Java Documentation

Introduction to Java on Microsoft

Java is a powerful, class-based, object-oriented programming language. It is designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. Java allows developers to write code once and run it on any platform that supports Java without needing recompilation.

Microsoft provides robust support for Java development through various tools and platforms, including Visual Studio, Azure, and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Getting Started with Java

Begin your Java journey with these essential resources:

• Download JDK: Get the latest Java Development Kit (JDK) from Oracle or use a distribution like OpenJDK.
• Set up your Environment: Configure your development environment with popular IDEs like Visual Studio Code (with Java extensions), IntelliJ IDEA, or Eclipse.
• First Program: Write and run your first "Hello, World!" program to verify your setup.

public class HelloWorld {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello, World!");
    }
}

Core Java APIs

Dive into the fundamental Java Application Programming Interfaces (APIs):

Key Java Language Features

Understand and utilize the powerful features of the Java language:

• Object-Oriented Programming: Classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation.
• Exception Handling: Using try-catch-finally blocks to manage runtime errors gracefully.
• Generics: Type-safe collections and methods.
• Annotations: Metadata for code elements.
• Lambda Expressions & Streams (Java 8+): Functional programming constructs for more concise code.

// Using a List and a lambda to filter elements
List<String> names = Arrays.asList("Alice", "Bob", "Charlie");
names.stream()
     .filter(name -> name.startsWith("A"))
     .forEach(System.out::println);

Advanced Java Topics

Explore more complex and specialized areas of Java development:

• JVM Internals: Understanding the Java Virtual Machine, garbage collection, and memory management.
• Java EE / Jakarta EE: Enterprise-level application development.
• Spring Framework: A popular framework for building robust enterprise applications.
• Microservices: Designing and building distributed systems.
• Performance Tuning: Optimizing Java applications for speed and efficiency.

Tutorials and Guides

Follow step-by-step tutorials to learn specific skills:

Sample Code & Projects

Explore real-world examples and starter projects:

• GitHub Repositories: Find official and community projects on GitHub.
• Microsoft Samples: Browse curated samples on the MSDN documentation site.
• Open Source Contributions: Learn how to contribute to open-source Java projects.