But this isn't just a book for beginners! Our self-paced approach also works for experienced programmers, helping you learn Java faster and better than you've ever learned a language before. By the time you're through, you will have mastered all of the Java skills that are needed on the job, including the skills for developing object-oriented applications that use a graphical user interface (GUI) and a database.

To make this possible, section 1 of this book presents a 9-chapter course that gets anyone off to a great start building object-oriented applications in Java. Then, the next 3 sections build on that base by presenting more on object-oriented programming, the essentials for developing GUIs, and additional skills that every professional Java programmer should have, including how to work with a database.