Project Coin ushered in a notable set of Java 7 language changes. Here are five that cover everything from generics to NIO to GUIs.

Learn the basics of using the JavaMail API to build a Java mail application.

With serialization, you can serialize (persist) any Java object for future use or recreate it from an existing source.

When you keep database connection pools initialized and ready to use, you effectively can grab an object from one, use the object to get your work/task executed, and then return the object to the pool.

If your JAR needs the capability to access resources outside the JVM, sign it. The user can then feel secure in granting the required permission for your JAR to perform its actions.

JAR is the Java way of compressing a file. Learn how to use some basic and advanced features of this fundamental tool.

Java provides all the capabilities required to develop socket-based applications relatively easily—and it hides all the complexity involved.

Using generics in your Java development can help you detect issues during compile time rather than being confronted by them at run time.

Learn the basics for using Java Web Start to deploy your Java application clients.

Java internationalization is a simple concept, and when it is implemented correctly, long-term management requires only minimal or no code changes.

The Java Reflection API provides insight into the classes, interfaces, and objects in a given JVM. Learn how you can use reflection to ascertain a class's behavior.