Getting Started with Java (for Windows)

    New to Java? Need to get into it quickly and without a ton of fuss with your computer? You've come to the right place.

    First, install VSCode. If you plan on programming with any language, you want this on your machine anyway. I use VSCode for both game design and school work, but I've known career programmers who use it for their own work. 

    Visual Studio has excellent documentation for getting started with their program, other wise you can just jump right in.

    https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/setup/setup-overview

    https://code.visualstudio.com/download

    Next, you'll want to install the following extensions:

    Navigate to your extensions with the grid icon on the bottom of the vertical menu to the left side of your screen. Search for new extensions in the textbox and hit the install button on the ones you need.

    Finally, you'll need to actually download the Java Development Kit (JDK) from Windows.

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/java/openjdk/download

    I'm using version 17.0, but you can get the latest version if you'd rather. 

    Now that we've covered the how, lets get into the why. "Why do I want to learn Java anyway?" You, dear reader, want to learn Java because Object Oriented Programming (OOP) languages are useful at work and employers love to see it on a resume. Programs built with OOP are more scalable, so they'll allow for growth-mindset. OOP is used in everything from OS Kernals to Game Engines and Enterprise Systems.

    "But why Java specifically," I hear you asking. Because it's boring. I hate that answer, but it's the truth. You would be shocked at how many systems still run on Java. It's stable, predictable, and everybody recognizes it even if most people aren't trained on it anymore. It's worth having as a tool in your belt. Furthermore, lots of modern languages like C# borrow principles from Java.