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I own and read 'Java Puzzlers', 'Clean Code' and GOF's 'Design Patterns' and more specific technology books however I have not yet read 'Effective Java'. Whenever I see a list of must read books I always see a copy a 'Effective Java' but I have put off buying it seeing as a learn to write Java book rather than a write better Java book. Is it still worth a read or even a purchase. What is special about this book that I am missing out on by not reading this.

I know my design patterns and practice TDD and attempt to write clean code :), what will I gain from this book?

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  • I haven't read it, but it sounds like it's modeled after "Effective C++" (and the subsequent "More Effective C++") - which were certainly not beginner books, and more along the lines of language specific patterns&practices that are non-trivial.
    – Steven Evers
    Commented Feb 20, 2013 at 22:34
  • @SnOrfus That's correct. Effective Java is not a beginner's book, but a distillation of good practices for programmers already familiar with Java. To understand its insights, you must already be a (possibly newbie) programmer.
    – Andres F.
    Commented Feb 20, 2013 at 23:38
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    Here are some resources related to effective java: grahamhackingscala.blogspot.com/2011/01/… and slideshare.net/kukems/scala-effective-java
    – AndreasScheinert
    Commented Feb 21, 2013 at 13:58

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It's definitely not a "learn to write Java" book - it's quite useful even for experienced programmers. The level is similar to 'Java Puzzlers', but instead of showing off weird details for their own sake, it teaches stuff that matters for everyday programming - gotchas and best practices (and most importantly why they are best practices). You probably already know a lot of it, but I can almost guarantee that you'll still learn some valuable and new things.

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  • Ok great! Looking back over the book and the reviews I'm not sure how I got such a wrong impression :)
    – Tom
    Commented Feb 20, 2013 at 23:29
  • I found that "PECS" was very useful to me in a recent project.
    – Gary
    Commented Feb 21, 2013 at 13:31

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