Java Fundamentals

A structured teaching reference and learning companion for foundational Java programming. This repo is designed to be used alongside the course syllabus — each chapter contains annotated examples, lesson notes, and exercises to reinforce the concepts.

Who This Is For

• Learners new to Java but familiar with basic programming concepts
• Those using this as a refresher before moving into Java Web development
• Instructors using this as a live teaching reference

Prerequisites

• Java JDK 21 installed (Download)
• IntelliJ IDEA (Community or Ultimate) (Download)
• Basic understanding of what a program is

How to Use This Repo

1. Open the entire java-fundamentals folder as a project in IntelliJ
2. IntelliJ will detect the Gradle setup automatically — let it sync
3. Navigate to any chapter folder
4. Read the README.md for the lesson overview and objectives
5. Read notes.md for deeper concept explanations
6. Explore src/examples/ — run the code, read the comments
7. Attempt src/exercises/ on your own before checking src/solutions/

Course Map

#	Chapter	Key Concepts
01	Getting Started	Hello World, program structure, IDE basics
02	Variables	Primitives, data types, type casting
03	Classes and Objects	Classes, constructors, fields, methods
04	Control Flow	Conditionals, switch, operators
05	Arrays and Loops	Arrays, for/while/for-each loops
06	ArrayLists	Dynamic lists, generics, common methods
07	String Methods	String manipulation, StringBuilder
08	Encapsulation and Scope	Access modifiers, getters/setters, static
09	Inheritance and Polymorphism	extends, super, overriding, interfaces
10	Debugging	Common errors, IntelliJ debugger, breakpoints
11	2D Arrays	Multi-dimensional arrays, traversal

Moving Forward

After completing this repo, see BRIDGE.md for your transition guide to java-web.

Running Individual Chapter Examples

Each chapter is a Gradle module. To run an example in IntelliJ:

• Right-click any main() method → Run
• Or use the green play button in the gutter