Who Should Read This Book? (Java & XML, 2nd Edition)

0.2. Who Should Read This Book?

This book is based on the premise that XML is quickly becoming (and to some extent has already become) an essential part of Java programming. The chapters instruct you in the use of XML and Java, and other than in Chapter 1, "Introduction", they do not focus on if you should use XML. If you are a Java developer, you should use XML, without question. For this reason, if you are a Java programmer, want to be a Java programmer, manage Java programmers, or are associated with a Java project, this book is for you. If you want to advance, become a better developer, write cleaner code, or have projects succeed on time and under budget; if you need to access legacy data, need to distribute system components, or just want to know what the XML hype is about, this book is for you.

I tried to make as few assumptions about you as possible; I don't believe in setting the entry point for XML so high that it is impossible to get started. However, I also believe that if you spent your money on this book, you want more than the basics. For this reason, I only assumed that you know the Java language and understand some server-side programming concepts (such as Java servlets and Enterprise JavaBeans). If you have never coded Java before or are just getting started with the language, you may want to read Learning Java by Pat Niemeyer and Jonathan Knudsen (O'Reilly) before starting this book. I do not assume that you know anything about XML, and start with the basics. However, I do assume that you are willing to work hard and learn quickly; for this reason we move rapidly through the basics so that the bulk of the book can deal with advanced concepts. Material is not repeated unless appropriate, so you may need to reread previous sections or flip back and forth as we use previously covered concepts in later chapters. If you know some Java, want to learn XML, and are prepared to enter some example code into your favorite editor, you should be able to get through this book without any real problem.