The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide: Programmer's and Developers Exams (With CD-ROM)

Newly revised and updated for Java 2 standards, the second edition of The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide is packed with information on what you'll need to know to pass both the Sun Java Programmer and Developer Exams. With Java certification becoming ever more popular, this title is an essential resource for anyone who's preparing for it. The cover of the book asserts that one of its team authors actually contributes questions to Sun's tests. The goal here isn't so much to beat the testmakers (although the book has plenty to say about test-taking strategy) as it is to master the finer points of Java that you'll need to understand to succeed on the exam. The focus is on the areas that Sun has defined as important. The Programmer Exam--the first level of Sun certification--is covered first. Basic language features are reviewed, such as access specifiers, operators, and other keywords that will help make you an expert. (Some sections explain with great clarity the mysteries of Java's "extra" shift operator and other features.) Other chapters cover threads and multithreading strategies, as well as user-interface design with layout managers (which Sun considers important). The second half of the volume concentrates on the Developer Exam, a more free-form exercise in which programmers write custom code, based on a specification from Sun. Two case studies, one for a room-scheduling application and another for a trouble-ticket system that tracks requests for technical support, illustrate this test. As the solution is presented, you'll learn how to build custom client/server software, and how to use Remote Method Invocation (RMI) and other advanced techniques. There's also advice for the best programming styles and choices for passing this challenging exam.