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JamesBarney · 2018-10-30 14:57:15

Pretty much any book by Steve McConnell, but I'd start with Code Complete.

dsego | karma 9522 | avg karma 3.12 · | 2021-05-25 16:06:42+00:00

I would say Code Complete is one such book.

LecroJS | karma 130 | avg karma 1.76 · | 2022-07-04 13:44:15

Code complete has been on my list for a while and this definitely bumps it up that list! I like your recommendation about finding a book on subject area in particular. Thanks!

DanHulton | karma 4925 | avg karma 4.83 · | 2017-07-24 20:48:39+00:00

Code Complete, Steve McConnell. http://www.stevemcconnell.com/cc.htm

One of the best books on programming style and function, backed up with actual research for the recommendations.

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ig1 | karma 12019 | avg karma 3.39 · | 2011-05-09 13:06:16

Code craft is the book I normally recommend for people starting out. Code Complete which several other people recommend is a great book, but it's one of those books that make much more sense after you've been programming for a year or so.

sehhsucht | karma 1 | avg karma 0.25 · | 2021-06-25 09:31:17

Steve McConnell - Code Complete (Second Edition) is really good.

codeape | karma 42 | avg karma 1.05 · | 2023-02-18 02:37:59

I always recommend "The Pragmatic Programmer" (Hunt, Thomas) and "Code Complete" (McConnell).

enitihas | karma 2811 | avg karma 3.45 · | 2018-09-09 22:57:52+00:00

If you are OK with reading books, I will recommend Code Complete.

jiehong | karma 1066 | avg karma 2.56 · | 2021-12-16 17:24:00

Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction, Second Edition by Steve McConnell.

That book cover a lot of ground applicable to most projects, and provides reasons from real world studies why those advices are good.

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yunyeng | karma 18 | avg karma 0.35 · | 2015-06-29 21:43:52

Code Complete 2. It is really heavy book, they called it programmers' Bible.

omnibrain | karma 10811 | avg karma 9.43 · | 2022-02-27 04:27:20

Code Complete (2nd Edition) by Steve McConnell. It is perhaps the broadest book on programming I've ever read. It oviously can't go indepth on its topics, but it significantly helps to turn a lot of "unknown unknowns" into "known unknowns".

It really helped my to go from knowing how to program to knowing how to implement software.

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raverbashing | karma 22421 | avg karma 1.64 · | 2023-03-11 08:28:07

I second this about Code Complete. (Also I think it's at its 2nd edition, maybe 3rd?)

It's more up to the point instead of going into dogmatic diatribe

It's more evidence based (giving examples, etc)

Go for this one and Bob's your uncle! (or maybe it stops being your uncle, I guess)

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gashmol | karma 65 | avg karma 1.41 · | 2022-08-01 09:42:28

I would skip Uncle Bob and Marting Fowler's books and just read Code Complete. It has everything you might want to know about coding and then some.

exline | karma 119 | avg karma 0.98 · | 2010-06-16 09:58:43

I second Code Complete. It is a very good book, especially since you are just starting up. It will help prevent you from developing some bad habits. At my last company, I would buy a copy for all our new hires.

RickJWagner | karma 10011 | avg karma 2.41 · | 2020-05-31 00:30:34

For a beginning programmer, I'd say buy a copy of "Code Complete", then rip it into 5 parts. Read any one of the 5.

Tycho | karma 5688 | avg karma 2.13 · | 2010-11-27 15:24:46

Code Complete by Steve McConnell, and VBA Excel for Dummies. I think the latter was a very well written book, and VBA programming is underrated because for many people it's a good place to start in terms of practical application and it also has the benefit of being an interpreted/scripting language, so you can get instant feedback like in Python. Beats typing main string(args[]) or whatever the hell it is before you even know anything

hon08 | karma 2 | avg karma 0.22 · | 2016-10-19 12:05:22

The books listed in this article are great. Code Complete, Pragmatic Programmer, Head First Design Patterns, all great.

Jd | karma 2449 | avg karma 2.36 · | 2007-09-20 02:02:13+00:00

All excellent suggestions. Altho I am unfamiliar w/ Body Language I will check it out. Just working through the Carnegie book now.

Also, I believe Code Complete is by Steve McConnnell.

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twh270 | karma 710 | avg karma 4.01 · | 2022-06-22 10:41:07

I recommend "The Pragmatic Programmer" and "Code Complete" regularly. (2nd editions.)

menacingly | karma 2115 | avg karma 4.44 · | 2012-09-01 18:07:59

I second the recommendation for Code Complete. If you're looking for tactical construction advice, better to take it from someone with an established history of having constructed software.