<DIV><p>Extreme Programming does not mean programming naked while rollerblading down the side of the Grand Canyon. It does mean a new approach to software development that is both radical and common-sense. Unlike many software development methodologies, XP has been accepted quickly because its core practices--particularly code sharing, test-first development, and continuous integration--resonated immediately with software developers everywhere. Instead of impressing developers with a body of theory, XP got programmers to say, "Yeah, that's how I'd like to work."</p><p>Oddly enough, although most developers turn to Extreme Programming methods in order to code real, hands-on, and extensible projects quickly ("Code comes first"), most books on Extreme Programming insist on focusing on the theory and not the practice.</p><p>Not the <i>Java Extreme Programming Cookbook</i>.</p><p>Brimming with over 100 "recipes" for getting down to business and actually doing XP, the <i>Java Extreme Programming Cookbook</i> doesn't try to "sell" you on XP; it succinctly documents the most important features of popular open source tools for XP in Java--including Ant, Junit, HttpUnit, Cactus, Tomcat, XDoclet--and then digs right in, providing recipes for implementing the tools in real-world environments.</p><p>Each recipe offers solutions that help you put an extreme programming environment together: then provides code for automating the build process and testing. Although the time saved using any one of these solutions will more than pay for the book, <i>Java Extreme Programming Cookbook</i> offers more than just a collection of cut-and-paste code. Each recipe also includes explanations of how and why the approach works, so you can adapt the techniques to similar situations.</p><p>One of the biggest challenges facing developers today is sorting through the wide variety of tools available form various source and figuring out how to them effectively. The recipes in <i>Java Extreme Programming Cookbook</i> showcase how to use the most important features of these XP tools. Many of these tools are geared towards unit testing, while others are invaluable for continuous integration; with these practical examples, you'll be able to choose the most effective tools to accomplish your goals, then implement them in a cohesive development environment quickly.</p><p>If you want to set up a test-driven development environment that allows you to focus on writing testable code--now--this book will prove invaluable.</p></div>