The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master Author: Andrew Hunt | Language: English | ISBN:
020161622X | Format: EPUB
The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master Description
What others in the trenches say about The Pragmatic Programmer..."The cool thing about this book is that it's great for keeping the programming process fresh. The book helps you to continue to grow and clearly comes from people who have been there." --Kent Beck, author of Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change "I found this book to be a great mix of solid advice and wonderful analogies!" --Martin Fowler, author of Refactoring and UML Distilled "I would buy a copy, read it twice, then tell all my colleagues to run out and grab a copy. This is a book I would never loan because I would worry about it being lost." --Kevin Ruland, Management Science, MSG-Logistics "The wisdom and practical experience of the authors is obvious. The topics presented are relevant and useful...By far its greatest strength for me has been the outstanding analogies--tracer bullets, broken windows, and the fabulous helicopter-based explanation of the need for orthogonality, especially in a crisis situation. I have little doubt that this book will eventually become an excellent source of useful information for journeymen programmers and expert mentors alike."--John Lakos, author of Large-Scale C++ Software Design "This is the sort of book I will buy a dozen copies of when it comes out so I can give it to my clients. " --Eric Vought, Software Engineer "Most modern books on software development fail to cover the basics of what makes a great software developer, instead spending their time on syntax or technology where in reality the greatest leverage possible for any software team is in having talented developers who really know their craft well. An excellent book." --Pete McBreen, Independent Consultant "Since reading this book, I have implemented many of the practical suggestions and tips it contains. Across the board, they have saved my company time and money while helping me get my job done quicker! This should be a desktop reference for everyone who works with code for a living." --Jared Richardson, Senior Software Developer, iRenaissance, Inc. "I would like to see this issued to every new employee at my company..." --Chris Cleeland, Senior Software Engineer, Object Computing, Inc. "If I'm putting together a project, it's the authors of this book that I want...And failing that I'd settle for people who've read their book."--Ward Cunningham Straight from the programming trenches, The Pragmatic Programmer cuts through the increasing specialization and technicalities of modern software development to examine the core process--taking a requirement and producing working, maintainable code that delights its users. It covers topics ranging from personal responsibility and career development to architectural techniques for keeping your code flexible and easy to adapt and reuse. Read this book, and you'll learn how to *Fight software rot; *Avoid the trap of duplicating knowledge; *Write flexible, dynamic, and adaptable code; *Avoid programming by coincidence; *Bullet-proof your code with contracts, assertions, and exceptions; *Capture real requirements; *Test ruthlessly and effectively; *Delight your users; *Build teams of pragmatic programmers; and *Make your developments more precise with automation. Written as a series of self-contained sections and filled with entertaining anecdotes, thoughtful examples, and interesting analogies, The Pragmatic Programmer illustrates the best practices and major pitfalls of many different aspects of software development.Whether you're a new coder, an experienced programmer, or a manager responsible for software projects, use these lessons daily, and you'll quickly see improvements in personal productivity, accuracy, and job satisfaction. You'll learn skills and develop habits and attitudes that form the foundation for long-term success in your career. You'll become a Pragmatic Programmer.
- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (October 30, 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 020161622X
- ISBN-13: 978-0201616224
- Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Well, after reading most of the glowing reviews here, I was pretty interested in the book. I thumbed through it at a bookstore, and ended up buying on Amazon (kudos for the lower price). I read the book, and became confused. I made sure the reviews matched the book title. I read the book again. Quite frankly, I don't see what makes this book so great- not that it is bad and/or a waste of money (though it is on the pricey side given how little you get- big font and big line spacing, like a 7th-grade term paper)- it just isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread.
The authors have compiled a list of several tips to keep in mind while programming. Ultimately, I think this is their answer to Fred Brooks' searching for a silver bullet in The Mythical Man-Month, based on their years of experience in the field. It ends up being a lot of "eating your own dog food," in my humble opinion. Just because they met with success using a certain method/tool (usually on financial software) doesn't mean you will. Not all programming practices transcend all boundaries and are generally applicable to all programming problems. Some people are faster and more capable (and more comfortable) with an IDE than with a plain text editor; get off your high horse. I don't agree with most of the tips. Some, however, are absolutely necessary, such as version control. Every tip is tied to an analogy or some story outside of programming- which may be nice to some, but I see it as an insult to a reader's intelligence. Every single tip? Really? Not necessary....really.
The majority of the book is language-independent, which is nice.
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