Technical writing

Apress Books

A set of Apress technical books covering rich JavaFX effects, Android projects, and iOS game development.

At a glance

Status Published technical books
Platform JavaFX, Android, iOS
Stack
JavaFX Android SDK iOS Game Development Mobile Apps

Technical Highlights

  • Explained mobile and rich-client development topics for working developers across JavaFX, Android, and iOS.
  • Covered practical implementation patterns, including animation, media, gestures, persistence-adjacent app structure, publishing, and monetization.
  • Moved between platform-specific code and product-level concerns such as app polish, game loops, user input, and release mechanics.
  • Created long-form technical material during a period when mobile platforms and rich client tooling were changing quickly.

What It Is

The Apress Books project collects the technical books Lucas Jordan authored or co-authored for Apress. The books span JavaFX visual effects, Android application development, and iOS game development.

As portfolio work, these books show a different kind of engineering output: organizing complex technical material, choosing examples that teach real implementation details, and translating fast-moving platform APIs into useful developer guidance.

Why It Is Technically Interesting

The books sit at the intersection of product engineering and developer education. They cover concrete application work, but also require enough structure and explanation for readers to build confidence across unfamiliar platform concepts.

The topic range also tracks a practical career arc across client platforms: rich Java interfaces, early Android app development, and iOS game development with animation, input, game mechanics, and release considerations.

Books

JavaFX Special Effects

2009 | Apress

A JavaFX book focused on rich-client effects, including animation, transitions, multimedia, game-style visuals, particles, lighting, and audio-reactive interface work.

JavaFX Animation Multimedia Visual Effects

Practical Android Projects

2011 | Apress

A practical Android development book covering SDK tooling, scripting approaches, web and REST integrations, Google App Engine, game graphics, animation, and App Inventor.

Android SDK Mobile Apps REST Game Graphics

Beginning iOS 5 Games Development

2011 | Apress

An iOS 5 game development book covering project setup, game loops, actor behavior, vector and image-based rendering, particles, gestures, Game Center, social integration, monetization, sound, and complete-game structure.

iOS 5 Game Loops Gestures Game Center

Beginning iOS 6 Games Development

2012 | Apress

An updated iOS 6 game development book covering input-driven and frame-by-frame games, reusable game engine structure, image and vector actors, particles, gestures, physics, Game Center, App Store topics, and sound.

iOS 6 Game Engine Physics App Store