Here are 39 books that Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture fans have personally recommended if you like
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You know what ages like milk? Programming books. I always cringe when someone glances at my programming bookshelf. Some of those books are so dated, they make me appear out of touch by association. Sometimes, I feel compelled to justify myself. “Yes, that's the first edition of Thinking in Java…I keep it for nostalgic reasons, you know!” Yesterday’s software book is today’s fish and chip wrapper. However, there are exceptions. A few classics stay relevant for years, or even decades. This is a shortlist of software books that might be older than you, but are still very much worth reading.
In my consulting gigs, I come across plenty of clueless remarks. Here's a classic one: “We're falling behind schedule, so let's hire more coders.” Or a more recent gem: “We'll be ten times more productive if we generate code with AI.”
When I encounter such nonsense, I don't facepalm or cringe. Instead, I put on my poker face and drop a quote from The Mythical Man-Month.
In an industry where last year’s book is already outdated, Fred Brooks' collection of essays has been a guiding light for nearly half a century. His aphorisms have become legendary. “The bearing of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned.” “Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.” “There is no silver bullet.” The list goes on and on.
John Carmack, one of the greatest programmers of our times, used to revisit this book every year or…
Few books on software project management have been as influential and timeless as The Mythical Man-Month. With a blend of software engineering facts and thought-provoking opinions, Fred Brooks offers insight for anyone managing complex projects. These essays draw from his experience as project manager for the IBM System/360 computer family and then for OS/360, its massive software system. Now, 20 years after the initial publication of his book, Brooks has revisited his original ideas and added new thoughts and advice, both for readers already familiar with his work and for readers discovering it for the first time.
I’ve spent most of my life writing code—and too much of that life teaching new programmers how to write code like a professional. If it’s true that you only truly understand something after teaching it to someone else, then at this point I must really understand programming! Unfortunately, that understanding has not led to an endless stream of bug-free code, but it has led to some informed opinions on programming and books about programming.
This book’s title is absolutely perfect! There’s no agenda here other than identifying things that will make you a more effective and productive programmer.
That leads to a book packed with solid advice, whether it’s about how to write code or how to think about your career. The authors are consultants, so there are plenty of clear and interesting examples drawn from many different problem domains. That’s super fun for someone like me who’s hyper-focused on a single kind of programming.
"One of the most significant books in my life." -Obie Fernandez, Author, The Rails Way
"Twenty years ago, the first edition of The Pragmatic Programmer completely changed the trajectory of my career. This new edition could do the same for yours." -Mike Cohn, Author of Succeeding with Agile , Agile Estimating and Planning , and User Stories Applied
". . . filled with practical advice, both technical and professional, that will serve you and your projects well for years to come." -Andrea Goulet, CEO, Corgibytes, Founder, LegacyCode.Rocks
". . . lightning does strike twice, and this book is proof." -VM…
You know what ages like milk? Programming books. I always cringe when someone glances at my programming bookshelf. Some of those books are so dated, they make me appear out of touch by association. Sometimes, I feel compelled to justify myself. “Yes, that's the first edition of Thinking in Java…I keep it for nostalgic reasons, you know!” Yesterday’s software book is today’s fish and chip wrapper. However, there are exceptions. A few classics stay relevant for years, or even decades. This is a shortlist of software books that might be older than you, but are still very much worth reading.
Few people want to grow up like their parents. In the early 2010s, many programmers scoffed at the design principles of the ‘90s. Why should anyone care about the nuances of object-oriented design? That’s such a Java thing to bother with!
To seasoned developers, this rejection felt like a baby and bathwater situation. Then Sandy Metz came to the rescue. Her book persuaded younger developers (or at least, those in the Ruby community) that those old ideas were still valuable.
Practical Object-Oriented Design in Ruby traced a straight line from the pioneering times of Smalltalk, through the years of the software craftsmanship movement, directly to modern programming.
It’s a timeless book in the best sense of the word: it would have felt relevant back in the 90s, or when it was published, or today. Few people want to grow up like our parents–but as it turns out, we all do.
The Complete Guide to Writing More Maintainable, Manageable, Pleasing, and Powerful Ruby Applications
Ruby's widely admired ease of use has a downside: Too many Ruby and Rails applications have been created without concern for their long-term maintenance or evolution. The Web is awash in Ruby code that is now virtually impossible to change or extend. This text helps you solve that problem by using powerful real-world object-oriented design techniques, which it thoroughly explains using simple and practical Ruby examples.
Sandi Metz has distilled a lifetime of conversations and presentations about object-oriented design into a set of Ruby-focused practices for crafting…
You know what ages like milk? Programming books. I always cringe when someone glances at my programming bookshelf. Some of those books are so dated, they make me appear out of touch by association. Sometimes, I feel compelled to justify myself. “Yes, that's the first edition of Thinking in Java…I keep it for nostalgic reasons, you know!” Yesterday’s software book is today’s fish and chip wrapper. However, there are exceptions. A few classics stay relevant for years, or even decades. This is a shortlist of software books that might be older than you, but are still very much worth reading.
If you check out Amazon’s best selling books on object-oriented design, you might see a relic from 1995 still hanging near the top: "Design Patterns". That book transformed software design. Its four authors will forever be known to my generation as the “Gang of Four".
Some of the original patterns may feel outdated today, but others remain essential. Pity that the book itself is such a tough read. Good thing that another "gang of four”, spearheaded by the excellent Kathy Sierra, gave us this lighthearted take on the original patterns.
The Design Patterns book was a densely packed truck of ideas. By comparison, Head First Design Patterns is a whimsical bumper car. It’s quirky and accessible, which some serious programmers found off-putting: “It’s a book for teenagers!“, they griped.
Yes, it’s not for everybody. But it’s fun, unassuming, and it teaches important concepts. So it makes my list.
You're not alone. At any given moment, somewhere in the world someone struggles with the same software design problems you have. You know you don't want to reinvent the wheel (or worse, a flat tire), so you look to Design Patterns--the lessons learned by those who've faced the same problems. With Design Patterns, you get to take advantage of the best practices and experience of others, so that you can spend your time on...something else. Something more challenging. Something more complex. Something more fun. You want to learn about the patterns that matter--why to use them, when to use them,…
Computers have fascinated me since my childhood, having fond memories of my dad's ZX81, but even so I played around I was never truly captured by the programming until I recognized it as a way of writing rather than raw engineering. Through my studies of media sciences I found my fascination with how language can shape perception, and through my work in developer advocacy, I found how communities are shaped as well. Now I am fascinated with how different programming languages can shape thinking, having had the opportunity to solve problems at large companies in nonmainstream languages.
Smalltalk is not as common or popular as it once was, but the influence its design had on programming is hard to overstate.
Reading this book has changed how I think about object orientation, and how I design systems, learning the patterns of Smalltalk makes it clear what object oriented design is really intended to achieve.
This classic book is the definitive real-world style guide for better Smalltalk programming. This author presents a set of patterns that organize all the informal experience successful Smalltalk programmers have learned the hard way. When programmers understand these patterns, they can write much more effective code. The concept of Smalltalk patterns is introduced, and the book explains why they work. Next, the book introduces proven patterns for working with methods, messages, state, collections, classes and formatting. Finally, the book walks through a development example utilizing patterns. For programmers, project managers, teachers and students -- both new and experienced. This book…
I have been working with computers for decades now – having started with programmable handheld calculators and working my way up and down through mainframes, mini- and micro-computers. I always thought there is an art to writing software, and that good software can be read and admired. Maintainability, readability, and testability are some core needs for software, and after going through many programming paradigms, I feel that functional programming (FP) is the way to go – and several modern web frameworks agree. JavaScript (and now, TypeScript) are essential to web development, and I wanted to show how FP could be successfully used with those languages, and thus my book.
Of all the books I recommend, this is practically a sort of personal bible, which I very frequently consult.
This book doesn't just show you how to code; with realistic patterns and real-world examples, it's like having experienced mentors guiding your every keystroke. These patterns aren't just snippets; they're blueprints for building robust, flexible software.
I think the book is practically mandatory for all developers, novice or seasoned. It transformed how I approach problems, teaching me techniques I use daily in systems design and development.
Capturing a wealth of experience about the design of object-oriented software, four top-notch designers present a catalog of simple and succinct solutions to commonly occurring design problems. Previously undocumented, these 23 patterns allow designers to create more flexible, elegant, and ultimately reusable designs without having to rediscover the design solutions themselves.
The authors begin by describing what patterns are and how they can help you design object-oriented software. They then go on to systematically name, explain, evaluate, and catalog recurring designs in object-oriented systems. With Design Patterns as your guide, you will learn how these important patterns fit into the…
I have been working with computers for decades now – having started with programmable handheld calculators and working my way up and down through mainframes, mini- and micro-computers. I always thought there is an art to writing software, and that good software can be read and admired. Maintainability, readability, and testability are some core needs for software, and after going through many programming paradigms, I feel that functional programming (FP) is the way to go – and several modern web frameworks agree. JavaScript (and now, TypeScript) are essential to web development, and I wanted to show how FP could be successfully used with those languages, and thus my book.
This book is different from the others I recommended, because its focus is not really on creating algorithms, but rather on how to improve code with a systematic process, keeping functionality but enhancing quality.
The author shows several practical techniques that he applies to real-world problems and empower you to elevate your code's quality and adapt it seamlessly to changing needs. It's not just about writing code; it's about becoming a more effective and confident developer.
I consider this book a companion on the journey to mastering the craft of coding. With it, you’ll always be able to achieve higher-quality code, no matter the original version of the code.
Refactoring is about improving the design of existing code. It is the process of changing a software system in such a way that it does not alter the external behavior of the code, yet improves its internal structure. With refactoring you can even take a bad design and rework it into a good one. This book offers a thorough discussion of the principles of refactoring, including where to spot opportunities for refactoring, and how to set up the required tests. There is also a catalog of more than 40 proven refactorings with details as to when and why to use…
I’ve always enjoyed mentoring folks whether new or experienced in programming. Whether it is teaching an intern or a high school robotics student, or onboarding an experienced Java developer, it brings me joy to see people learn. I also love to read. Being able to recommend some of my favorite books can help even more people absorb all of this information.
Head First books are always fun. They know how to engage your brain and have cartoons/puzzles.
I recommend this book whether you are first learning git or have used it for some time. Understanding git is a big deal so you can work efficiently. Without having to keep deleting the repository and starting over!
Many people who use Git rely on "recipes"--copying and pasting commands they find on the internet without really understanding how Git actually works. But what do you do if you find yourself in a tight spot? You can't simply wing it. With this unique hands-on guide, you'll learn the ways of Git and have fun while doing it. Raju Gandhi peels back the layers to reveal the simple yet powerful engine that powers Git, so you'll understand not just the how but the why. You'll master branches, merges, commit messages, search, utilities, and…
I love pulling back the curtain on how computers work. I want to go from thinking "that's magic" to "that's unbelievably clever but now I understand how it works." Each time I am able to do this feels like a hard-won but therefore meaningful step toward understanding. I want others to experience this empowering shift. I have a PhD in computer science education, and I want to know what helps people learn. More importantly, I want to know how we can use such discoveries to write more effective books. The books I appreciate most are those that demonstrate not only mastery of the subject matter but also mastery of teaching.
Many of my favourite algorithms books give short shrift to designing APIs for the algorithms and data structures that they present. The Sedgewick and Wayne book, by contrast, goes all in on an object-oriented API design. This is my book choice for Java programmers and those interested in larger program design considerations. Clear your calendar: each chapter here is massive, but I think the time investment is worth it. I especially like the chapter that shows how to tune classic algorithms for realizing speedups when working with strings.
This fourth edition of Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne's Algorithms is the leading textbook on algorithms today and is widely used in colleges and universities worldwide. This book surveys the most important computer algorithms currently in use and provides a full treatment of data structures and algorithms for sorting, searching, graph processing, and string processing--including fifty algorithms every programmer should know. In this edition, new Java implementations are written in an accessible modular programming style, where all of the code is exposed to the reader and ready to use.
The algorithms in this book represent a body of knowledge developed…
My passion for computer science started while spending my free time gaming in my young adult days, leading me to experiment with C++ and then dive into enterprise-level Java applications during high school. My enthusiasm for Java propelled me to teach and share my knowledge through Java and Spring tutorials on YouTube. I also frequent conferences where I exchange ideas on various software topics. My constant wish to contribute further to the community is filled by writing technical books. This mix of teaching, creating, and constant learning fuels me and pushes me further into the tech world. I really hope you will enjoy this selection of technical books!
Docker is the technology that works perfectly along with Kubernetes, and I believe that in such a fast-paced development environment, applications do not need to depend on the machine that they are running on.
What truly stood out for me was the exploration of Docker's features like images, networks, containers, and volumes, and how these elements create a consistent environment for applications to run. This consistency is key in eliminating the "well, it works on my machine" problem, making our lives easier and our work more portable.
The idea behind Docker is simple. Create a tiny virtual environment called a container that holds just your application and its dependencies. The Docker engine uses the host operating system to keep track of your containers. Applications running inside containers share resources, making their footprints small. They are easy to install, manage, and remove. Docker in Action, Second Edition teaches you to create, deploy, and manage applications hosted in Docker containers running on Linux. Fully updated, with four new chapters and revised best practices and examples, this second edition begins with a clear explanation of the Docker model. Then, you…
