Tools
You will need to have on your computer:
- An editor to write Java code, we’ll use Visual Studio Code, install it from here.
- Install the JDK (Java Development Kit) when prompted.
- Install the Extension Pack for Java.
- The command line to compile and execute your programs.
Command line. The command line is a text interface to interact with the computer, it is already installed in your computer. It’s a program that takes in commands, which it passes on to the computer’s operating system to run. From the command line, you can navigate through files and folders on your computer, just as you would with a file graphic navigation interface.
Short videos on how to use basic command line commands:
VSCode has a builtin console, here is a list of commands.
Writing your first Java program. How to video on how to use VSCode and the command line (console).
iLab machines. You can remotely use the machines located in the computer science department to do your Java programs. Here is a how to video explaining how to use the iLab machines to create Java programs. This video walks you through installing Putty on your laptop and using it to access iLab Computers.
If you have a Chromebook (and we suggest you get a laptop so you can load software, but if that Chromebook is what’s handy…) you can login to an iLab computer with just a browser window using Weblogin and Apache Guacamole. You can do this from a browser on your laptop as well and save yourself the trouble of loading putty like we do above.