Part 1 — Java Fundamentals

3 lectures (CM) · 5 lab sessions (TD) · ~4 weeks

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Objectives

By the end of Part 1 you will be able to:

• Write and compile Java programs using Maven and VSCodium
• Understand the key differences between Java and Python
• Design classes with proper encapsulation, constructors, and toString()
• Use ArrayList, HashMap, and Stack
• Handle exceptions with try/catch and write custom exception classes
• Read and write text files
• Apply inheritance, abstract classes, and interfaces
• Override equals() and hashCode()

Thread: the Car class

All three CMs and TDs share a common example — the Car class — which grows in complexity across the three sessions:

• CM1/TD1 — basic Car: fields, constructor, toString(), references
• CM2/TD2 — FleetManager: HashMap<String, Car>, custom exceptions, file I/O
• CM3 — ElectricCar, Convertible, Startable: inheritance, overriding, interfaces — TD3 then applies these ideas to fresh Shape & Animal hierarchies

Resources

Resource	Link
Setup tutorial	VSCodium & Maven
CM1 slides	PDF
CM2 slides	PDF
CM3 slides	PDF
TD1	VSCodium, Maven & Car
TD-Git	Version Control with Git
TD2	Collections & Exceptions
TD3	Inheritance & Polymorphism
TD-Modern	Modern Java — Streams, Records & Lambdas
Bonus TD	Polynomial Arithmetic