We don’t teach you Java in this book, but in this chapter we’ll help you understand the special use of Java within Android. Many people can benefit from this chapter: students who have learned some Java but haven’t yet stumbled over the real-life programming dilemmas it presents, programmers from other mobile environments who have used other versions of Java but need to relearn some aspects of the language in the context of Android programming, and Java programmers in general who are new to Android’s particular conventions and requirements.

If you find this chapter too fast-paced, pick up an introductory book on Java. If you follow along all right but a particular concept described in this chapter remains unclear to you, you might refer to the Java tutorial at http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17409_01/javase/tutorial/index.html.