Chapter 2. Preparing Your Environment with J2SE 1.4

Terms you'll need to understand:

• Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE)

• Deprecated

Techniques you'll need to master:

• Compiling Java source code files and then running the resulting application from the command line

• Identifying differences between the Java editions

• Recognizing J2SE 1.4 key features

• Knowing how to specify the command line needed to run your application

In this chapter, you review the basics of the Java editions and the differences between them and learn how to install J2SE. The Sun Certified Java Developer (SCJD) certification uses J2SE, not J2EE or J2ME. Most likely, you will use J2SE 1.4 to code your certification project, but you can use 1.3. Your documentation must state which version you use, but any production version is valid when you submit your project. Although many developers already know how to use J2SE, not everyone has actually installed it. Perhaps they work at a company that set it up for them, or maybe they use a fancy Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that hides the command line and has automatically installed Java previously.

The project you upload must include instructions to the evaluator on how to run your application from the command line. If you have not compiled and run Java programs from the command line, perhaps you have used an IDE until this point in your Java career. Therefore, please be careful to test the steps in your instructions so that you can avoid a costly mistake in your project's instructions. It is an automatic failure if the evaluator can't start your otherwise perfect application.

I recommend using a plain editor and command line instead of a commercial IDE for this assignment. Use a good programming text editor (for example, TextPad or UltraEdit) with the Sun Microsystems Software Development Kit (SDK), previously known as the Java Development Kit (JDK). Some people still use the term JDK, but Sun now calls it the SDK.

If you normally use an IDE, jump to the command line for this assignment. That is how the evaluator is going to use your application, so it is best to get used to this mode. This way, you can supply correct instructions in your project upload on how to run your application, and ensure that the application runs properly from your command line.