Head First Servlets and JSP: Passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam (SCWCD)

If you have been a Java Programmer, but never had the chance to spend much time building dynamic Java web applications...then this is the book for you. Some Head First books are high-in-chatter, but low-in-content. However, Head First Servlets & JSP somehow manages to cover more material than the classic "Core Servlets & javaServerPages" book from Sun Microsystems; And make the learning fun. (ex: Core Servlets doesn't cover JSTL or web security, but Head First Servlets does). The only downside -- Head First books are great learning books, but not good reference books. So plan to supplement your learning with another Servlet/JSP book, or downloaded materials from the Internet (starting with the Servlet/JSP specifications).

I bought this book to prepare for SCWCD. I read every page of the book and didn't miss any of the exercises. Within 10days I could crack SCWCD with 85% score. Thanks to the authors. Even if you are not planning to take the certifications, it's still a good book if you want to master the J2EE fundamentals.

What can I say: these "Head First" books are great. Most of it is because of the way they are written, but part of it is due to the complexity of the subject matter they address. Maybe one reason people seem to like them so much is because this stuff is complicated, and these books explain things quite clearly in understandable (and sometimes humorous) language. This book is geared towards passing the certification exam, and as such tends to focus on smaller bits of digestible information, i.e., so you can answer typical exam questions. If you are really serious about becoming a servlet/JSP developer, I recommend checking out another O'Reilly book: "JavaServer Pages" by Hans Bergsten. Why? Because while Heard First's strength is trees, JavaServer Page's strength is the forest itself. It presents definitions, concepts, and well-written examples of real-life (albeit somewhat small) web applications that tie the myriad of server-side APIs together in a coherent manner.

As big as it is, with as many pages as it has, the web is really in its infancy. New technologies are constantly being developed. Some of these will suceed and some will not. It's pretty clear, however, that one of the surviving technologies will be Sun's Java Server Pages and Servlets. And if you're looking for someone to hire to do these on your web site, you might ask the prospective employee if they know Servlets and JSP. One person says "Sure," the other says "Sure, and I've passed the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam." Which is going to get a step up in your hiring plans. This book has two (maybe three) goals, one is to teach you about the subject, the other is to help you pass the exam. The third possible goal is to do these two with a light heartedness and humor that can help you stay awake when your studying something a bit less interesting than say the Kama Sutra. Thys style won't suit everyone - does anything suit everyone. The result to me, is a book that accomplishes all of these goals quite well.

Looking for either an enjoyable intro into JSP and Servlets or material on passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer exam? Grab a copy of Head First Servlets & JSP by Bryan Basham, Kathy Sierra, and Bert Bates. It rocks... Chapter list: Intro; Why use Servlets & JSPs; Web app architecture; Mini MVC tutorial; Being a servlet; Being a web app; Conversational state; Being a JSP; Script-free pages; Custom tags are powerful; When JSTL is not enough; Deploying your web app; Keep it secret, keep it safe; The power of filters; Enterprise design patterns; Final mock exam; Index I've stated my preference in the past to learning subjects with a bit of humor thrown in. OK... a *lot* of humor. If I have a chance to pick up a new tech skill with a study guide that makes me laugh and stay interested, I'm in heaven. Is it any wonder then that I absolutely love the Head First series? Bates and Sierra have created a concept that is unlike anything else on the market. Through the use of cartoons, hand-drawn examples, off-beat questions, and other various types of learning material, they engage your brain on a number of levels. And as a result, you're sucked in and learning stuff in spite of yourself. In this installment, they tackle the subject of servlets and JSPs. Rather than try and explain things "technically", they have a common cast of characters throughout the book making observations and points about the material. Using the hand-drawn notes around illustrations and code, you quickly understand the underlying concepts of what happens with servlet requests and responses, and how JSPs interact with the web server. And given that there are exercises and questions at the end of each chapter (along with the answers), you have a chance to reinforce your learning immediately. There are two uses for this book. The primary goal is to help you pass the Sun Certified Web Component Developer exam. If you already know about servlets and JSPs, get the book for the mock exam and the questions at the end of each chapter. The authors helped write the actual Sun test, so you'll get a good feel for the types of questions you'll face. The other use of this book would be to learn and understand the subject matter, like a tutorial. Once again, an excellent choice for that purpose. You'll still need to get some sort of "official" reference book of some sort if you get deeper into the material, but this is a perfect way to get started. Once again, another winner from the warped minds that created the Head First concept. May they continue to thrive for a long time!