java example code the java language is easier to understand (and writethan languages such as and +the biggest reason for this is that java doesn' use pointers some people are surprised that pointers aren' necessary for the creation of complex data structures and algorithms in facteliminating pointers makes such code not only easier to write and to understandbut more secure and less prone to errors as well java is modern object-oriented languagewhich means we can use an objectoriented approach for the programming examples this is importantbecause objectoriented programming (oopoffers compelling advantages over the old-fashioned procedural approachand is quickly supplanting it for serious program development don' be alarmed if you aren' familiar with oop it' not that hard to understandespecially in pointer-free environment such as java we'll explain the basics of oop in note like the workshop appletsthe example programs (both source and executable filescan be downloaded from the sams web site who this book is for this book can be used as text in data structures and algorithms coursetypically taught in the second year of computer science curriculum howeverit is also designed for professional programmers and for anyone else who needs to take the next step up from merely knowing programming language because it' easy to understandit is also appropriate as supplemental text to more formal course what you need to know before you read this book the only prerequisite for using this book is knowledge of some programming language although the example code is written in javayou don' need to know java to follow what' happening java is not hard to understandand we've tried to keep the syntax as general as possibleavoiding baroque or java-specific constructions whenever possible of courseit won' hurt if you're already familiar with java knowing +is essentially just as goodbecause java syntax is based so closely on +the differences are minor as they apply to our example programs (except for the welcome elimination of pointers)and we'll discuss them in