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The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,473 ratings

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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 program.

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Customer Reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
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Price $79.95 $11.45 $47.54 $44.10
Title The Pragmatic Programmer How to Use Objects Hacker's Delight Effective Debugging
Author Andrew Hunt, David Thomas Holger Gast Henry S. Warren Diomidis Spinellis
Page Count 352 832 512 256
Pub Date 10/20/1999 12/15/2015 9/25/2012 6/23/2016
Binding Paperback Hardcover Hardcover Paperback
Series None None None Effective Software Development Series
Description 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. "While most developers today use object-oriented languages, the full power of objects is available only to those with a deep understanding of the object paradigm. How to Use Objects will help you gain that understanding, so you can write code that works exceptionally well in the real world. Author Holger Gast focuses on the concepts that have repeatedly proven most valuable and shows how to render those concepts in concrete code. He explores crucial intricacies, clarifies easily misunderstood ideas, and helps you avoid subtle errors that could have disastrous consequences. " Hank Warren once again compiles an irresistible collection of programming hacks: timesaving techniques, algorithms, and tricks that help programmers build more elegant and efficient software, while also gaining deeper insights into their craft. Warren’s hacks are eminently practical, but they’re also intrinsically interesting, and sometimes unexpected, much like the solution to a great puzzle. They are, in a word, a delight to any programmer who is excited by the opportunity to improve. Diomidis Spinellis helps experienced programmers accelerate their journey to mastery, by systematically categorizing, explaining, and illustrating the most useful debugging methods, strategies, techniques, and tools. Drawing on more than thirty-five years of experience, Spinellis expands your arsenal of debugging techniques, helping you choose the best approaches for each challenge. He presents vendor-neutral, example-rich advice on general principles, high-level strategies, concrete techniques, high-efficiency tools, creative tricks, and the behavioral traits associated with effective debugging.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Programmers are craftspeople trained to use a certain set of tools (editors, object managers, version trackers) to generate a certain kind of product (programs) that will operate in some environment (operating systems on hardware assemblies). Like any other craft, computer programming has spawned a body of wisdom, most of which isn't taught at universities or in certification classes. Most programmers arrive at the so-called tricks of the trade over time, through independent experimentation. In The Pragmatic Programmer, Andrew Hunt and David Thomas codify many of the truths they've discovered during their respective careers as designers of software and writers of code.

Some of the authors' nuggets of pragmatism are concrete, and the path to their implementation is clear. They advise readers to learn one text editor, for example, and use it for everything. They also recommend the use of version-tracking software for even the smallest projects, and promote the merits of learning regular expression syntax and a text-manipulation language. Other (perhaps more valuable) advice is more light-hearted. In the debugging section, it is noted that, "if you see hoof prints think horses, not zebras." That is, suspect everything, but start looking for problems in the most obvious places. There are recommendations for making estimates of time and expense, and for integrating testing into the development process. You'll want a copy of The Pragmatic Programmer for two reasons: it displays your own accumulated wisdom more cleanly than you ever bothered to state it, and it introduces you to methods of work that you may not yet have considered. Working programmers will enjoy this book. --David Wall

Topics covered: A useful approach to software design and construction that allows for efficient, profitable development of high-quality products. Elements of the approach include specification development, customer relations, team management, design practices, development tools, and testing procedures. This approach is presented with the help of anecdotes and technical problems.

From the Publisher

As a reviewer I got an early opportunity to read the book you are holding. It was great, even in draft form. Dave Thomas and Andy Hunt have something to say, and they know how to say it. I saw what they were doing and I knew it would work. I asked to write this foreword so that I could explain why.

Simply put, this book tells you how to program in a way that you can follow. You wouldn't think that that would be a hard thing to do, but it is. Why? For one thing, not all programming books are written by programmers. Many are compiled by language designers, or the journalists who work with them to promote their creations. Those books tell you how to talk in a programming language---which is certainly important, but that is only a small part of what a programmer does.

What does a programmer do besides talk in programming language? Well, that is a deeper issue. Most programmers would have trouble explaining what they do. Programming is a job filled with details, and keeping track of those details requires focus. Hours drift by and the code appears. You look up and there are all of those statements. If you don't think carefully, you might think that programming is just typing statements in a programming language. You would be wrong, of course, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking around the programming section of the bookstore.

In The Pragmatic Programmer Dave and Andy tell us how to program in a way that we can follow. How did they get so smart? Aren't they just as focused on details as other programmers? The answer is that they paid attention to what they were doing while they were doing it---and then they tried to do it better.

Imagine that you are sitting in a meeting. Maybe you are thinking that the meeting could go on forever and that you would rather be programming. Dave and Andy would be thinking about why they were having the meeting, and wondering if there is something else they could do that would take the place of the meeting, and deciding if that something could be automated so that the work of the meeting just happens in the future. Then they would do it.

That is just the way Dave and Andy think. That meeting wasn't something keeping them from programming. It was programming. And it was programming that could be improved. I know they think this way because it is tip number two: Think About Your Work.

So imagine that these guys are thinking this way for a few years. Pretty soon they would have a collection of solutions. Now imagine them using their solutions in their work for a few more years, and discarding the ones that are too hard or don't always produce results. Well, that approach just about defines pragmatic. Now imagine them taking a year or two more to write their solutions down. You might think, That information would be a gold mine. And you would be right.

The authors tell us how they program. And they tell us in a way that we can follow. But there is more to this second statement than you might think. Let me explain.

The authors have been careful to avoid proposing a theory of software development. This is fortunate, because if they had they would be obliged to warp each chapter to defend their theory. Such warping is the tradition in, say, the physical sciences, where theories eventually become laws or are quietly discarded. Programming on the other hand has few (if any) laws. So programming advice shaped around wanna-be laws may sound good in writing, but it fails to satisfy in practice. This is what goes wrong with so many methodology books.

I've studied this problem for a dozen years and found the most promise in a device called a pattern language. In short, a pattern is a solution, and a pattern language is a system of solutions that reinforce each other. A whole community has formed around the search for these systems.

This book is more than a collection of tips. It is a pattern language in sheep's clothing. I say that because each tip is drawn from experience, told as concrete advice, and related to others to form a system. These are the characteristics that allow us to learn and follow a pattern language. They work the same way here.

You can follow the advice in this book because it is concrete. You won't find vague abstractions. Dave and Andy write directly for you, as if each tip was a vital strategy for energizing your programming career. They make it simple, they tell a story, they use a light touch, and then they follow that up with answers to questions that will come up when you try.

And there is more. After you read ten or fifteen tips you will begin to see an extra dimension to the work. We sometimes call it QWAN, short for the quality without a name. The book has a philosophy that will ooze into your consciousness and mix with your own. It doesn't preach. It just tells what works. But in the telling more comes through. That's the beauty of the book: It embodies its philosophy, and it does so unpretentiously.

So here it is: an easy to read---and use---book about the whole practice of programming. I've gone on and on about why it works. You probably only care that it does work. It does. You will see. --Ward Cunningham

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 020161622X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Addison-Wesley Professional (January 1, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780201616224
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0201616224
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.33 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,473 ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides good advice on programming in a practical way. They describe it as well-written and easy to understand. The point of view is described as pragmatic and effective. However, some readers feel the book is too short and shallow. Opinions differ on the content's datedness - some find it timeless and classic, while others consider it outdated.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

170 customers mention "Advice level"154 positive16 negative

Customers find the book helpful for learning programming principles and practices. They appreciate the practical suggestions, including mastering a code editor, and design considerations. The book covers essential topics in system building, from coding to the entire social aspect. Readers mention that the sections on test-driven development are fine, but the ideas are better handled by Kent Beck's book.

"...Most of the subjects covered in this book are best practices I look for or insist on establishing on my projects to ensure work moves along smoothly..." Read more

"Pragmatic Programmer touches on many excellent software development practices and design methodologies, although there is not much depth on any one..." Read more

"...can be used to manipulate text, host web pages, do math and write program source that looks like Snoopy swearing...." Read more

"...It assumes you are intelligent and can think for yourself about problems, and need help solving them, but not necessarily to be told _how_ to solve..." Read more

148 customers mention "Readability"137 positive11 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They say it's well-written and rememberable. The authors are described as entertaining and pragmatic. The writing style is described as light and easy to follow.

"...my local developers and external developers, and this book gives a good framework and guidelines on how applications and classes need to work...." Read more

"...I know this already." The book is very readable, although it lacks personality. Not dry, just impersonal...." Read more

"...The style is informal without getting chatty. The authors exhibit a dry sense of humour that makes the reading go smooth at all times...." Read more

"...and you may not agree with all of them, but I believe it's essential reading for anyone who wants a fulfilling career in software development...." Read more

18 customers mention "Point of view"15 positive3 negative

Customers find the book's perspective helpful and pragmatic. They say it provides solid guidance on improving skills and note-taking.

"...book hits lots of important topics and more importantly, approaches them in the right way...." Read more

"...; it was suggested me by a fellow coworker; and I must say that it was spot on...." Read more

"...It focuses on more than just skill and note taking (which 90% of programming books are about)...." Read more

"...It gets to the point while neither being preachy nor beating a dead horse...." Read more

6 customers mention "Effectiveness"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful and effective for programmers. They say it covers multiple aspects and helps them see results immediately.

"...containing tips that are meant for programmers who want to be effective and efficient, who program as a profession, who have project risks that need..." Read more

"...I am thankful to the authors for putting together this helpful work in an such an easy to digest format...." Read more

"...This book works on many things, and tries to get multiple aspects of programming/Structure, organization, and pragmatism in your head to help...." Read more

"This book uses great and memorable analogies and is easy to read...." Read more

21 customers mention "Dated content"12 positive9 negative

Customers have different views on the book's content. Some find it timeless and classic, with timeless concepts that will always be relevant. Others mention some sections are a bit dated by today, but overall the content is still relevant.

"...It bears its age remarkably well. In fact, only minutiae makes it look old by any standard...." Read more

"...Furthermore, this book has not aged well...." Read more

"...What's even better is the content doesn't go stale in few months...." Read more

"...That being said, it's starting to show its age. A lot of the recommendations seem pretty obvious to someone using modern agile methodologies...." Read more

8 customers mention "Length"0 positive8 negative

Customers find the book too short with too few chapters to cover topics adequately. They say the advice is too broad and outdated, with some sections being too brief.

"...Although not very long, this book hits lots of important topics and more importantly, approaches them in the right way...." Read more

"...sense and any actual, useful information was so superficial and shallow as to be essentially useless...." Read more

"Yes, this book is a bit long in the tooth (when this book was published, git was just a sparkle in Linus Torvalds’ eye), but the ideas in it sparked..." Read more

"I am on the last chapter of this book. This book is incredibly short. If it were packed full of useful information, short would be a good thing...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2015
    This book provides sound, practical advice that makes sense on almost any development project. The Pragmatic Programmer is not limited to a specific niche or language – any developer can take and apply these principles. It employs a good, familiar writing style which makes the book easy to digest, and the material is quick to absorb and apply.

    Thomas and Hunt present content that is useful for everyone from the novice to the expert. They organize their advice into approximately 46 topics that cover a wide range of programming best practices. The tips build on each other throughout and are loosely categorized so that tips on similar themes are grouped together. To get the most out of it, I suggest reading the whole book, or at least sizeable sections, beginning to end to clearly see how they integrate. However, because there are so many tips, integrating them all at once initially may be difficult. It’s easy to bite off more than you can chew here, so perhaps a good starting point is to begin with the tips that are most relevant for you and branch out from there. A couple of sections resonated strongly with me:

    1) A useful practice that I operate by and push my developers to operate by is refactoring (Chapter 6 – “While You Are Coding”, p. 184). This book provides a framework for the appropriate mindset to take on how to handle and maintain a code base. In refactoring, you don’t relate the software so much to a construction project but to creating and maintaining a garden – code is dynamic and its environment is ever changing. You’ll need to adapt and adjust code as the project moves along, and developers need to operate from the mindset that they’ll need to change things and adapt their code as they proceed.

    2) Another practice that I follow extensively is Design by Contract (Chapter 4 – “Pragmatic Paranoia”, p. 109), or the idea that you build/structure elements to a defined contract. This could be a contract between systems, classes, or even functions. I use this approach with both my local developers and external developers, and this book gives a good framework and guidelines on how applications and classes need to work. For example, I can define a contract for how a base class and its subclasses need to work and interact, and then work with a developer to provide the specific implementation for that class. I also use this approach for APIs when coordinating with an external team to handle an exchange of data.

    I’m a software architect and developer with over 20 years of industry experience across a number of languages and systems, and I’ve completed hundreds of projects both individually and with technical and cross-disciplinary teams of varying sizes. Most of the subjects covered in this book are best practices I look for or insist on establishing on my projects to ensure work moves along smoothly during development. This book covers the spectrum – it’s equally useful to me, my project managers and developers, and those just getting into our industry. It’s a solid book to return to every once in a while to make sure you’re in alignment with best practices. I highly recommend it to both new and experienced developers. I hope it helps you as much as it’s helped me.
    60 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2012
    Pragmatic Programmer touches on many excellent software development practices and design methodologies, although there is not much depth on any one topic. If I had read it much earlier in my career, I think I would have learned a lot more from it. But I've been developing for 12+ years now, and I've already picked up on nearly everything this book had to say. I guess I already was a "Pragmatic Programmer". I found myself skimming a lot of the sections and whispering to myself, "Yeah, yeah, good stuff. I know this already."

    The book is very readable, although it lacks personality. Not dry, just impersonal. It has a lot of "We think this, we think that..." but I kept asking myself, who is "we"? What experiences informed these points of views? How long have the authors been developing code, and in what subspecialties? Sure, some of this information about the authors can be looked up. But I'd rather have seen some of these details come out in the text of the book itself, in the course of explaining their points of view.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2014
    I have looked at this title in the listings for many years, but for some reason it was never the one I bought. I should have bought this a long time ago! My bad.

    Better late than never, they say, and that's definitely true of this title. It bears its age remarkably well. In fact, only minutiae makes it look old by any standard.

    The book is a long list of carefully explained sections that are ultimately summarised as a set of tips. If you have ever read Scott Meyers' work on Effective C++ you sorta get the idea. However, where Scott is intimately involved with using C++, Andrew Hunt and David Thomas are concerned with general approaches to development. What to do. What not to do. In general. And specifics. Regardless of your chosen programming language.

    The book's age only shows when they talk about concrete technologies; Java was new and shiny at the time. eXtreme Programming was around, but Agile was not. C++ had only just been standardised for the first time. There was no subversion, let alone mercurial or git.

    These age symptoms are irrelevant though, because any technology is only used in very short snippets, and only to demonstrate a point.

    So, what's in here? You'll find guidelines such as "Learn a new programming language every year," "Keep knowledge in plain text," "Don't program by coincidence," and "Gently exceed your users' expectations." You'll also find a thorough discussion of why these guidelines are important.

    The style is informal without getting chatty. The authors exhibit a dry sense of humour that makes the reading go smooth at all times.

    Anyway, you gotta love it when the authors' remind you that perl can be used to manipulate text, host web pages, do math and write program source that looks like Snoopy swearing.

    This one is going to be a stable. All serious programmers, regardless of language, platform or technology, should read this.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Guilherme
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but...
    Reviewed in Brazil on October 28, 2024
    The book is good, but if you are a seasoned(and good) software engineer it will not add much to your knowledge, it says a lot of things tech leaders/architects should already know.
    I would recommend this book to mid developers(Juniors are one step behind to start worrying with the content of this book)
  • Nat
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great quality 2nd hand
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2024
    Great quality 2nd hand
  • Daniel G.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 6, 2019
    Un excelente libro, un Must para programadores sin importar tu tecnología, lenguaje, edad o ideología. Es bastante actual a pesar de los años, de los pocos libros de programación que merece comprar. Es algo así como la biblia de los programadores
  • Nitin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Solid insight
    Reviewed in India on May 2, 2020
    Though its an old book some of the topics are relevant even today. Must for the one in programming business I would say.
  • Mark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good advice for learners
    Reviewed in Germany on November 6, 2019
    The book is nice and contains good advice. I think it speaks for the book that a lot of the advice has become more common knowledge in recent years. This does mean that for experienced programmers it might not contains too many surprises, but at the same time it means that it is very solid advice for beginner / intermediary programmers.