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The Developer's Code: What Real Programmers Do
You're already a great coder, but awesome coding chops aren't always enough to get you through your toughest projects. You need these 50+ nuggets of wisdom. Veteran reinvigorate your passion for developing web applications. New here's the guidance you need to get started. With this book, you'll think about your job in new and enlightened ways.
The Developer's Code isn't about the code you write, it's about the code you live by.
There are no trite superlatives here. Packed with lessons learned from more than a decade of software development experience, author Ka Wai Cheung takes you through the programming profession from nearly every angle to uncover ways of sustaining a healthy connection with your work.
You'll see how to stay productive even on the longest projects. You'll create a workflow that works with you, not against you. And you'll learn how to deal with clients whose goals don't align with your own. If you don't handle them just right, issues such as these can crush even the most seasoned, motivated developer. But with the right approach, you can transcend these common problems and become the professional developer you want to be.
In more than 50 nuggets of wisdom, you'll
Why many traditional approaches to process and development roles in this industry are wrong - and how to sniff them out.
Why you must always say "no" to the software pet project and open-ended timelines.
How to incorporate code generation into your development process, and why its benefits go far beyond just faster code output.
What to do when your client or end user disagrees with an approach you believe in.
How to pay your knowledge forward to future generations of programmers through teaching and evangelism.
If you're in this industry for the long run, you'll be coming back to this book again and again.
The Developer's Code isn't about the code you write, it's about the code you live by.
There are no trite superlatives here. Packed with lessons learned from more than a decade of software development experience, author Ka Wai Cheung takes you through the programming profession from nearly every angle to uncover ways of sustaining a healthy connection with your work.
You'll see how to stay productive even on the longest projects. You'll create a workflow that works with you, not against you. And you'll learn how to deal with clients whose goals don't align with your own. If you don't handle them just right, issues such as these can crush even the most seasoned, motivated developer. But with the right approach, you can transcend these common problems and become the professional developer you want to be.
In more than 50 nuggets of wisdom, you'll
Why many traditional approaches to process and development roles in this industry are wrong - and how to sniff them out.
Why you must always say "no" to the software pet project and open-ended timelines.
How to incorporate code generation into your development process, and why its benefits go far beyond just faster code output.
What to do when your client or end user disagrees with an approach you believe in.
How to pay your knowledge forward to future generations of programmers through teaching and evangelism.
If you're in this industry for the long run, you'll be coming back to this book again and again.
141 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2012
27 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
June 12, 2013
It's an awesome book!
Some of the ideas you can already find in other Pragmatic Bookshelf books, but it is still a great read. If you're an experienced programmer, you will get challenged by some of the ideas. If you're not, you'll get some good insight on where our industry is (or ought to be).
The writing, in particular, is great.
Some of the ideas you can already find in other Pragmatic Bookshelf books, but it is still a great read. If you're an experienced programmer, you will get challenged by some of the ideas. If you're not, you'll get some good insight on where our industry is (or ought to be).
The writing, in particular, is great.
October 11, 2013
well, maybe it gets better after essay 22 but I decided to stop there - a lot of general stuff most of it already present in other / older / better books like "The Pragmatic Programmer" or "Code Complete" or .. whatever.
July 2, 2011
The book follows the 37signals style of cramming lots of mini-essays, each of which provides some inspiration or insight, into a relatively short book in the attempt to cover a lot of ground. Whilst it reads well, some of the chapter divisions seem fairly arbitrary and many run on to each other. In my eyes, this seems to reduce the number of insights since many chapters cover the same basic ideas, so don't expect to take exactly 50 ideas away from the book.
The book varies between being a fairly abstract look at concepts such as motivation, giving suitable analogies to other walks of life, and fairly in-depth code examples for ideas such as code-generation. Although it's primarily aimed at developers, many of the chapters could be applicable to most people.
I just happened to be reading this book at the same time as reading "The Pragmatic Programmer", and unfortunately there's quite a bit of overlap on the developer side of things - and The Pragmatic Programmer covers those topics much better than The Developer's Code.
I didn't take as much out of the book as I had hoped, but it was a good quick read.
The book varies between being a fairly abstract look at concepts such as motivation, giving suitable analogies to other walks of life, and fairly in-depth code examples for ideas such as code-generation. Although it's primarily aimed at developers, many of the chapters could be applicable to most people.
I just happened to be reading this book at the same time as reading "The Pragmatic Programmer", and unfortunately there's quite a bit of overlap on the developer side of things - and The Pragmatic Programmer covers those topics much better than The Developer's Code.
I didn't take as much out of the book as I had hoped, but it was a good quick read.
February 29, 2012
Derivative.
March 22, 2017
The book it's self was very insightful not only to programming but on how to approach many areas when confronted by a problem. I enjoyed all aspects of this book and the structure made it interesting to read.
I would look forward and motivated to work in the industry after reading this.
I would look forward and motivated to work in the industry after reading this.
April 6, 2016
Short essays from one developer who seemed a bit too inexperienced to write this book. Lots of sensible tips for junior developer. But also lots of one-sided, too simplified or plain wrong suggestions. What bothered me most was how totally anecdotal everything was, like absolutely no research would have been done for the book.
January 17, 2024
This book is a good collection of articles, tips, advice, ideas, and the like that can be used to rethink, reimagine, repurpose, and reinvigorate a developer's career and their take on writing code.
It starts off focusing on the profession itself, by demystifying metaphors, scaling up motivation and productivity, working out the inherent (but, sometimes, superfluous) complexity of growing code and programming projects.
Then it goes into external, but related, entities, like, teaching programming and dealing with clients, with several tips and ways, unrelated to code, where the programmer can add value.
After that, it comes back into coding - where the idea of using code (that generates code) as a Jr. Programmer is, perhaps, already mainstream with all the abundance of packages (and package managers), AI written code snippets, video tutorials, books, and copying/pasting from Stack Overflow (and other sources) - which is akin to building a rich toolset and adapting/rethinking it as more complex problems surge.
Finally it goes into a different dimension which is taking pride in our labor - making a parallel to cooking - and making us wonder, with the appearance of several twitch channels dedicated to programming and several video tutorials and even documentaries on developers and tv series on hackers... maybe we're there with showing our passion about programming and being recognized as master artisans!
It's a good book, perhaps parts of it are already mainstream so it's not revolutionary, and that only shows how much this profession has changed throughout the years - and quickly! It's, however, maybe more relevant than when it was released, as this is now the bread and butter of our work as programmers and not doing it is... not even doing the minimum work.
It starts off focusing on the profession itself, by demystifying metaphors, scaling up motivation and productivity, working out the inherent (but, sometimes, superfluous) complexity of growing code and programming projects.
Then it goes into external, but related, entities, like, teaching programming and dealing with clients, with several tips and ways, unrelated to code, where the programmer can add value.
After that, it comes back into coding - where the idea of using code (that generates code) as a Jr. Programmer is, perhaps, already mainstream with all the abundance of packages (and package managers), AI written code snippets, video tutorials, books, and copying/pasting from Stack Overflow (and other sources) - which is akin to building a rich toolset and adapting/rethinking it as more complex problems surge.
Finally it goes into a different dimension which is taking pride in our labor - making a parallel to cooking - and making us wonder, with the appearance of several twitch channels dedicated to programming and several video tutorials and even documentaries on developers and tv series on hackers... maybe we're there with showing our passion about programming and being recognized as master artisans!
It's a good book, perhaps parts of it are already mainstream so it's not revolutionary, and that only shows how much this profession has changed throughout the years - and quickly! It's, however, maybe more relevant than when it was released, as this is now the bread and butter of our work as programmers and not doing it is... not even doing the minimum work.
July 24, 2024
One of my favorite books on engineering philosophy, which I read years ago, has left a lasting impact on me. Written by an engineer, for engineers, it resonates deeply with those who are passionate about their craft and eager to improve.
If you're looking for inspiration and ways to enhance your skills, this book is a must-read. Even with just a year or more of professional experience at the time, it helped me discover new core values and identify important aspects I hadn’t considered before. Now, many years later, it continues to highlight what remains essential in our field. Helping the next generation of engineers grow with good values.
The book's format, consisting of concise essays, makes it an easy read. At just 143 pages, you can comfortably finish it in one sitting.
Noteworthy essays include:
* Essay 34: Beware the "Curse of Knowledge"
* Essay 37: Encourage Autonomous Thought
Why only four stars? While the content is excellent, the writing style could be more refined. At times, the use of casual terms like "cringe" detracts from its otherwise dignified tone. :)
If you're looking for inspiration and ways to enhance your skills, this book is a must-read. Even with just a year or more of professional experience at the time, it helped me discover new core values and identify important aspects I hadn’t considered before. Now, many years later, it continues to highlight what remains essential in our field. Helping the next generation of engineers grow with good values.
The book's format, consisting of concise essays, makes it an easy read. At just 143 pages, you can comfortably finish it in one sitting.
Noteworthy essays include:
* Essay 34: Beware the "Curse of Knowledge"
* Essay 37: Encourage Autonomous Thought
Why only four stars? While the content is excellent, the writing style could be more refined. At times, the use of casual terms like "cringe" detracts from its otherwise dignified tone. :)
December 30, 2024
This would be a nice book for those trying to start programming.. Probably… The overall info is overly generic though a few thoughts like poor programmers’ self-marketing look fresh to me. The biggest misleading thing is a title of the book which is not what it says but rather a bunch of loosely connected advices in different aspects of programmers(?) jobs (rather for programmers in a small consulting company where people usually have more responsibilities than they have to due to positions shortage. In most other kinds of businesses where programmers work many of those may be even harmful).
October 14, 2020
Take home is that coding is very different from developing a building where the later requires details specifications because changes would require breaking physical structures and rebuilding them, but codes are malleable and can be changed quickly and easily and refactoring is too early in code development is not necessarily a wise choice. When possible create code generators to that Developement work could begin from a scaffolded structure.
August 12, 2020
Its very ideal for junior developers. Especially to those who are just starting their career on tech industry. It will give them idea about the work process, ethical relationships with co-workers, how to handle projects specially in terms of writing codes and maintaining codes.
Its a great tech book. To too technical. Just right on the surface for easy grasp.
Its a great tech book. To too technical. Just right on the surface for easy grasp.
February 20, 2021
Absolute fluff. I don't know which programmer doesn't already know that they'd benefit from increasing workspace size, working outside their bedroom, stop coding when they've done too much of it, or planning before building.
Nothing of use unless you're just starting out as an undergrad in CS, very little of use even then.
Nothing of use unless you're just starting out as an undergrad in CS, very little of use even then.
September 28, 2025
Možná právě proto, že to nebylo zamýšlené jako nějaká motivační nebo self-help knížka, to bylo tak inspirativní. Eseje se krásně četly, na mnoha místech jsem se viděla, nebo alespon firmu či některé své kolegy/nadřízené. Mám ted úplně chut začít dělat věci lépe, jinak. Víc si užívat, co dělám. No, uvidíme, jaká bude realita dalšího pracovního týdne (poslední dobou je to jeden fuck-up za druhým).
April 1, 2018
loved the idea that falling too deep into a metaphor can shape the way we think about the real thing at hand. Some ideas within were provocative and radical given my experience in development. Some were confirmation of what we all know should be true but goes awry.
December 30, 2024
This book was a fine read and I got a couple good insights out of it. I probably would’ve benefited more had I read it nearer to the beginning of my career. Being a programmer for over a decade, though, this book didn’t surprise me much.
August 27, 2017
Stopped at 22%. Lots of essays and boring stories. Time-waste.
January 7, 2018
I imagine for someone wondering if programming is for them, the book may be very interesting. For me it was full of cliches and too long metaphors.
September 4, 2019
Only took me three attempts over five years to get through it, but I feel like I actually picked up a few things.
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January 27, 2020
Has a lot of truth but didn’t feel like anything new.
March 16, 2013
Overall, I like the authors writing style. But writing about things like customer interaction or dealing with project managers like a hardened veteran and only possessing less than 15 years of experience does not impress me.
I've been at it 25 years. There were things that might work well in his company, but not places I've worked.
For instance, his two hours of closed time for a developer. It's more than other developers interrupting me in my day. I'm the only one that knows certain areas of code. The same is true of other developers. When a customer is having problems and demands a phone call, you can't duck this.
I didn't like the never say "we" thing either. That's great for internal things, but terrible for customer interaction. Sick leave or vacation is simply not possible in his scenario. If my customers thought I was their personal servant, I'd never get anything done.
Customers in certain industries are demanding. They are bureaucratic as the author mentions. They demand daily status reports that waste more time than productive status or planning is gained. Dealing with this type of thing and training you program manager to get it under control is the type of topic not covered at all.
Finally, I get the impression that the author doesn't work on large systems. I've never worked on something less than 10 million lines. My current employment is well over 20 million lines. Refactoring means much more than identifying repeating patterns and fixing them. You have to coordinate all the other subsystems that use the code being refactored. And this much code, combined with developers coming and going produces just the complexity the author speaks of. But if he thinks refactoring in a system this size can be even halfway easily accomplished, it's clear he works on relatively small systems.
This was a very quick read. I did like it even though I didn't always agree. But the entire time I read, I kept thinking that I need his customers, because mine could never allow some of what he preaches.
One last thing about program managers. They can be just as disruptive as customers. They often try to placate customers with "quick and easy" items... In their opinion. Whenever I hear somebody that doesn't know the internals of the code say "it's just...", I immediately double or triple any time estimates that come out of the meeting.
I've been at it 25 years. There were things that might work well in his company, but not places I've worked.
For instance, his two hours of closed time for a developer. It's more than other developers interrupting me in my day. I'm the only one that knows certain areas of code. The same is true of other developers. When a customer is having problems and demands a phone call, you can't duck this.
I didn't like the never say "we" thing either. That's great for internal things, but terrible for customer interaction. Sick leave or vacation is simply not possible in his scenario. If my customers thought I was their personal servant, I'd never get anything done.
Customers in certain industries are demanding. They are bureaucratic as the author mentions. They demand daily status reports that waste more time than productive status or planning is gained. Dealing with this type of thing and training you program manager to get it under control is the type of topic not covered at all.
Finally, I get the impression that the author doesn't work on large systems. I've never worked on something less than 10 million lines. My current employment is well over 20 million lines. Refactoring means much more than identifying repeating patterns and fixing them. You have to coordinate all the other subsystems that use the code being refactored. And this much code, combined with developers coming and going produces just the complexity the author speaks of. But if he thinks refactoring in a system this size can be even halfway easily accomplished, it's clear he works on relatively small systems.
This was a very quick read. I did like it even though I didn't always agree. But the entire time I read, I kept thinking that I need his customers, because mine could never allow some of what he preaches.
One last thing about program managers. They can be just as disruptive as customers. They often try to placate customers with "quick and easy" items... In their opinion. Whenever I hear somebody that doesn't know the internals of the code say "it's just...", I immediately double or triple any time estimates that come out of the meeting.
February 21, 2017
I only read about 4 essays out of all 32. Most of the advice is banality.
November 29, 2014
Someone just finishing school and considering a career in programming will probably benefit the most from reading The Developer’s Code. As stated in the book’s subtitle the author, Ka Wai Cheung, does write about “What Real Programmers Do”, or at least his experiences as a web-software-application-developer and designer.
Of the topics relating specifically to programming I was able to identify with many of the dilemmas mentioned by Cheung. I was, however, expecting more war stories and practical coding advice. Instead, the author felt it necessary to include his take on management, dedicating several chapters to its discussion. I felt engaged when Cheung is specifically discussing programming, but quickly resorted to skimming when he delves into broader topics not of his expertise.
The book is written in a style more akin to a blog post, with unreliable cited references and a mix of sourcing methods that make me question the author’s credibility, or, in the least, make him appear lazy. These faults however will probably not matter to most readers as the book is fairly short and serves best as a quick reference guide for the would-be programmer.
Of the topics relating specifically to programming I was able to identify with many of the dilemmas mentioned by Cheung. I was, however, expecting more war stories and practical coding advice. Instead, the author felt it necessary to include his take on management, dedicating several chapters to its discussion. I felt engaged when Cheung is specifically discussing programming, but quickly resorted to skimming when he delves into broader topics not of his expertise.
The book is written in a style more akin to a blog post, with unreliable cited references and a mix of sourcing methods that make me question the author’s credibility, or, in the least, make him appear lazy. These faults however will probably not matter to most readers as the book is fairly short and serves best as a quick reference guide for the would-be programmer.
August 6, 2012
If you're looking for an easy read on the essence of being a programmer, this is a good candidate. The book is not about official title or getting a paycheck, but about the patterns of thought and behavior that are common among programmers who love their craft. Like patterns in general, these are not strict proscriptions about what you must do or think to be a "real" programmer but ideas and illustrations.
The book is organized into themes, each of which contains a number of short essays. Most of them were good but, for someone who isn't new to programming professionally, none of them were particularly enlightening. I expect this would be a great read for a new developer. For more senior folks, don't bother seeking it out, but give it a skim if it happens to come your way.
The book is organized into themes, each of which contains a number of short essays. Most of them were good but, for someone who isn't new to programming professionally, none of them were particularly enlightening. I expect this would be a great read for a new developer. For more senior folks, don't bother seeking it out, but give it a skim if it happens to come your way.
December 5, 2014
This was not so much a book as a collection of essays that meander through a whole raft of topics relevant to modern professional development. Along the way, Cheung explains his thoughts on topics as varied as Client Relations, Code Generation, The Dreyfus Model of Skills Acquisition as it applies to teaching programming, "Off-Time" and a lot more.
On the whole it is an entertaining and lightly inspiring read, the sort of book that can help us to remember what we loved so much about this industry in the first place when it's all too easy to lose sight of it. Cheung's straight-forward opinions, amusing turns of phrase and metaphor, and solid ideas make for a worthwhile read for both new developers, and those who have lived through the trenches for many years.
On the whole it is an entertaining and lightly inspiring read, the sort of book that can help us to remember what we loved so much about this industry in the first place when it's all too easy to lose sight of it. Cheung's straight-forward opinions, amusing turns of phrase and metaphor, and solid ideas make for a worthwhile read for both new developers, and those who have lived through the trenches for many years.
February 7, 2017
This book is a collection of short essays which each has its own essence in relation to programing principles, programmer's behavior, mentoring staffs, tactics on handling client and do a more practical work. It could be read in any order hence it's important to take some note on which essay topic that you are going to refer to if you like me use the audio version.
Even through, author has deep knowledge on front end development such as web and mobile, it still could be extent easily to full stack development and the methodology / practices he used. In general, it is good collection of view points which you could use as reference. It's important to take note it may or may not directly applicable to your situation as everyone has different problem to solve.
Even through, author has deep knowledge on front end development such as web and mobile, it still could be extent easily to full stack development and the methodology / practices he used. In general, it is good collection of view points which you could use as reference. It's important to take note it may or may not directly applicable to your situation as everyone has different problem to solve.
November 27, 2012
Lately I've been giving a lot of thought to what it means to not only be a programmer but what it takes to be a *great* programer. With that in mind when I saw "The Developer's Code: What Real Programmers Do" I got very excited. There are lots of good bits of information in this book. It isn't as abstract as "Pragmatic Programmer's" or as detailed as your typical "how to code" book of syntax. It attempts a somewhat middle ground, sort of like conversations with Senior Programmers on what should be done. From How to Generate Code to how programmers should be perceived, the book is full of good advise but lacks focus and clarity.
February 10, 2015
So far I'm finding the book to be a nice reminder of some things I already know with a few hints on things to do better. Mostly I enjoyed the sections on motivation and productivity. The book is easy to read and has some real-world examples that are actually relatable. I like how the author adds some stories from his own life that can frankly mirror some of my own. It seems pretty down-to-earth in the writing style; like he's writing to a colleague rather than for a book. While that may turn some people off, I find it quite refreshing.
April 10, 2013
This book had some interesting thoughts. I enjoyed the comparisons between writing code and being an author/artist, and his observation that the metaphor comparing software engineers to engineers and architects of physical materials leads to false ideas and bad practices. I also enjoyed the notes about software creation being a healing craft. But for the most part, the book didn't seem to add anything special to the Pragmatic Programmers series. The Pragmatic Programmer covered many things better.
December 18, 2013
This book is very easy to read. It reads my developer's mind and help me to motivate myself as being a developer. I guess you will most out of it if you are an experienced developer. The only thing I don't like is the last few chapters. As I think the author uses too much content to deliver the message, which in short, it's pretty much saying create your own tool if you can't find a suitable one out there. But it feels like the author is trying to promote his framework invented by his company. In general, it's a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews