Running and Debugging Java

The JDT provides a wide range of capabilities for developing, testing, running, and debugging your Java code. Chapter 4, Running and Debugging Java, first explored mechanisms available to run Java code and to manage runtime environments with launch configurations. We then looked at debugging using the JDT. This chapter described the different kinds of breakpoints and how to define them, enable and disable them, and set their properties, including hit counts and conditions. Next we discussed how to control program execution through the debugger step commands and how to examine and change variable and field values. The topic of launch configurations reappeared, and we covered how to use them to start debugging sessions, including ones on remote programs. Finally, we outlined how to debug a program remotely, including the command line parameters required.

Exercise 3, Running and Debugging Java, reinforces much of the material presented in this chapter. Like the previous exercise, this one will hone your skills as a user of the JDT. Even if you consider yourself well-versed, have a quick run through. You'll pick up things not currently in your repertoire.

If you have Java programming experience with other IDEs, you might consider skipping ahead to Exercise 4, Developing a Simple Web Commerce Application with Eclipse. It is an exercise that puts together many of the individual topics of Part I and applies them to a more comprehensive application, to illustrate a realistic example similar to what you might do every day with Eclipse as part of your work.