This book was designed to be used both as a manual and as a guide for programming in the Java language. Although it includes programming techniques, it has been structured around the features of the Java language more than any specific programming instruction program. The main target audience for which this book was written is undergraduate students who do not have much programming experience in Java. Under these conditions, it could be the most appropriate text or guide either for an introductory Java programming course or later for a more advanced computer science course that uses Java. The book was designed to serve the needs of a wide range of users.

The first chapters have been written at a level accessible to beginners, while the sections found in the special frames of these chapters directly respond to the need of more experienced programmers to learn the basic syntax of the Java language. The subsequent chapters have also been designed in an equally accessible way, but are written at a level that is suitable for students who have already made some progress in these more advanced topics.