Eclipse is the world's most popular IDE for Java development. And although there are plenty of large tomes that cover all the nooks and crannies of Eclipse, what you really need is a quick, handy guide to the features that are used over and over again in Java programming. You need answers to basic questions such as: Where was that menu? What does that command do again? And how can I set my classpath on a per-project basis?

This practical pocket guide gets you up to speed quickly with Eclipse. It covers basic concepts, including Views and editors, as well as features that are not commonly understood, such as Perspectives and Launch Configurations. You'll learn how to write and debug your Java code--and how to integrate that code with tools such as Ant and JUnit. You'll also get a toolbox full of tips and tricks to handle common--and sometimes unexpected--tasks that you'll run across in your Java development cycle.

Additionally, the Eclipse IDE Pocket Guide has a thorough appendix detailing all of Eclipse's important views, menus, and commands.

The Eclipse IDE Pocket Guide is just the resource you need for using Eclipse, whether it's on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Put it in your back pocket, or just throw it in your backpack. With this guide in hand, you're ready to tackle the Eclipse programming environment.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 9 Ratings

A great place to start - 2005-11-28
Reviewer Rating:
The most common comment from the people I showed this book to was "I wish I had it when I started using Eclipse".

While this is a very small book, the contents have been selected to give you a best start with the main features of the Eclipse IDE. The topics are short but concise and include scattered tips for the points of interest.

If you're just starting with this IDE, the Eclipse IDE Pocket Guide will give you a great head start and will continue helping you as a lovely reference to refer back to as the features become familiar. Having all of these critical features pointed out earlier will save you a lot of bother in the future, since you'll be annoyed if you only find out about them much later by accident or experimentation!

Experienced users are less likely to get much from it though. The authors made a decision between content and size, and I feel they chose to stick with a smaller, simpler book than I would have expected. There is a final section on places to go for more information, but it just refers to various community sites.

I wish I had this book when I started using Eclipse.

Save your money - 2007-06-14
Reviewer Rating:
I thought this would be a handy little "tips and tricks" reference. It basically just tells you all the obvious stuff you already figured out on your own. Save your money and just use the doc from the internet.

great getting started guide - 2007-01-03
Reviewer Rating:
I've come to expect a lot from O'Reilly guides, and this one didn't let me down. It really helped me past some areas of confusion I had with Eclipse, although I think I may want a larger book eventually that gets into more detail on some of the add-ins.

Exactly what I needed. - 2009-06-21
Reviewer Rating:
When I decided to begin Java development, my only other IDE experience was with Visual Studio. I needed to get up to speed with Eclipse, and did not want to read a 600 - 1000 page book that teaches you every single nook and cranny about the application. This book was exactly what I needed. I wanted a fast read that showed me the "Eclipse way". I even got more than I hoped for in the form of the tips and tricks section and community chapter. The book contains a good intro to JUnit testing, which I did not expect to find in such a small book.

With this book's limited space, it takes the great approach of showing by doing. It has you write several very small programs and then walks you through the features that Eclipse offers to augment that code. While this does not apply to the Tips and Tricks section (there is just too much info to write an individual program for every page), it does give you many links for further reading and investigation.

Overall, I feel like I finished about a 300-page book in only the 2 hours it took me to finish this. I would definitely recommend this for anyone in the position of needing to pick up Eclipse IDE's basic usage very fast.

Great start up guide - 2008-10-25
Reviewer Rating:
Eclipse has tons of options and this guide will get you typing source code within 5 minutes.

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