Looking ahead: what's in store for you

Units 3, 4 and 5 will focus on data structures, sorting and searching:

• We got a small taste of data structures when we used the mysterious arraylist in Module 0.

• Using the arraylist made sense but we don't know how it works. That is, if we had to write code to implement an arraylist, how would we do it?

• Units 3-5 will focus on three types types of core data structures: linked lists, queues and stacks.
  • We'll begin by reviewing multidimensional arrays and going a little deeper.
  • Remember the parentheses-matching problem? We will see how easy that becomes when we learn how to use a stack.
  • Likewise, we will learn not only how to use data structures for problems but also how to build them.

• We will also get a first glimpse at even more powerful data structures called trees (we'll see why they are so named), and the rather cool-sounding hash tables.

• Each of these data structures turn out to be useful in different applications and are a foundational building block.

• They are also a favorite technical interview question.

• Along with data structures, we will learn to use a powerful, yet initially strange, approach to programming: recursion.
  • In recursion, a method is written to call itself.
  • This appears weird, but if used correctly, can elegantly solve many problems.

• Lastly, we'll learn a few simple ideas in performing sorting and searching. Both are computational building blocks that are useful as parts of other applications.

And what about units 6-8?

• These units have two goals: (1) understanding objects; and (2) building applications.
• At this time, many aspects of building an application have been hidden behind tools created to simplify such as DrawTool or IOTool.

• Beyond input-output and drawing, we will need to understand:
  • How to build an interface with buttons, menus and such.
  • How to enable communication between programs (such as phone-to-server).
  • How to write code that sits behind websites.

• A significant part of the course will address objects.
  • Objects are Java entities that allow constructing larger units that combine both methods and data structures.
  • Such entities can then be used many times and in different ways.
  • Objects are also an approach to organizing large volumes of code, and simplifying the interactions between multiple people who contribute to a single application.

• Lastly, we will also learn a new programming language, the C language.
  • Yes, the name is just that one letter. And yes, there were prior abandoned attempts called A and B.
  • C is a somewhat more basic and not as friendly to use as Java, but powerful in some aspects.
  • The latter property makes C the language of choice for so-called embedded applications: code that runs on small devices.