Current state of Java, JavaFX, and Pi4J on the Raspberry Pi

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Speaker: Frank Delporte (Toadi).

Talk: Raspberry Pi OS comes with Java 11 pre-installed, making it the ideal inexpensive computer to run Java programs.

But did you know that the Raspberry Pi is also a perfect match for running the latest JavaFX user interface applications or FXGL games? Combined with the Pi4J library, you can even do things that aren’t possible with your expensive developer computer: blink a LED, read sensor values, and control all types of electronic components.

In this session, you will be introduced to all of these topics with references and examples to get you started and learn more?

From an educational point of view, it's important to use a single programming language in the first year of education. With the Raspberry Pi, we have a great platform to let our students experiment with many different areas of programming. They gain experience in Object-Oriented Programming, GUI development, game development, accessing hardware components, such as physical buttons, joysticks, sensors, and even cameras. All this in a single programming language, in 100% pure Java.

And you just need the OpenJDK and four libraries: JavaFX, FXGL, Pi4J, and JavaCV. Period. That's all. Right? No! Having these few technology gems is not sufficient to have real fun with programming. The initial hurdles faced by students before starting to write their first FXGL-based game and to deploy it on a Picade Console or a Game HAT need to be as low as possible. After the first steps, a smooth development experience is a must. Programmers want to focus on programming. Nothing else.

In this talk, you will see all the things that are needed besides the available libraries—ready-made Linux images, Maven-based, well-documented template projects that enable development on laptops, and remote starting and debugging of apps on the Raspberry Pi, while you will also be shown the best practices of how to combine, for example, a GUI with a PUI (Physical User Interface). The fun is back. And the fun is 100% pure Java.

Jetbrains coupon giveaway for attendees!

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