If you read just one of these best programming books this year youll be a step ah

ead of nearly everyone around you. Thats because, according to Steve McConnell, t
he author of Code Compete, one book is more than most programmers read each year
.
Back in 2008 author, blogger, software engineer and creator of Trello made this
bold statement:
Programmers seem to have stopped reading books. The market for books on programm
ing topics is minuscule compared to the number of working programmers. Instead,
they happily program away, using trial-and-error. When they cant figure something
out, they type a question into Google.
Does this sound like you?
While search engines and community forums like Stack Overflow are indispensable,
theres no way you can obtain the same depth of knowledge and perspective as you
get from reading books.
The best types of programming books are ones that dont just tell you how, but exp
lain the why behind it. They dont just teach you about specific languages or how
to code, but how to think. They stand the test of time and will help you become
a better programmer, whether you are just starting out or have been in the indus
try for 30 years.
Without further ado, here is the list of the top 8 best programming books to rea
d if you want to set yourself apart and become a coding powerhouse.
Coders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of Programming
If youre curious about life as a programmer than Coders at Work is the book for y
ou. Its packed with interesting interviews from 15 accomplished programmers and c
omputer scientists including Joshua Bloch, Peter Norvig, Donald Knuth, Ken Thoms
on, and Jamie Zawinski. The author, Peter Seibel (a programmer turned writer), g
ot interviewees to open up about the famous projects that they worked on and the
inspiring stories behind them. Coders at Work gives a peek into what makes some
of the greatest programmers tick and how they think. Definitely a must read!
Coders at Work Best Programming Books
Steve McConnells Code Complete is considered to be the encyclopedia of practical
coding and a must-read for any professional programmer. And, it easy to understan
d why its a massive piece of literature at 900-pages, but each chapter is packed
with suggestions and techniques to improve everyday programming and construct co
de that is readable and easier to manage. McConnell has a knack for presenting h
is material in a story format that makes the book easy to read and even entertai
ning. No matter what level youre at, Code Compete will undoubtedly change the way
you think about and write code.
TIP: If you dont have time to read the book in its entirety, flip to the last thr
ee chapters since it serves as a resource guide. From there, you can read throug
h whichever chapters you want information on. Skip the Kindle edition and opt fo
r the print copy since chapters are easier to reference.
The Mythical Man Month
The premise of this book is built on the fact that computers change, but people
dont. The Mythical Man Month is a programming classic that discusses the human el
ements of software engineering. Even though the book was written 30 years ago (f
irst published in 1975) its stood the test of time. Why? Because building things,
including software, has been as much about people as much as hit has been about
materials or technology. If youre aspiring to become a project manager, this boo
k will help you understand things that can go wrong in software development and
will give you practical advice or working with, organizing and managing teams.
The Mythical Man Month Best Programming Books
Dont Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
If youre going to read a book on usability make it this one! Dont Make Me Think is
a great resource for any web developer who want to create websites, mobile site
s or mobile apps that are much easier to use. The book is loaded with helpful in
formation thats presented in a clear and concise way that could be understood by
both technical and non-technical audiences alike.
Don t Make Me Think Best Programming Books
The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master

Another oldie, but goody, that continues to stand the test of time. The Pragmati
c Programmer is a collection of lessons and recommendations for software develop
ers. The book contains a set of numbered tips, about 70 of them, which are colle
cted on a single tear-out card situated in the back of the book. The tips alone
might seem obvious, but they contain some surprising dimensions that will help s
trengthen your programming career and hone your craft!
The Pragmatic Programmer Best Programming Books
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
Poorly written code can bring a project to its knees, which is why developing gr
eat code is so important! In Clean Code, Uncle Bob Martin shares tips and examples
on how to create better code. The book dives into the principles and best pract
ices of writing clean code, and also presents increasingly challenging case stud
ies presented that challenges readers to think about whats right with the code, a
nd whats wrong with it. While examples in Clean Code are given in Java, but is ap
plicable to nearly all programming languages.
TIP: Read Clean Code after getting through Code Complete since it deals with som
e of the same topics but at a higher level.
Clean Code Best Programming Books
Programming Pearls
This is a classic book for newbies that teaches the basics of solving problems.
If you work through the problems on your own (without looking ahead) youll learn
a lot and be a much stronger programmer with a deeper understanding of algorithm
s and algorithm design.
Programming Pearls Best Programming Books
Cracking the Coding Interview: 150 Programming Questions and Solutions
This is one of the go-to books for programming interviews if youre looking to lan
d a gig at a top company such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google or Microsoft. A
s the title suggests, the book contains 150 programming questions that you might
encounter at interviews, and then breaks down how to solve them. The remainder
of the book focuses on non-coding aspects of the interview process such as inter
view prep, resume prep, behavioral prep, etc. Definitely one of the best program
ming interview books out there. Another good prep book is Introduction to Algori
thms , which is considered to be the bible of algorithms.
Cracking the Coding Interview Best Programming Books
Soft Skills: The software developers life manual
For most software developers, coding is the fun part. The hard parts involve dea
ling with clients, peers, and managers, staying productive, achieving financial
security and so on. This book covers everything-else-apart-from-coding ranging f
rom career, to personal branding, blogging, learning, teaching, finances, and ev
en fitness and relationships.
Soft Skills: The software developer s life manual Best Programming Books
Zero Bugs and Program Faster
The author of Zero Bugs spent two years researching every bug avoidance techniqu
e she could find. This book contains the best of them! It includes useful tips a
nd techniques, and presents information in an easy-to-digest way and brought to
life with stories and metaphors that make it a really enjoyable (and memorable)
read.
zero bugs
Have any other must read books that you would add to the list? Share!