The Pragmatic Programmer

• 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 programmer, or a manager responsible for software
projects, use these lessons daily, and you'll quickly see improvements in personal
productivity, accuracy, and job satisfaction. You'll learn skills and develop habits and
attitudes that form the foundation for long-term success in your career. You'll become a
Pragmatic Programmer.

Table of contents

Foreword

Preface

1. A Pragmatic Philosophy

1. The Cat Ate My Source Code

2. Software Entropy

3. Stone Soup and Boiled Frogs

4. Good-Enough Software

5. Your Knowledge Portfolio

6. Communicate!

2. A Pragmatic Approach

7. The Evils of Duplication

8. Orthogonality

9. Reversibility

10. Tracer Bullets

11. Prototypes and Post-it Notes

12. Domain Languages

13. Estimating

3. The Basic Tools

14. The Power of Plain Text

15. Shell Games

16. Power Editing

17. Source Code Control

18. Debugging

19. Text Manipulation

20. Code Generators

4. Pragmatic Paranoia

21. Design by Contract

22. Dead Programs Tell No Lies

23. Assertive Programming

24. When to Use Exceptions

25. How to Balance Resources

5. Bend, or Break

26. Decoupling and the Law of Demeter

27. Metaprogramming

28. Temporal Coupling

29. It's Just a View

30. Blackboards

6. While You Are Coding

31. Programming by Coincidence

32. Algorithm Speed

33. Refactoring

34. Code That's Easy to Test

35. Evil Wizards

7. Before the Project

36. The Requirements Pit

37. Solving Impossible Puzzles

38. Not Until You're Ready

39. The Specification Trap

40. Circles and Arrows

8. Pragmatic Projects

41. Pragmatic Teams

42. Ubiquitous Automation

43. Ruthless Testing

44. It's All Writing

45. Great Expectations

46. Pride and Prejudice

Appendices

A. Resources

B. Answers to Exercises

Index