One goal is that by the end of the semester, you should be able to read the API.
Probably the most popular developer tools are provided on Oracle's download site.
At the very least, you'd want a Java Development Kit (JDK), which includes the developer tools like a compiler, debugger, etc., and a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), on which to run your programs. (Also available on this site is a Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which can be used to run java programs, but not to develop them. If you download a JDK, you do not need to download a JRE separately.)
If you're working on a Linux computer, it's possible that a JDK is already installed -- just try typing javac at the command-line. If you don't see an error message like javac: command not found, you should be in business.
You may already have a JDK should be pre-installed on your Mac. Open up Terminal (found in the Utilities folder which which is under Applications) and start working.
Eclipse is installed on our lab computers. It is a high-quality, popular, free IDE which you can use to develop java programs. There are many different versions, but the one most appropriate for the sort of programs written in CIS 1068, you should probably start with the Eclipse IDE for Java Developers. Before installing Eclipse, you almost certainly want to install a JDK.
Another very highly regarded IDE is IntelliJ. It is free for student use.
Another text that covers many of the same topics is Think Java. Electronic copies of the book are available at no charge.
If you're a computer science major, it's a good idea to try to get comfortable using SSH to connect to CIS Department computers at Temple. There are some very good tools that are free to you:
For copying files back and forth between your home computer and servers at Temple, you may use a scp or sftp client. On Linux and the Mac, the OpenSSH scp client is probably already installed. To upload a file, at the command line, type:
scp nameOfTheFileToUpload yourAccessNetName@cis-linux2.temple.edu:destinationDirectory
If you'd prefer a client with a GUI, Temple seems to recommend Fugu on the Mac. On Windows, a secure file transfer client is bundled with SecureCRT. Both are available from download.temple.edu.
If you've been using pico or nano as your text editor, and you'd like to start with emacs, here's a list of commands to get you started.
Google's Java Style Guide contains some good advice.