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Ask HN: Which books can help one become a better programmer in any paradigm?

15 points by newsoul ↗ HN
The answer to this question is generally SICP.

Are there other books of that caliber? Why do you think that the book you mention is good?

11 comments

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shakezula
I would heavily recommend Clean Code. Depending on the systems you’re working with, Designing Data Intensive Applications is a great read, too.
_benj
Came here to recommend Clean Code too!

Writing code emphatically for others or your future self doesn’t only make for easier to understand codebases but also for codebases that have less nooks and crannies where bugs, logical or technical can hide.

Fully recommend this book!

bjourne
Reading books to become a better programmer is as effective as building muscle by looking at people lifting weights.
is_true
It's actually the same, you watch others not to excersize but to improve your technique
LEDThereBeLight
The best way to become better at something quickly is to learn from people who are much better than you. That’s what reading books does.
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Blackstrat
I would suggest that it depends on your platform, paradigm, and your experience level. SICP, Clean Code, Code Complete, The Gang of Four, DDIA, CLRS, etc. are all great books but their value, IMO, varies by environment, e.g., perhaps of different value to a web developer vs backend vs full stack. Certainly, these are of differing value to senior developers, who may use something like CLRS as a reference while it’s all “new” to someone just starting out. When I was hiring, I wanted folks who had written a lot of code, completed projects, understood support requirements and so forth. Yes, I asked them about what they had read recently. Yes, I expected them to keep up. But more importantly, show me you can code, explain your code, and deliver. Books help but practice helps more.