Java Getting Started Prerequisite

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I. Introduction

Let’s start this course by going through the requirements that we will need to do Java programming as well as the resources, tools, websites and 3rd party services that we will need as we go along the path of becoming a Java developer.

II. Computer Specs

Java programming for a beginner does not really need a high specs computer, in fact, I started with an Intel Celeron 333, with only 32MB of ram back when I was in college. Can you imagine that :-)? At the very least, I would suggest that you get a decent i3 processor with 8GB of ram and at least 128GB of SSD. Yes, SSD, it’s expensive but it’s a big factor in increasing the overall performance of our machine. From compiling to running our application on top of JVM

III. IDEs for Java Development

Here are some of the most popular IDE for Java Development.

1. Eclipse - totally free with a lot of freely available plugins.
1. https://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
2. Has 118,300 questions in stackoverflow
2. Intellij - commercial license but has a community edition.
1. https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/#section=windows
2. https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/features/editions_comparison_matrix.html
3. This comparison shows that the community version is very limited in terms of backend development such as using the Spring framework.
4. Has 65,621 results in stackoverflow
3. Spring STS - a customized eclipse IDE for Spring development.
1. https://spring.io/tools
4. Visual Studio Code - from Microsoft. The most lightweight in the group and pretty popular lately not just in the Java community but also in frontend development as well such as Html, angular and react. It has a lot of freely available plugins
1. https://code.visualstudio.com

IV. Project/Ticket Management

To help you plan and execute your day to day task and possibly manage your project in the near future, I’m sharing 2 tools that I normally use for ticket or project management.

1. Trello - For personal planning. Kanban-style list-making application. Kanban is primarily concerned with process improvements.
1. https://trello.com
2. https://trello.com/en/pricing
2. GitScrum - Is a project management tool for agile teams. Scrum is concerned in getting more work done faster.
1. https://site.gitscrum.com
2. https://site.gitscrum.com/pricing

V. Developer’s Tools

1. Dropbox - file hosting service that offers cloud storage and file synchronization. It has a mobile app.
1. Signup Link
2. Google Docs - a web-based application in which office documents can be created, edited and stored. It has a mobile app.
1. https://www.google.com/docs/about
3. Notepad++ - is a text and source code editor for Windows users.
1. https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads
4. MobaXterm - it’s a toolbox for remote computing and offers Unix commands to windows users.
1. https://mobaxterm.mobatek.net
5. ExamDiff - it’s a visual utility for comparing 2 files or folders.
1. https://www.prestosoft.com/edp_examdiff.asp
6. Agent Ransack - a search tool for finding files in your local computer or network.
1. https://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack

VI. Where to Get Help

1. stackoverflow.com - is a question and answer site for professionals. It’s without a doubt the most popular.
2. github.com - Provides code hosting for software development version using Git. Actual codes can be searched here.
3. javatpoint.com - It contains a lot of Java tutorials and source codes.
4. geeksforgeeks.org - It contains a lot of Java tutorials and source codes.
5. tutorialspoint.com - It contains a lot of Java tutorials and source codes.

VII. References, Resources

• Eclipse plugins - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUNbDEwSu6c&list=PLSHOgbzs-c8uR8c4JSmavL8bYMYUh_Pq6