This chapter sets the stage for the next ones. Here we cover how to get Eclipse up and running. Further, we also briefly describe what is new in this new version of the Integrated Development Environment (IDE). If you do not have any interest in knowing what new features have been added to Eclipse, you can safely skip this chapter.
We also cover how you should approach this book, where we answer questions, such as "Do I need to read the chapters in the sequence in which they appear in the book?" and "This book is riddled with tip boxes; do I need to read each and every one of them?".
Summing up, the contents of this chapter are as follows:
- Downloading Eclipse
- Installing Eclipse
- New and noteworthy features in Eclipse Juno
As mentioned, we assume that you know Java (we expect you to know at least the basics) and, most importantly, that you have a working knowledge of computers. After all, we will not cover the nitty-gritty details of how to unpack files, create directories, find a file, start a program, and configure environment variables.
As you will see, in each chapter there are boxes containing tips and pitfalls regarding Eclipse, Java, and, sometimes, the topic at hand. These boxes are meant to help you get the most out of the underlying chapter's content, so do not skip them.
Although this book follows a tutorial-like approach, you do not need to read the chapters in the sequence in which they appear in the book. All chapters are self contained. You can read the chapters in this book in any particular order.