Comments on: A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer

By: Tips for a good resume | Mind.random()

Tips for a good resume | Mind.random() — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:34:12 +0000

[...] Read a lot of books or atleast the minimum needed, have a pet project (even better, involve in an open source project) and highlight it on your [...]

By: Becoming A Better Developer « James McLeod

Becoming A Better Developer « James McLeod — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:16:12 +0000

[...] sure you take a look at A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer at Davy’s [...]

By: 05/01/2010 : Developper skills day | Skill | My Daily Top RSS Selection

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:42:36 +0000

[...] A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer [...]

By: Hexanes! » A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer

Hexanes! » A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:02:11 +0000

[...] Davy Brion’s Blog… and I totally agree with him lol I’ve stated previously that reading software development [...]

By: Reasoning

Reasoning — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:45:57 +0000

These are good books but, I can’t understand why books on Algorithms & Data Structures, books on different programming paradigms such as functional have been left out. There seems to be a definite bias towards OO programming and the Agile/TDD fad.

A developer should consider reading either Knuth books or Introduction to Algorithms book, while not disregarding other good books available in the category. SICP by Abel, Sussman or How to Design Programs by Felleisen et al. should also have been in top of the list. And a book that can provide basics of computer architecture is always a good thing.

By: Troy

Troy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:29:07 +0000

I think a major oversite is data structures and algorithms book
like Introduction to Algorithms. Choosing good data structures clarifies your code/program as Fred Brooks and others have noted. Fundamentals are important beyond and above language/paradigm.

By: jonhilt

jonhilt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:16:32 +0000

For getting design patterns into your head I can highly recommend “Head First Design Patterns” (Eric Freeman, Elisabeth Freeman, Bert Bates, Kathy Sierra – O’Reilly Media)

By: Weekly Links #81 | GrantPalin.com

Weekly Links #81 | GrantPalin.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:29:13 +0000

[...] A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer A good roundup of a variety of software development books. Some I’ve read already, some are already on the reading list, and some just got added to the reading list. [...]

By: Interesting Finds: 2009 11.23 ~ 11.30 - gOODiDEA.NET

Interesting Finds: 2009 11.23 ~ 11.30 - gOODiDEA.NET — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:41:39 +0000

[...] A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer [...]

By: M.M.F

M.M.F — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:21:11 +0000

Nice Collection
thanks

By: fakeslikeUs

fakeslikeUs — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:09:51 +0000

All these choices are great …

great for fakes like Us

trying to get a job

By: This Blog Needs No Name | November | 2009

This Blog Needs No Name | November | 2009 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:06:50 +0000

[...] A Reading Guide To Becoming A Better Developer – [...]

By: Davy Brion

Davy Brion — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:54:14 +0000

@Hwiechers

According to the rules, you can’t do refactoring without tests to verify that the behavior remains the same

As for Code Complete, i originally had that listed as the very first one. I moved it down a bit because the parts about writing actual code don’t really stress the importance of TDD and refactoring enough (IMO).

By: hwiechers

hwiechers — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:50:25 +0000

Why is Test-Driven Development the first book? Wouldn’t it be better to have the more general books like Code Complete and Refactoring early on and the more TDD/agile specific ones later?

A great list regardless.

By: StevenMcD

StevenMcD — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:48:58 +0000

Looks like a great list, don’t think I have any of those. Time to buy some more books

By: Jan Van Ryswyck

Jan Van Ryswyck — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:17:01 +0000

Not all code samples in the PoEAA or EIP book aren’t that good either, but these books does get their point across. I personally learned a lot of things while reading this book, that’s why I mentioned it.

By: kilfour

kilfour — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:43:25 +0000

On the ones, I’ve read, and I don’t score a 13/15, I fully agree.
I reckon this is going to be one of these posts where people are going to try to out do eachother, so, conforming to expectations :
‘Refactoring to Patterns’ by Joshua Kerievsky

By: Davy Brion

Davy Brion — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:41:52 +0000

i’m sorry, but i really can’t recommend Agile Principles, Patterns and Practices… the part about the SOLID principles is _very_ good, but IMO, it’s the only part of the book that’s worth reading… I really feel that Clean Code is a much more valuable contribution from Uncle Bob

and how can you honestly recommend a book that contains sample code like this?

By: Tom de Koning

Tom de Koning — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:48:40 +0000

Well..

Got 13 out of 15, on my way so to speak

I miss Agile principles as well and a bit of the following:
Software Project Survival Guide
Analysis patterns
The Passionate Programmer
Javascript, the good parts. I’m not that much into referring to a language book as one of my favorites, but this one is particularly good written.

By: Jay Turpin

Jay Turpin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:38:49 +0000

And don't forget The Pragmatic Programmer by Dave Thomas/Andy Hunt and Code as Design by Jack Reeves