types of puzzles in the book. Most of the puzzles take the form of short programs that appear to do something but actually do something else. Readers will be encouraged to predict the behavior of the program before running it. After running the program, readers will be encouraged to figure out why it behaved as it did before consulting the solution. In a second type of puzzle, the reader will be asked to write a short program that performs some specific task. Most of the solutions will contain a "moral," a rule the reader can follow to avoid the problematic behavior demonstrated in the puzzle.The puzzles are grouped into chapters based on the primary platform features they exercise and to maximize readability, fun, and pedagogical effectiveness.
From the Back Cover
"Every programming language has its quirks. This lively book reveals oddities of the Java programming language through entertaining and thought-provoking programming puzzles."
--Guy Steele, Sun Fellow and coauthor of The Java™ Language Specification
"I laughed, I cried, I threw up (my hands in admiration)."
--Tim Peierls, president, Prior Artisans LLC, and member of the JSR 166 Expert Group
How well do you really know Java? Are you a code sleuth? Have you ever spent days chasing a bug caused by a trap or pitfall in Java or its libraries? Do you like brainteasers? Then this is the book for you!
In the tradition of Effective Java™, Bloch and Gafter dive deep into the subtleties of the Java programming language and its core libraries. Illustrated with visually stunning optical illusions, Java™ Puzzlers features 95 diabolical puzzles that educate and entertain. Anyone with a working knowledge of Java will understand the puzzles, but even the most seasoned veteran will find them challenging.
Most of the puzzles take the form of a short program whose behavior isn't what it seems. Can you figure out what it does? Puzzles are grouped loosely according to the features they use, and detailed solutions follow each puzzle. The solutions go well beyond a simple explanation of the program's behavior--they show you how to avoid the underlying traps and pitfalls for good. A handy catalog of traps and pitfalls at the back of the book provides a concise taxonomy for future reference.
Solve these puzzles and you'll never again fall prey to the counterintuitive or obscure behaviors that can fool even the most experienced programmers.
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