This forum, as I understand it, is about helping people with specific problems concerning java programming. There are already countless "learn java" tutorials on the web or in books. So if you are trying to learn java from the ground up you are better off reading a book about beginning java. There are tons of great books about learning java that will cover your specific problem in detail. I have three on my shelf right now: "Core Java, Starting Out with Java, and Programming in C (though not a java book it has the same syntax for declaring arrays)". This is for an assignment so you must have a text book. What is the title of your textbook?