Java Programming: A Comprehensive Introduction is designed for an introductory programming course using Java. This text takes a logical approach to the presentation of core topics, moving step-by-step from the basics to more advanced material, with objects being introduced at the appropriate time. The book is divided into three parts:

• Part One covers the elements of the Java language and the fundamentals of programming. An introduction to object-oriented design is also included.
• Part Two introduces GUI (Graphical User Interface) programming using Swing.
• Part Three explores key aspects of Java's API (Application Programming Interface) library, including the Collections Framework and the concurrency API.

Herb Schildt has written many successful programming books in Java, C++, C, and C#. His books have sold more than three million copies. Dale Skrien is a professor at Colby College with degrees from the University of Illinois-Champaign, the University of Washington, and St. Olaf College. He's also authored two books and is very active in SIGCSE.