Introduction to Java

This text consists of a set of succinct lecture notes introducing computer programming in Java for AP® Computer Science A students. These notes are intended to act as a course companion, not necessarily a standalone text for self-study unless the reader already has some familiarity with studying programming languages. The text covers all ten units of the AP® Computer Science A exam from the Fall 2020 edition of the Course and Exam Description (the most recent as of the publication of this work), a brief introductory unit on setting up and installing Java, and a code editor, and a bonus unit on extra concepts from beyond the AP® subset that are especially useful in real-world applications. Some key topics that may be covered include basic programming concepts, such as variables, data types, control structures, and functions, Object-Oriented Programming principles (encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism), using Java libraries, parsing data, algorithms and data structures (searching and sorting), and advanced Java features such as generic typing and Functional Programming. Overall, this text provides a thorough foundation in programming concepts and techniques, as well as the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the AP® Computer Science A course and exam, including pitfalls that students should learn to avoid.