Code Craft: The Practice of Writing Excellent Code

Front Cover
No Starch Press, 2007 - Computers - 624 pages

You know how to write code that works, but what about code that's well written and easy to understand? And robust and bug-free? If other programmers looked at your handiwork, would they be able to figure out the code's logic and purpose? Exceptional programmers have more than just technical know-how; they adopt the right approach and attitude to development.

Code Craft
will help take your programming beyond writing correct code to writing great code, thus turning you into a true programming professional or enhancing your existing professional skills.

With language-agnostic advice that's relevant to all developers, Code Craft covers code-writing concerns such as presentation style, variable naming, error handling, and security. And it tackles broader, real-world programming issues like effective teamwork, development processes, and documentation. Each chapter ends with a Q&A section that reviews key concepts to get you thinking like an expert, making it an especially great reference for newer programmers who want to work professionally and efficiently as part of a team.

This survival guide for the software factory will show you how to:

* Write good code when the world's not helping you
* Avoid disasters and distractions in the workplace
* Assess your abilities accurately and determine ways to improve
* Adopt productive attitudes and follow best practices

There's little more valuable than the advice of a true, programming professional. You'll find Code Craft to be clear, practical, and entertaining throughout, and a great way to take your code (and your career) to the next level.

 

Contents

At the Codeface
1
The Secret Life of Code
109
The Shape of Code
239
A Herd of Programmers?
293
Part of the Process
365
View from the Top
417
Answers and Discussion
463
Bibliography
559
Index
565
Updates
586
Copyright

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About the author (2007)

Pete Goodliffe is an expert software developer who never stays at the same place in the software food chain; he's worked in numerous languages on diverse projects. He also has extensive experience in teaching and mentoring programmers, and writes the regular "Professionalism in Programming" column for ACCU's C Vu magazine (www.accu.org). Pete enjoys writing excellent, bug-free code, so he can spend more time having fun with his kids.

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