Objects First with Java: A Practical Introduction using BlueJ, 7th edition

Published by Pearson (June 4, 2025) © 2026

  • David J. Barnes University of Kent
  • Michael Kölling University of Kent

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ISBN-13: 9780138123215 (2025 update)
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Title overview

Objects First with Java introduces object-oriented programming from a software engineering perspective. The text integrates BlueJ, an interactive Java development environment that visualizes class structure. BlueJ lets you create and test objects, offering a better understanding than you would from simply reading source code. Unlike traditional textbooks, the chapters are not ordered by language features but by software development concepts. 

The 7th Edition reflects the latest features and capabilities of Java with new material, code examples, GUI JavaFX code samples and more. It is thoroughly updated to include all recent Java language additions, and now introduces the concepts and technologies to support teams more formally.

Table of contents

  • 1. Objects and classes  
  • 2. Understanding class definitions  
  • 3. Object interaction  
  • 4. Grouping objects  
  • 5. Functional processing of collections
  • 6. More-sophisticated behavior          
  • 7. Fixed-size collections: arrays  
  • 8. Designing classes  
  • 9. Well-behaved objects 
  • 10. Working in teams
  • 11. Recursion  
  • 12. Improving structure with inheritance
  • 13. More about inheritance 
  • 14. Further abstraction techniques 
  • 15. Data-oriented classes  
  • 16. A brief history of Java  
  • 17. Building graphical user interfaces 
  • 18. Handling errors 
  • 19. Designing applications 
  • 20. A case study

Appendices  

  • A. Working with a BlueJ project 
  • B. Java data types               
  • C. Operators                 
  • D. Java control structures  
  • E. Running Java without BlueJ  
  • F. Using the debugger 
  • G. JUnit unit-testing tools  
  • H. Teamwork tools  
  • I. Javadoc  
  • J. Program style guide  
  • K. Important library classes
  • L. Concept glossary

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