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The focus of Code Complete is software construction, i.e. the coding part of software development. As Steve McConnell notes in the preface, "construction is the only activity that is guaranteed to be done". You can skip almost any step (requirements, testing etc), but if you don't write any code there is not going to be any software.
I bought my copy of the first edition of Code Complete in 1997, and I was immediately fascinated. I had never read anything like it before - a book that concentrated on the actual writing of the code. For example, it had a whole chapter on if- and case-statements, and another chapter on the naming of variables. I had no idea there was so much to learn about these seemingly straight forward activities. It was immediately useful to me, and I started to apply as much as I could of what I learnt from it.
Although it concentrated on coding, it covered a broad spectrum of activities around coding, from requirements and design to testing, debugging and optimization. It also had a great reference section with suggestions of further reading in the area of software engineering. This became my starting point for finding lots of other good books to read, like Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams (Second Edition) and Programming Pearls (2nd Edition).
So this summer I decided to re-read this seminal book, partly to see what's new in the second edition, and partly to see if still think it is such a great book.
To answer my own question - yes, it is still the number one book on writing code. It is near encyclopaedic in its coverage of the nuts and bolts of programming. There are chapters on the naming of variables, on organizing straight-line code, on conditionals, on loops, on lay-out, on good commenting and on how to write good methods.
In it, there are frequent references to scientific studies that support the advice given in the book. For example, how long should variable names be? Instead of just giving us his opinion, McConnell summarized the findings of several scientific studies on the subject.
Each time there is reference to a study, there is a little "hard data" symbol in the margin. There are other symbols in the margin as well, "Coding Horror" for code examples of what not to do, and "Key Point" for, well, key points. The margin is also used for cross references to other chapters, and for quotes related to the subject discussed. For me, this works really well. It is both useful and makes the text easier to read. In general, the book is very well laid out.
Some of my favourite advice from the book (all of which I remember from reading the first edition) are:
Chapter 7.1 Valid Reasons to Create a Routine - for example: Reduce complexity, Introduce an intermediate understandable abstraction, and Avoid duplicate code (there are 6 more valid reasons in this chapter). The second part of the chapter is called Operations That Seem Too Simple to Put Into Routines and contains a great example of why it can be good to put even a one-line calculation in a routine - the code becomes more readable, and small operations tend to turn into larger operations.
Page 172 (and 264 for variables) Use opposites precisely. When naming "opposite" methods and variables, be careful to use the correct pairs, like add/remove, begin/end, create/destroy etc. This makes the relationship between them clear and obvious.
Page 433 Break complicated tests into partial tests with new boolean variables. This is such a simple thing, but it makes the code a lot more readable.
Page 754 "Make the incompleteness of a statement obvi". For example, when breaking up a logical and over two lines, end the first line with && - that way, it is clear that the statement continues on the next line.
Even though the book truly is great, there are a few things to complain about. In the first edition, the chapters on layout and comments came right after the chapters on the different control structures. But in the second edition, these two chapters have been moved further back. To me, that doesn't make sense, since they too are related to how you actually write your code. Now there are chapters on testing, debugging, optimization and refactoring in between.
And talking about refactoring: while this is an important subject, I don't feel the chapter on refactoring is particularly good. This chapter is new in the second edition. The summary of refactoring is OK, but a good part of the chapter consists of just listing different kinds of refactorings.
Overall though, the second edition is a nice face lift. The code examples are now mostly in Java, C++ or Visual Basic (in the first edition they were in Pascal, C or Ada). But since all the major themes of the book were already present in the first edition, it does not make a big difference if you happen to read the first edition instead of the second edition.
Code Complete is thick - 862 pages (not counting the bibliography and index). If that feels like a lot to read, then I suggest you start by just reading one or two chapters, for example "Using Conditionals" or "Layout and Style". They (and pretty much any chapter in the book) can easily be read without first reading the preceding chapters, and these will give you a sense of what you can expect from the other chapters. Even if these are all you read, you will still get a lot of value from the book.
However, if you are a programmer and care about how you write code, you owe it to yourself to read the whole book. It is considered by many (including me) to be the best book available on programming, and it will almost certainly make you a better programmer. Highly recommended.
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From the Publisher
From the Preface
My primary concern in writing this book has been to narrow the gap between the knowledge of industry gurus and professors on the one hand and common commercial practice on the other. Many powerful programming techniques hide in journals and academic papers for years before trickling down to the programming public.
Although leading-edge software-development practice has advanced rapidly in recent years, common practice hasn't. Many programs are still buggy, late, and over budget, and many fail to satisfy the needs of their users. Because these practices aren't often reported outside the pages of highly specialized technical journals, however, most programming organizations aren't yet using them today. This handbook shortcuts the process, making key discoveries available to the average programmer now.
- Steve McConnell
Who should read this book?
Experienced Programmers
This handbook serves experienced programmers who want a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide to software development. The programming practices described here will help you keep big projects under control and help you maintain and modify software successfully as the demands of your projects change.
Technical Leads
Many technical leads have used Code Complete to educate less-experienced programmers on their teams. You can also use it to fill your own knowledge gaps.
Self-Taught Programmers
Self-taught programmers are found in the emerging group of professionals—engineers, accountants, scientists, teachers, and small business owners—who program as part of their jobs but who do not necessarily view themselves as programmers. Regardless of the extent of your programming education, this handbook can give you insight into effective programming practices.
Students
Use this guide to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical skills as you transition from an academic environment to a professional career.
About the author
Customers say
Customers find this programming book highly readable and comprehensive, containing tons of handy tidbits and covering each topic thoroughly. Moreover, the book provides useful concepts and outlines the steps for constructing and maintaining code, making it indispensable for software engineers. Additionally, they appreciate the writing style, with one customer noting how well the concepts are internalized, and find it practical, with one mentioning its usefulness as a quick reference.
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112 customers mention readability, 99 positive, 13 negative
85 customers mention advice, 78 positive, 7 negative
...it's hard to find fault with the content itself - all of it is excellent advice, focusing mostly on the construction phase of software development....Read more
...comprehensive analysis of software construction, it is objective and scientific, it is well-written and well-organized and it carries a lot of...Read more
An excellent resource for learners and professionals alike. It came highly recommended to me by a professional developer of more than 30 years....Read more
Good advice, but nothing new....Read more
57 customers mention programming knowledge, 56 positive, 1 negative
Great book on software development. I personally learned a lot and have worked to implement things into they way I do my work.Read more
By far, one of the best books in programming. A must for any programmer....Read more
I was told this was a classic, must read for every programmer. I found that it is a classic, must-read that no programmer should be without.Read more
...It is an excellent resource for both students and experienced developers.Read more
45 customers mention information quality, 40 positive, 5 negative
...I found this book to be very wordy, but very thorough....Read more
...are few books I've found to be so helpful, broad in matter and yet comprehensive as this one is....Read more
Fantastic thorough and concise explanations. Steve McConnell really has summarized a great coding standard of sorts....Read more
...It's relevant information and it's easy to read.Read more
42 customers mention programming tips, 41 positive, 1 negative
Fantastic thorough and concise explanations. Steve McConnell really has summarized a great coding standard of sorts....Read more
...Nevertheless it contains really useful tips for programming in general and that was what I was essentially searching for.Read more
Great tips for coding well....Read more
...fundamental software design principles, and it has definitely improved my programming....Read more
34 customers mention writing style, 33 positive, 1 negative
Finally finished reading this 900 pages book. Very well written. Highly recommended. It drills down most programming practices you need to know....Read more
...The text is well-written and easy to read, and possesses a wealth of other resources and references to allow you to continue studying any of the...Read more
This book is the bible of software development. It is well written and gives solid advice on constructing code well.Read more
Really well written. This review reminds me I need to get back to reading this book!...Read more
23 customers mention use, 20 positive, 3 negative
...For me, this works really well. It is both useful and makes the text easier to read. In general, the book is very well laid out....Read more
...Overall, the advice in this book is clear, practical and good....Read more
...So, one year ago I bought it, and it was one of the most useful books I've ever read....Read more
...Indispensable.Read more
19 customers mention content depth, 16 positive, 3 negative
...The book is very specific. It does not typically give you vague advice that sounds good if you don't think too hard about it....Read more
Great choice of topics. The text is written very nicely. Some of the bold statements really drive the point home.Read more
...need to be taken to the heart since this book is very intensive and in depth....Read more
...Very good coverage on how to do good software construction, from very beginning....Read more
Self-diagram of Topic Coverage from Book
Bought it used and is in good shape! Haven't read through all of it, but off to a good start. Included a picture of a self-description of how much details it'll cover in each topic in this book.
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GunkanReviewed in Spain on March 21, 2014
El libro que recomendaría a cualquier estudiante o profesional del mundo informático
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Sébastien WilmetReviewed in France on December 27, 2018
Un des livres qui m'a été le plus utile en programmation
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Chris BaehrReviewed in Canada on May 30, 2014
Exactly what you need to become better at what you do in this field.
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
