Programming books to read in 2023

Programming books that I’ve read recently really made me think about my own experience at my workplace. Here are a few programming books to read for 2022 that I would recommend to any developer.

1. The Clean Coder By Robert C. Martin

When you think of a programming book, usually you’ll think about proper programming techniques. This book takes a more philosophical approach. It goes over Martin’s philosophy on how software engineers should behave. 1) Responsibly, 2) Professionally, 3) and the ability to say no when required.

The stories he presents made me reflect on my own career. The stories are interesting and was similar to the situations that I went through as a Software Engineer.

The book also covers situations that I will go through as I progress in my career. I think most readers will find this book relevant to their own career, whether they are a beginner programmer or an experience software engineer.

2. The Pragmatic Programmer By David Thomas, Andrew Hunt

Some experienced developers might criticize the book for explaining what they have already known and that the book is quite out dated. All books in my opinion eventually become outdated and the book should be judged on its quality, not if it spoke to you or not.

This book is a perfect example of a self-help book for programmers, especially those who are just starting out. For more experienced developers, the book provides a good refresher on what really matters in software development both technical and interpersonal skills.

The specific examples this book gives maybe outdated, but the core principles, tips and wisdom of this book isn’t. If you’re beginning or in the middle of your career, read this book. If you’re a veteran developer, read it and preach it!

3. How to Win Friends & Influence People By Dale Carnegie

I know, I know that I said “Software Engineering” book, but this book goes over how to form healthy relationships with others, a skill that I believe Software Engineers lack.

Software Engineers are often seen as being shy and timid and lack social skills. If this describes you in any shape or form, you should read this book religiously.

The book has short stories with life lessons at the end of them. This makes it very easy to digest for programmers who are inpatient with reading book. And the book is written in understandable English; it appeals to the average person so it is approachable to everyone, especially software developers.

Software Engineers are known to be proud of their technical knowledge, and therefore may find themselves quite egotistical when discussions at work become more technical. This book emphasizes how to be humble, thoughtful, and understandable when communicating to anyone, especially coworkers.

The book is quite pragmatic and if you can understand and apply the principles to your everyday work-life, then this book is for you.

Conclusion

I thought programming books were more technical in nature. The thing I like about these books is that they are quite philosophical and are easy to digest. While you might feel that you’ve already know the information the author presents, you’ll find a gold nugget of detail that you can apply at your workplace. So go on and keep reading!

-Bao