Rating: 
Summary: Nonpartisan build structures and styles
Review: "Java Development with Ant", does a great job of describing the ins and outs of setting up and using Ant. As some others have mentioned, it may not be targeted at the beginning Ant user - but given the number of books on the subject - it's one of the best you're going to find. It does a great job of describing the setup of the Ant environment and the details of setting up simple, moderate, and complex projects. If you are the person primarily responsible for your project's development and/or production builds - ... - but the book is an invaluable reference - especially if you are starting on a new project and are willing to open your eyes to new procedures and practices! In addition to the very useful information in how to set up the project and use Ant to its fullest... One of the things that I thought was best about the book - was it's ability to act as a nonpartisan description of the way a project should be set up, managed, and built, and the way Ant could be used in that process. I work with a team of other veteran developers, each having their own thoughts about the best way to set up and build a project. Everyone's ideas are good, and no one's are perfect - so this book acted as a great reference for our project 'setup' meetings.
Rating: 
Summary: Without question, the best Ant book so far
Review: ...and perhaps ever. I can't imagine it getting much better than this. There are some weaknesses in the book, for instance, they refrain from printing a lot of build files and talk about "evolving" some mysterious file you don't get to see until chapter 8. But it's not a fatal error. I bought the other two books that mention Ant, and would strongly recommend AGAINST getting Ant: The Definitive Guide. I can't believe there are people that recommended that over this.
Rating:
Summary: Great Except the First Chapter
Review: Ant (Another Neat Tool) is a build tool that facilitates building applications using Java. To use Ant, you construct a build file that then directs the various Java software packages to automate the building of a working application. The book starts with a simple application: compiling Java source. From here it goes on to ever more complex projects until the whole Ant language is covered.
The only complaint I have about the book is the beginning. You'd better have some idea about what you are trying to do before getting started. The book gives analogies like: "Thing of your source code as raw materials that you are sending into a factory for processing and assembly into a product, say an automobile. ... Ant is the factory floor with all the whiz-bang gizmos." What's this supposed to mean? Come on guys, we're talking about a software package, not a factory. It seems like the first part of the book is written to impress rather than express.
If you know you need Ant, then I'd recommend the book, it's just the first chapter that's a mess.
Rating:
Summary: Simply put, the best Ant coverage anywhere
Review: Being a long-time fan of computer books with animals on the cover, I had bought a certain other Ant book before I got this one. But after I got this book, I've not cracked open the other book even once. Meanwhile, I'm considering getting another copy of JDwA because the one I have now is starting to look ragged from all of the use I've gotten out of it! This book covers everything there is to know about Ant 1.5. It takes you from basic build steps such as compiling right up to more advanced topics such as code generation with XDoclet and on to packaging up web, enterprise, and web-service applications. And if that isn't enough, you'll also learn how to extend Ant with custom tasks. If you're using Ant to build your Java projects, then you *need* this book. If you're not using Ant to build your projects, then why aren't you? Get this book and find out how to streamline your builds. Don't waste your time or money on any other Ant book. This is the best Ant book, bar-none.
Rating:
Summary: Good Coverage, Organization could be better
Review: First of all, everything you want to know about Ant is in here. I give the book high marks for accuracy and content. The only issue I did have was with the way the topics are presented. Rather then getting the feeling a foundation was being set and we gradually built upon that foundation, I felt a little befuddled and thrown about. Exposure to topics did not seem to follow an optimum order and I felt the book seemed to jump around. Advice for proper usage, details, and nuances are all here however and perhaps you will not have the same problems I did as most people like this book.
Rating:
Summary: Good Coverage, Organization could be better
Review: First of all, everything you want to know about Ant is in here. I give the book high marks for accuracy and content. The only issue I did have was with the way the topics are presented. Rather then getting the feeling a foundation was being set and we gradually built upon that foundation, I felt a little befuddled and thrown about. Exposure to topics did not seem to follow an optimum order and I felt the book seemed to jump around. Advice for proper usage, details, and nuances are all here however and perhaps you will not have the same problems I did as most people like this book.
Rating:
Summary: Elegant denseness - Like all the other Manning books
Review: I can generally say all Manning books are very well written,
well checked for errors, and contain a lot of information. The authors are all very knowledgeable in their fields
with a lot of practical experience which shows in the books. The books are very readable and comprehensive. You will come back to these books again and again. As for this book: I have been using Ant in my java projects for
at least two years now.
I have barely started reading this book
and it has already helped me do many new things. It will end up by your side whenever you work on Ant --
regardless of your level of experience (newbie to expert). You will be doing new things quickly
and working wonders with Ant. Easily explore the full potential of this beautiful tool. An indispensable resource for any Java developer. A grateful thank you to two excellent authors
for a very comprehensive Ant tutorial-cum-reference.
Rating:
Summary: Well done!
Review: I don't normally buy Manning books, but this is a high-quality, accessible, good read on Ant. The book is great for both newbies and experienced Ant developers. The writing is very clear and the topics are presented in a logical, orderly fashion. Everything seems to be up-to-date and on the money for Ant 1.5. The book is full of practical implementation advice, though I would have liked to see more code and build file examples. For more information on how to use Ant with other tools, I recommend "Java Tools for Extreme Programming." Well done!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I had to come back to this book listing just to leave this review. I'm not finished with the book yet but I just love it. Very few tech books I own have been able to ramp me up in a technology as fast as this one. Very clearly written and builds on the technology nicely. You need to know something about Java and XML. But if you are looking at ANT you are because you are looking for something to help your development experience. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I had to come back to this book listing just to leave this review. I'm not finished with the book yet but I just love it. Very few tech books I own have been able to ramp me up in a technology as fast as this one. Very clearly written and builds on the technology nicely. You need to know something about Java and XML. But if you are looking at ANT you are because you are looking for something to help your development experience. I highly recommend this book.
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