Beginning programming textbooks usually concentrate on
two topics: the programming language and the
general ideas the programming language constructs implement.
This is good, but there are basic program development
techniques that are often not taught, but which
make program development much easier, and which are
used by professional programmers for maximum effectiveness.
Basic techniques
Every programmer, beginner or more advanced, should use
these techniques where possible.
Save your programs -- you may be able to use them as the
nucleus for another program.
Create you own library. When you write a good
general class or method, add it to this library.
Refactor (rewrite) parts of a
program if you realize there is a better way. A better
written program will be less likely to have bugs and will
be easier to extend for the next iteration.
Use an IDE (Integrated Development Environment), eg, NetBeans,
Eclipse,
or JBuilder (see IDEs.
A Java IDE requires learning, and therefore may not be a good
choice for beginning programmers. However, after you are
comfortable developing simple Java programs with a text editor
and the JDK, the advantages
of an IDE for creating user interfaces and debugging can be
significant. As with all tools, learn to use it well.
Check the menus for options that might be useful.