VS Code Editor
VS Code Editor
Posted inCardiagtech

Car Parking Program in Java: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

No Comments

Java stands out as a leading programming language, favored by both individual developers and large enterprises for crafting robust and versatile applications. Its object-oriented structure is particularly beneficial, simplifying the process of writing code that is not only clean and modular but also highly reusable. This makes Java an excellent choice for developing a wide range of applications, from small utilities to complex enterprise systems.

If you’re new to Java and eager to dive in, numerous online resources are available to guide you on your learning journey. For beginners, exploring resources like freeCodeCamp’s Java learning collection, a beginner-friendly Java course, or the comprehensive Java tutorial at javatpoint can be incredibly helpful. It’s always a great time to start learning and expanding your programming skills.

In this tutorial, we will embark on a practical project: building a command-line application for managing a car parking system using Java. This project is designed to be straightforward and focused on the core logic, making it ideal for beginners to grasp the fundamentals of Java programming and object-oriented design. We’ll begin by outlining the project requirements, followed by defining the necessary classes and detailing the application’s workflow. Finally, we will walk through the implementation of each feature, step by step.

Project Setup: Getting Ready to Code

Before we delve into coding, let’s ensure your development environment is properly set up. To follow along with this tutorial, you will need to have Java 8 or a later version installed on your system. If you haven’t installed Java yet, you can download it from the official Oracle website. For installation guidance, you can refer to resources like this installation guide for Windows users.

Additionally, we will be using Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as our Integrated Development Environment (IDE). VS Code is a free, lightweight, yet powerful source code editor. If you don’t have it, you can download it from here. To enhance Java development in VS Code, it’s essential to install the Language Support for Java by Red Hat extension. You can find and install this extension from the VS Code marketplace here.

For this project, we will keep things simple and avoid the complexities of setting up a database connection, an external server, or any frameworks. We will utilize an in-memory data structure to store our parking lot data. Furthermore, to maintain focus on the underlying business logic, we will not be creating a graphical user interface (UI). Our application will be a command-line tool, interacting with the user through text commands and console outputs.

With these prerequisites in place, you’re all set to start building your Car Parking Program In Java. Let’s move on to defining the project requirements.

Defining the Project Requirements

To ensure we’re all on the same page, let’s clearly define the requirements for our car parking program. Starting with a well-defined set of requirements is crucial for any software development project. This helps in structuring the development process and ensures that the final application meets the intended purpose.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the requirements for our car parking program in Java:

  • Parking Lot Structure:

    • Each parking lot must have a unique Parking Lot ID.
    • A parking lot should consist of multiple floors.
    • Each floor should have a defined number of parking slots.

  • Slot Types:

    • Each parking slot is designated for a specific vehicle type. For this project, we will consider three vehicle types: car, bike, and truck. You can easily extend this to include other types as needed.
    • The assignment of slot types can be customized. For simplicity, we will adopt a strategy where:
      • The first slot on each floor is reserved for trucks.
      • The next two slots are for bikes.
      • The remaining slots on each floor are for cars.

  • Vehicle Entry:

    • When a vehicle enters the parking lot, the system needs to record:
      • The type of vehicle (car, bike, or truck).
      • The vehicle’s registration number.
      • The vehicle’s color.
      • (Optional) You can extend this to include additional details like vehicle model, driver’s name, etc., for a more comprehensive system.

  • Slot Assignment:

    • Upon vehicle entry, the system should automatically assign an appropriate parking slot to the vehicle.
    • The slot assignment strategy will be to find the lowest available floor and then the earliest available slot on that floor that matches the vehicle type.

  • Ticket Generation:

    • Once a slot is assigned, the application should issue a parking ticket.
    • The ticket will be a string in the format: <ParkingLotID>_<FloorNumber>_<SlotNumber>.
      • For example, if a vehicle is parked on floor 2, slot 5 in a parking lot with ID ‘PR123’, the ticket would be PR123_2_5.

  • Vehicle Exit (Unparking):

    • To unpark a vehicle, the user must present a valid parking ticket.
    • Upon ticket validation, the system should:
      • Identify the slot associated with the ticket.
      • Mark the slot as vacant, effectively removing the vehicle from the slot.

  • Parking Lot Status Display:

    • The application should provide functionalities to:
      • Display the total number of available parking slots for each vehicle type.
      • List all available parking slots for a specific vehicle type, indicating their floor and slot numbers.
      • List all occupied parking slots for a specific vehicle type, also indicating their floor and slot numbers.

These requirements provide a solid foundation for developing our car parking program in Java. They cover the essential functionalities needed for a basic parking management system. Let’s now move on to designing the Java classes that will bring these requirements to life.

Designing Java Classes for the Parking Program

To structure our car parking program in Java effectively, we will adopt an object-oriented approach. This involves creating different classes, each representing a key entity in our parking system. For this command-line application, we will focus on the business logic and console output, without a graphical interface.

We will define three primary classes: Vehicle, Slot, and ParkingLot. The ParkingLot class will contain the core business logic, orchestrating the functionalities of the parking system. The Vehicle and Slot classes will represent the entities within the parking lot. Our main driver class will then interact with the ParkingLot class to execute various parking operations.

Let’s define each class in detail, outlining their attributes and functionalities. Each class will include a constructor to initialize its properties.

1. Vehicle Class

The Vehicle class will represent a vehicle parked in the parking lot. It will have the following attributes:

  • type: (String) – The type of vehicle (e.g., “car”, “bike”, “truck”).
  • registration: (String) – The vehicle’s registration number.
  • color: (String) – The color of the vehicle.

Constructor: Vehicle(String type, String registration, String color) – This constructor will initialize the vehicle object with its type, registration number, and color.

2. Slot Class

The Slot class will represent a single parking slot in the parking lot. It will have these attributes:

  • type: (String) – The type of vehicle this slot is designated for (e.g., “car”, “bike”, “truck”).
  • vehicle: (Vehicle) – This field will hold a Vehicle object when a vehicle is parked in this slot. It will be null if the slot is empty.
  • ticketId: (String) – The unique ticket ID assigned to a vehicle parked in this slot. It will be null if the slot is empty.

Constructor: Slot(String type) – This constructor will initialize a slot object with its designated vehicle type. Initially, vehicle and ticketId will be set to null.

3. ParkingLot Class

The ParkingLot class is the heart of our application. It will manage the parking lot’s structure and operations. It will contain the following:

Fields:

  • parkingLotId: (String) – A unique identifier for the parking lot.
  • slots: (List<List>) – A list of lists to represent the parking slots. Each inner list represents a floor, and contains Slot objects for that floor. This structure allows us to organize slots by floors. The floors and slots will be numbered based on their index in these lists.

Constructor: ParkingLot(String parkingLotId, int nfloors, int noOfSlotsPerFlr) – This constructor will initialize the ParkingLot object. It will take the parking lot ID, the number of floors, and the number of slots per floor as parameters. Inside the constructor, it will:

  • Set the parkingLotId.
  • Initialize the slots list by creating floors and slots according to the specified configuration. It will also determine the type of each slot based on our defined strategy (truck, bike, car).

Methods:

  • parkVehicle(String type, String regNo, String color): (Returns: String ticketId or null) – This method will handle vehicle parking. It takes the vehicle’s type, registration number, and color as input. It will then:

    • Find an appropriate available slot for the vehicle type using the defined slot assignment strategy.
    • If a slot is found, it will assign the slot to the vehicle, generate a ticket ID, and return the ticket ID.
    • If no slot is available, it will return null or indicate an error message.

  • unPark(String ticketId): (Returns: void) – This method will handle vehicle unparking. It takes the ticket ID as input. It will:

    • Validate the ticket ID.
    • Identify the corresponding slot.
    • Mark the slot as vacant by setting the vehicle field of the Slot object to null.

  • getNoOfOpenSlots(String type): (Returns: int) – This method will return the number of available (open) slots for a given vehicle type. It will iterate through all slots and count the slots that are empty and of the specified type.

  • displayOpenSlots(String type): (Returns: void) – This method will display a list of all available slots for a given vehicle type. It will print the floor and slot number for each available slot of the specified type.

  • displayOccupiedSlots(String type): (Returns: void) – This method will display a list of all occupied slots for a given vehicle type. It will print the floor and slot number for each occupied slot of the specified type.

This class design lays the groundwork for our car parking program in Java. The ParkingLot class will encapsulate the core logic, while Vehicle and Slot classes represent the data entities. Let’s now understand the workflow of our application.

Application Workflow: Parking and Unparking Process

Now that we have defined our Java classes, let’s outline the workflow of our car parking program in Java. Understanding the workflow will help us visualize how the different components interact when a vehicle parks or unparks, and when we query for parking lot information.

1. Vehicle Parking Workflow

When a vehicle arrives at the parking lot and intends to park, the following steps occur in our application:

  1. Input Vehicle Details: The system first takes input about the vehicle: its type (car, bike, or truck), registration number, and color. This input is typically simulated in a command-line application by reading user input or pre-defined test data.

  2. Call parkVehicle() Method: The main driver program then calls the parkVehicle(type, regNo, color) method of the ParkingLot object, passing the vehicle details as arguments.

  3. Find Available Slot: Inside the parkVehicle() method, the system iterates through the list of floors and slots to find the first available slot that matches the vehicle’s type. The slot selection strategy is to prioritize the lowest floor and the earliest slot.

  4. Slot Assignment and Ticket Generation:

    • If an appropriate empty slot is found:

      • A new Vehicle object is created using the provided vehicle details.
      • This Vehicle object is assigned to the vehicle field of the found Slot object.
      • A unique ticket ID is generated in the format <ParkingLotID>_<FloorNumber>_<SlotNumber>.
      • This ticket ID is assigned to the ticketId field of the Slot object.
      • The parkVehicle() method returns the generated ticket ID as a confirmation.

    • If no available slot is found for the vehicle type:

      • The parkVehicle() method returns null or a specific error message to indicate that parking is not possible due to unavailability of slots.

  5. Output Ticket: The main driver program receives the ticket ID (or null/error message) from the parkVehicle() method and displays it to the user, confirming the parking and providing the ticket for future unparking.

2. Vehicle Unparking Workflow

When a vehicle needs to leave the parking lot, the unparking process is initiated:

  1. Input Ticket ID: The user provides the parking ticket ID to the system. In a command-line interface, this would be entered as input.

  2. Call unPark() Method: The main driver program calls the unPark(ticketId) method of the ParkingLot object, passing the ticket ID as an argument.

  3. Parse Ticket ID and Find Slot: Inside the unPark() method, the system:

    • Parses the ticket ID to extract the floor number and slot number.
    • Uses these numbers to locate the specific Slot object within the slots list of the ParkingLot.

  4. Free Up the Slot:

    • Once the slot is located, the system sets the vehicle field of the Slot object to null, indicating that the slot is now vacant.
    • Optionally, the ticketId field of the Slot object can also be reset to null.
    • A confirmation message, like “Vehicle Unparked”, is typically displayed.

  5. Handle Invalid Ticket: If the provided ticket ID is invalid or does not correspond to any parked vehicle, the unPark() method should handle this scenario, possibly by displaying an error message indicating an invalid ticket.

3. Displaying Parking Lot Information

Apart from parking and unparking, our application also needs to provide functionalities to display the status of the parking lot:

  • Get Number of Open Slots: When the getNoOfOpenSlots(type) method is called for a specific vehicle type, it iterates through all slots and counts the number of slots that are both of the specified type and have their vehicle field set to null. The method then returns this count.

  • Display Open Slots: The displayOpenSlots(type) method, when called, iterates through all slots and identifies the slots that are of the given vehicle type and are empty. For each such slot, it displays the floor and slot number.

  • Display Occupied Slots: Similarly, the displayOccupiedSlots(type) method iterates through all slots and finds those that are of the specified vehicle type and are currently occupied (i.e., their vehicle field is not null). It then displays the floor and slot number for each occupied slot.

This workflow description provides a clear picture of how our car parking program in Java will operate. Now, let’s move on to the exciting part: building the application by implementing the code for each class and method.

Building the Application: Code Implementation in Java

Let’s start implementing our car parking program in Java by writing the code for the classes we designed. We’ll begin with the Vehicle and Slot classes, followed by the core logic in the ParkingLot class.

1. Vehicle Class Implementation

First, let’s create the Vehicle class. This class is straightforward, mainly serving as a data holder for vehicle information.

public class Vehicle {
    String type;
    String registration;
    String color;

    public Vehicle(String type, String registration, String color) {
        this.type = type;
        this.registration = registration;
        this.color = color;
    }
}

This code defines the Vehicle class with three attributes: type, registration, and color, all of type String. The constructor Vehicle(String type, String registration, String color) initializes these attributes when a Vehicle object is created.

2. Slot Class Implementation

Next, we implement the Slot class. This class represents a parking slot and includes attributes for its type, the vehicle parked in it (if any), and the ticket ID.

public class Slot {
    String type;
    Vehicle vehicle;
    String ticketId;

    public Slot(String type) {
        this.type = type;
        this.vehicle = null; // Initially no vehicle is parked
        this.ticketId = null; // Initially no ticket ID is assigned
    }
}

The Slot class has attributes type (String), vehicle (Vehicle), and ticketId (String). The constructor Slot(String type) sets the slot’s type and initializes vehicle and ticketId to null, as a slot is initially empty.

3. ParkingLot Class Implementation

Now, let’s implement the ParkingLot class, which contains the core logic of our car parking program in Java. We’ll start with the class structure and then implement each method step-by-step.

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public class ParkingLot {
    String parkingLotId;
    List<List<Slot>> slots;

    // Constructor and methods will be added here
}

This code sets up the basic structure of the ParkingLot class, including the import statements for ArrayList and List, and declares the fields parkingLotId and slots.

3.1. ParkingLot Constructor Implementation

Let’s implement the constructor for the ParkingLot class. This is where we will initialize the parking lot structure based on the number of floors and slots per floor.

    ParkingLot(String parkingLotId, int nfloors, int noOfSlotsPerFlr) {
        this.parkingLotId = parkingLotId;
        this.slots = new ArrayList<>();

        for (int i = 0; i < nfloors; i++) {
            slots.add(new ArrayList<>()); // Add a new floor (list of slots)
            List<Slot> floorSlots = slots.get(i);

            // Assign slot types based on the defined strategy
            floorSlots.add(new Slot("truck")); // First slot for truck
            floorSlots.add(new Slot("bike"));  // Next two for bikes
            floorSlots.add(new Slot("bike"));
            for (int j = 3; j < noOfSlotsPerFlr; j++) {
                floorSlots.add(new Slot("car")); // Remaining slots for cars
            }
        }
    }

In this constructor:

  • We first set the parkingLotId.
  • We initialize the slots as a new ArrayList.
  • We then loop through the specified number of floors (nfloors). For each floor:
    • We add a new ArrayList to slots to represent the floor.
    • We get the current floor’s slot list (floorSlots).
    • We add Slot objects to floorSlots, assigning types “truck”, “bike”, and “car” according to our defined strategy.

3.2. parkVehicle() Method Implementation

Now, let’s implement the parkVehicle() method, which is responsible for parking a vehicle in an available slot.

    public String parkVehicle(String type, String regNo, String color) {
        Vehicle vehicle = new Vehicle(type, regNo, color);

        for (int i = 0; i < slots.size(); i++) {
            for (int j = 0; j < slots.get(i).size(); j++) {
                Slot slot = slots.get(i).get(j);
                if (slot.type.equals(type) && slot.vehicle == null) {
                    slot.vehicle = vehicle; // Assign vehicle to the slot
                    slot.ticketId = generateTicketId(i + 1, j + 1); // Generate ticket ID
                    return slot.ticketId; // Return ticket ID
                }
            }
        }
        System.out.println("No slot available for given type");
        return null; // No slot available
    }

    private String generateTicketId(int flr, int slno) {
        return parkingLotId + "_" + flr + "_" + slno;
    }

In parkVehicle():

  • We create a new Vehicle object with the given details.
  • We iterate through each floor and slot.
  • For each slot, we check if its type matches the vehicle’s type and if it’s empty (slot.vehicle == null).
  • If we find a suitable empty slot:
    • We assign the created Vehicle object to slot.vehicle.
    • We generate a ticket ID using generateTicketId() (explained below) and assign it to slot.ticketId.
    • We return the generated ticketId.
  • If no suitable slot is found after checking all slots, we print “No slot available for given type” and return null.

The generateTicketId(int flr, int slno) method is a private helper method that constructs the ticket ID string using the parking lot ID, floor number, and slot number.

3.3. unPark() Method Implementation

Next, we implement the unPark() method to handle vehicle unparking based on the ticket ID.

    public void unPark(String ticketId) {
        try {
            String[] parts = ticketId.split("_");
            int flr_idx = Integer.parseInt(parts[1]) - 1; // Floor index from ticket
            int slot_idx = Integer.parseInt(parts[2]) - 1; // Slot index from ticket

            if (flr_idx >= 0 && flr_idx < slots.size() && slot_idx >= 0 && slot_idx < slots.get(flr_idx).size()) {
                Slot slot = slots.get(flr_idx).get(slot_idx);
                if (slot.vehicle != null) {
                    slot.vehicle = null; // Free up the slot
                    slot.ticketId = null; // Reset ticket ID
                    System.out.println("Unparked vehicle from " + ticketId);
                } else {
                    System.out.println("Invalid Ticket: No vehicle parked in this slot.");
                }
            } else {
                System.out.println("Invalid Ticket: Ticket ID format incorrect or slot does not exist.");
            }

        } catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException | NumberFormatException e) {
            System.out.println("Invalid Ticket ID format.");
        }
    }

In unPark():

  • We use a try-catch block to handle potential errors like invalid ticket ID format.
  • We split the ticketId string to extract floor and slot indices.
  • We parse the floor and slot numbers from the ticket ID parts.
  • We validate if the extracted floor and slot indices are within the valid range of our slots structure.
  • If valid, we retrieve the corresponding Slot object.
  • We check if a vehicle is actually parked in the slot (slot.vehicle != null).
  • If a vehicle is parked, we set slot.vehicle and slot.ticketId to null to unpark the vehicle and reset the slot.
  • We print a confirmation message.
  • If the ticket is invalid at any point (wrong format, out of range, no vehicle in slot), we print appropriate error messages.

3.4. Display Parking Lot Information Methods

Finally, let’s implement the methods to display parking lot information: getNoOfOpenSlots(), displayOpenSlots(), and displayOccupiedSlots().

    int getNoOfOpenSlots(String type) {
        int count = 0;
        for (List<Slot> floor : slots) {
            for (Slot slot : floor) {
                if (slot.vehicle == null && slot.type.equals(type)) {
                    count++;
                }
            }
        }
        return count;
    }

    void displayOpenSlots(String type) {
        System.out.println("Available slots for " + type + ":");
        for (int i = 0; i < slots.size(); i++) {
            for (int j = 0; j < slots.get(i).size(); j++) {
                Slot slot = slots.get(i).get(j);
                if (slot.vehicle == null && slot.type.equals(type)) {
                    System.out.println("Floor " + (i + 1) + ", Slot " + (j + 1));
                }
            }
        }
    }

    void displayOccupiedSlots(String type) {
        System.out.println("Occupied slots for " + type + ":");
        for (int i = 0; i < slots.size(); i++) {
            for (int j = 0; j < slots.get(i).size(); j++) {
                Slot slot = slots.get(i).get(j);
                if (slot.vehicle != null && slot.type.equals(type)) {
                    System.out.println("Floor " + (i + 1) + ", Slot " + (j + 1));
                }
            }
        }
    }
  • getNoOfOpenSlots(String type): Counts and returns the number of empty slots of a given type.
  • displayOpenSlots(String type): Prints the floor and slot number of all empty slots of a given type.
  • displayOccupiedSlots(String type): Prints the floor and slot number of all occupied slots of a given type.

With these implementations, the ParkingLot class is complete. We have now built all the necessary classes for our car parking program in Java. The next step is to test our application to ensure that it works as expected.

Testing the Application: Putting It All Together

Now that we have implemented all the classes and methods for our car parking program in Java, it’s time to test the application. Since we are building a command-line application without a UI or testing framework, we will test it manually using a main method in a driver class.

Let’s create a Main class with a main method to test the functionalities of our ParkingLot.

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int nFloors = 4;
        int nSlotsPerFloor = 6;
        ParkingLot parkingLot = new ParkingLot("PR1234", nFloors, nSlotsPerFloor);

        // Test case 1: Check initial open slots for cars
        System.out.println("Initial open slots for cars: " + parkingLot.getNoOfOpenSlots("car"));

        // Test case 2: Park two cars
        String ticket1 = parkingLot.parkVehicle("car", "MH-03", "red");
        String ticket2 = parkingLot.parkVehicle("car", "MH-04", "purple");
        System.out.println("Parked car 1, Ticket: " + ticket1);
        System.out.println("Parked car 2, Ticket: " + ticket2);

        // Test case 3: Display occupied car slots
        System.out.println("nOccupied slots for cars after parking:");
        parkingLot.displayOccupiedSlots("car");

        // Test case 4: Unpark the second car
        parkingLot.unPark(ticket2);
        System.out.println("nOccupied slots for cars after unparking one car:");
        parkingLot.displayOccupiedSlots("car");

        // Test case 5: Display open slots for trucks, park a truck, and display occupied truck slots
        System.out.println("nOpen slots for trucks:");
        parkingLot.displayOpenSlots("truck");
        String truckTicket = parkingLot.parkVehicle("truck", "MH-01", "black");
        System.out.println("Parked truck, Ticket: " + truckTicket);
        System.out.println("nOccupied slots for trucks:");
        parkingLot.displayOccupiedSlots("truck");

        // Test case 6: Try to park more trucks than available slots
        System.out.println("nTrying to park more trucks than slots available:");
        parkingLot.parkVehicle("truck", "MH-02", "white");
        parkingLot.parkVehicle("truck", "MH-03", "grey");
        parkingLot.parkVehicle("truck", "MH-04", "blue");
        parkingLot.parkVehicle("truck", "MH-05", "silver"); // No slot available

        System.out.println("nFinal occupied slots for trucks:");
        parkingLot.displayOccupiedSlots("truck");
    }
}

In this Main class, within the main method:

  1. We initialize the number of floors and slots per floor.
  2. We create a ParkingLot object with ID “PR1234”, 4 floors, and 6 slots per floor.
  3. We then perform a series of test operations:
    • Check the initial number of open car slots.
    • Park two cars and retrieve their tickets.
    • Display occupied car slots.
    • Unpark one car.
    • Display occupied car slots again after unparking.
    • Display open truck slots, park a truck, and display occupied truck slots.
    • Attempt to park more trucks than available slots to test slot unavailability.
    • Finally, display the occupied truck slots to see the result of parking attempts.

To run this program in VS Code, you can right-click in the Main.java file and select “Run” or use the run button in the top-right corner of the editor.

VS Code EditorVS Code Editor

After running the Main class, you should see output in the console that reflects the operations performed and the status of the parking lot at each step. For example, the output for the initial test cases of parking two cars and then displaying occupied car slots might look like this:

Output for the above test cases

This output confirms that the first two available car slots (Floor 1, Slot 4 and Floor 1, Slot 5) were assigned to the parked cars.

By continuing to test with the remaining operations in the Main method, such as unparking, parking trucks, and testing full capacity, you can thoroughly validate the functionality of your car parking program in Java. Remember to check the console output against the expected behavior at each step to ensure everything is working correctly according to the requirements.

For instance, after unparking the second car (ticket2) and displaying occupied car slots again, the output would show that only one car slot is occupied:

After Unparking

Similarly, testing the truck parking functionality, including parking one truck and then trying to park more when slots are full, will demonstrate the slot assignment logic and the handling of full parking scenarios:

Output after parking a truck

And if you try to park more trucks than available, the system should indicate that no slots are available:

Output if the parking lot is full

Through these manual tests, we can verify that our car parking program in Java is functioning correctly and meeting the defined requirements.

Future Enhancements: Expanding the Parking Program

Our car parking program in Java provides a basic command-line interface for managing a parking lot. However, there are numerous ways we can enhance and expand its functionality to make it more robust and feature-rich. Here are some potential future improvements:

  • Encapsulation: In the current implementation, we’ve focused on clarity and logic. For real-world applications, it’s crucial to implement proper encapsulation. This involves making class fields private and providing access to them through public getter and setter methods. Encapsulation improves code maintainability and reduces the risk of unintended data modification.

  • Exception Handling: Our program includes basic try-catch blocks for ticket parsing in the unPark() method. However, we can enhance exception handling throughout the application. This includes handling scenarios like:

    • Attempting to unpark with an invalid ticket format.
    • Trying to park a vehicle type for which no slots are available.
    • Dealing with unexpected input or system states.
      Robust exception handling makes the application more resilient and user-friendly.

  • More Vehicle Types and Slot Strategies: We currently support three vehicle types: car, bike, and truck. We could expand this to include more types, such as electric vehicles, handicapped vehicles, or oversized vehicles. Furthermore, we can implement more sophisticated strategies for assigning slot types and vehicle types, possibly based on demand, vehicle size, or other criteria.

  • Advanced Slot Assignment Strategies: The current slot assignment strategy is simple: find the first available slot of the correct type on the lowest floor. We can explore more advanced strategies, such as:

    • Assigning slots based on proximity to the entrance/exit.
    • Implementing algorithms to optimize slot usage and minimize walking distance for users.
    • Allowing users to choose slot preferences (e.g., covered vs. uncovered, near elevators).

  • Backend Service and UI: To make the application more accessible and user-friendly, we can transform the current command-line logic into a backend service with a proper API. Then, we could develop a user interface (UI), such as a web application or a mobile app, that interacts with this backend service. A UI would provide a much better user experience for parking lot management.

  • Database Integration: Currently, our parking lot data is stored in-memory, which means data is lost when the application terminates. Integrating a database (like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB) would allow us to persist parking lot data. This is essential for real-world applications where data needs to be stored across sessions and potentially accessed by multiple users or systems.

By implementing these enhancements, we can evolve our basic car parking program in Java into a more comprehensive and practical parking management system. These future scopes offer great opportunities for further learning and development in Java programming and software design.

Conclusion: Building a Basic Parking Application in Java

In this tutorial, we have successfully built a simple command-line application for managing a car parking program in Java. We started with a set of requirements, designed the necessary Java classes (Vehicle, Slot, ParkingLot), and then implemented the core logic for parking, unparking, and displaying parking lot information. We also tested the application manually to ensure its basic functionalities are working as expected.

This project serves as a fundamental example of how to approach software development by:

  1. Understanding Requirements: Clearly defining what the application needs to do.
  2. Designing the Application: Structuring the application using object-oriented principles and defining classes and their interactions.
  3. Implementing Functionalities: Writing the code to bring the design to life, step-by-step.
  4. Testing and Validation: Ensuring the application works as intended through testing.

Even though this is a basic application, it demonstrates the essential steps involved in software development, regardless of the project’s scale. Understanding these fundamentals is crucial for tackling more complex projects in the future.

We encourage you to further explore and expand upon this car parking program in Java. Consider implementing the future enhancements discussed, or add your own features to make it even more functional and robust. You can find the complete code for this tutorial on GitHub here.

We hope this tutorial has been helpful in your learning journey with Java programming. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave comments below. Happy coding!

Helpful resources

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *