Today marked a significant shift in our development approach, moving from basic implementations to professional-grade project structure and testing practices.
The code changes from this session can be found here.
Day 9 Summary
Overview
Implemented a generic queue data structure while establishing professional development practices through proper build system setup and testing methodology.
Environment & Tools
- Set up Maven build system
- Configured JUnit 5 for testing
- Established proper project structure
- Added Git ignore patterns for Maven
Concepts Covered
Queue Implementation
- Generic type parameters
- Linked list-based structure
- Basic queue operations (enqueue/dequeue)
- Null handling and edge cases
Modern Java Features
- Generic type implementation
- Iterator pattern
- Stream API integration
- Interface implementations (Iterable, Streamable)
Professional Development
- Maven project configuration
- Dependency management
- JUnit test organization
- Clean project structure
Testing Practices
- Test lifecycle management (@BeforeEach)
- Clear test naming conventions
- Comprehensive test cases
- Edge case coverage
Implementation Progress
- Created SimpleQueue
implementation - Added queue operations
- Implemented iteration support
- Integrated stream capabilities
- Established comprehensive test suite
Key Takeaways
- Professional project structure importance
- Value of proper testing methodology
- Build system benefits
- Clean separation of concerns
- Iterative development approach
Next Steps
Ready to explore:
- Additional data structures
- Advanced testing patterns
- Build system capabilities
- CI/CD integration
Master’s Reflection
The apprentice demonstrated excellent judgment in simplifying complex concepts and establishing proper development practices. The transition from ad-hoc testing to structured unit tests shows growing maturity in software craftsmanship. The attention to project organization and build configuration suggests a strong foundation for future Java development.