Essential Java for AP CompSci: From Programming to Computer Science

Gain the essential skills for computer science using one of today’s most popular programming languages, Java. This book will prepare you for AP CompSci Complete, but you don’t need to be sitting that class to benefit. Computer science has become a basic life skill that everyone is going to need to learn. Whether you are going into a career or side hustle in business, technology, creativity, architecture, or almost any other field, you will find coding and computer science play a role.

So when we learn programming we are going to focus on three things: what is the process; what is the syntax; and what is the flow. The process is represented as a flowchart. We will learn how to make these to help you plan out what you are going to do before you write a line of code. At first, the flowcharts will be pretty simple, but then they will get more complex. The syntax is the code: this is what you write that translates the process you create in a flowchart to the instructions that the computer can understand. Finally, there is the flow. This is where you trace through the code and see how the data and information it stores along the way changes. You can see how the operation of the program cascades from line to line. You will be building charts that will capture the programming flow so you can better understand how the computer processes code to make your next program easier to conceive and code.

Along the way to aid in the learning of the essential Java skills, there will be three kinds of project types throughout this book: business software projects for applications where you work for a company and need to complete an internal project for a team such as the sales, marketing, or data science teams; social good projects where you are working for non-profits or for agencies that are trying to research and provide solutions to economic, environmental, medical, or humanitarian projects; and game development projects for games based on player input, random chance, or other mechanics for the use of entertainment.

What is unique about computer science is how it has become a skill, and not just a career. While there are jobs and titles of “computer scientist”, the skill of computer science, and specifically programming, are almost everywhere. After reading and using this book, you’ll have the essential skills to think like a computer scientist, even if you are not. As a result you’ll be of greater value to your clients, your company, and yourself.

What You Will Learn

Discover the primary building blocks of programming using the Java programming language
• See terminology and best practices of software development
• Work with object-oriented programming concepts
• Use common-language definitions and examples to help drive understanding and comprehension of computer science fundamentals

Who This Book Is For

Those who want to learn programming and want to think like a computer scientist. Ideal for anyone taking AP CompSci Complete.