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I recently became interested in programing but have no idea where to start. I downloaded jre6 and an IDE (I had to look up what that meant on wikipedia) and made a 'hello world' program but I don't really know what to do next. Does anyone have any good recommendations for a book aimed at the absolute entry level?
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what are the best books/sites for an absolute beginner?5 Replies
I think the best way to learn Java mainly object-oriented is with this book: http://www.bluej.org/objects-first/
Sorry, but it isn't from Oreilly  Second I think the book "Java & XML" from Oreilly is very good - it's an older book, but I think it is still a good choice.
I know I'm biased (I edited the book), but I highly recommend Head First Programming, by Paul Barry and David Griffiths. It uses Python in its examples but is a great start for learning basic programming concepts that apply for any language. And it gets you way past "Hello World" with a much more interesting first program quite early in Chapter 1.
Learn more about this topic from Head First Programming.
If you have little or no programming experience, this book will get you started with the core concepts of writing computer programs -- variables, decisions, loops, functions, and objects -- which apply regardless of the programming language. Learn the basic tools and start writing code in the programming languages that interest you, and get a better understanding of what software can (and cannot) do. 
Is it Java that you particularly want to learn, or are you interested in learning programming in general? The most popular language at the moment according to tiobe.com is Java, but C, PHP, Visual Basic, Python, Perl and Javascript are right behind.
If you are an absolute beginner you might want to look at learning some Javascript because it's very easy to test in your browser without downloading an IDE or anything else. It is also a good start if you are interested in programming for the web. If so I would recommend PHP as a second language to learn. You may also wish to add database skills with a program such as MySQL. My book Learning PHP, MySQL & Javascript will teach you all these. But I also recommend the following two excellent books, also from O'Reilly: Head First Javascript Head First PHP & MySQL
If 'books/sites' includes video learning you should check out O'Reilly's Great Java videos - Excellent step by step instruction for newbies.
Learn more about this topic from Great Java.
Great Java: Level 1 will teach you the fundamentals of Java, from the basics of compilation through methods, objects, and the key concepts of good programming. By the time you're through these lessons, you'll be programming, and programming well. Throughout the course, you'll progressively learn to code and compile programs, work extensively with text, and declare, convert, and cast between data types. You'll also read files, get user input, and build arrays, including multi-dimensional arrays. Finally, you'll move into objects, modeling your data and behavior into core Java structures. When you buy Great Java: Level 1, you get access to an entire video library of lessons-including lessons that aren't available yet! Here's the scoop: we're continually adding new sections in Level 1 that take you further into Java. We're also updating existing lessons and creating new ones in response to your questions, along with special "challenge lessons" that will test your skills. All of this is yours with Great Java: Level 1.
Comment by
ackack9000
: Jan 28 2010 07:56 PM
Thank you everyone! I decided to order Head First Programing because I'm not dead set on learning Java first, and it looks like it is the most entry-level book of the options put forward.
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