Java Structures: Data Structures in Java for the Principled Programmer - Softcover

Bailey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071261206 ISBN 13: 9780071261203

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2002

Synopsis

The second edition of Duane Bailey's "Java Structures" considers the design, implementation, and use of data structures using Java 2. The structure package, a collection of nearly 100 different classes implementing a wide variety of data structures, has been the basis of Java Structures for more than five years. Thousands of faculty, students, researchers, industrial and recreational programmers have investigated this lean and well tested approach to data structure design. In this edition, the text develops a heavily tested package that is independent of but consistent with the Collection package offered by Sun. In many cases, the variety of implementations provides the programmer choices of data structure that are not available with the Collection system. For those curricula that make use of the Collection package, the structure package can be easily integrated into existing applications. All classes are fully documented and make consistent use of pre- and post-conditioning, and include support for assertion testing. The second edition also brings a wealth of new resources, including a large number of new and original exercises and drill problems. Throughout the text, exercises appear in the running text to direct a deeper consideration of subtle issues by students. Perhaps, the most innovative feature (first found in Bailey's "Java Elements") is the inclusion of more than a dozen original lab exercises that focus on interesting and often classic problems of computer science. All code for the book's examples, documentation, and the "Structure" package is posted on the book's website.

About this title

From the Author

The principles of good design from one programmer to another
Having taught this material for a number of years, I've received pounds of books on programming data structures. Carrying these books, my arms have become quite long. A week ago, my bookshelf was ripped from the wall. This book fights this trend: it's brief and to the point. With 20 pages of reading a week, you can conquer this text in the shortest of NBA seasons.

It is accompanied by a full suite of 50+ classes ready to be used or torn apart. All are described in a readable manner. (There are, for example, some jokes, subtle references to literature, not-so-subtle Berkshire restaurant recommendations, and just a little social commentary.)

This book also ventures to make statements about data structure design that are rare in such texts --- I give the reader good reasons to want to think about why designs are good or bad, and how to make design decisions armed with a few basic principles. After having worked in the both in industry and in academe, I think it's important that authors provide good examples of design, fully tested and worked through carefully. The result, I think is a polished contribution to my community.

There are many good exercises, some with answers. My students will be pleased to know that my exams were distilled to provide problems that make you think. Studing these problems will make my exams and, in general, data struture design, just a little bit easier.

I asked the book be published in hardcover because I want the reader to feel comfortable holding onto this text as a manual of design when they use my data structures, or better yet, design their own. If you don't buy the book, at least get the software and use it with the book of your choice!

Enjoy, and please, review this book, or send me your comments! --- duane (bailey@cs.williams.edu)

Edition details

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0071261206
• ISBN 13: 9780071261203
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2