AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Classes and Objects

In this computer science course, you will learn the basics of programming in the Java language, and cover topics relevant to the AP Computer Science A course and exam.

This course will cover:

• classes
• objects and object-oriented design
• fields and visibility
• constructors, mutators and accessor methods
• encapsulation
• interfaces
• the List interface
• method overriding

This course is for anyone interested in taking a first-level computer-programming course, particularly those who attend a school that does not provide a similar class.

No previous programming knowledge is needed, but it is recommended that learners be comfortable with the topics addressed in AP Computer Science A: Java Programming and AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Data Structures and Loops.

We are looking forward to helping you explore this exciting new world!

Unit Name or Timeframe: Methods and Classes (3 weeks)

• Object-oriented design and encapsulation
• Top-down development and functional decomposition
• State and behavior
• Fields and visibility
• Methods and parameters
• Calling methods and passing parameters by-value and by-reference
• Constructors and instantiation
• The static keyword
• Scope
• Method overloading
• Encapsulation
• Accessors and mutators
• Immutable objects

Unit Name or Timeframe: Interfaces (1 week)

• Interfaces and abstraction
• Interface implementation
• Reference types
• List interface and iterators
• Comparable interface

Unit Name or Timeframe: Inheritance (2 weeks)

• Inheritance and the Object class
• Public and private data and methods
• The super, this and null references
• Encapsulation and information hiding
• Inheritance using extends, recognizing single-inheritance
• Equality vs identity
• has-a vs is-a relationships involving inheritance and aggregation
• Method overriding
• The instanceof operator