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Summary: Good Book, but needs an overhaul...
Review: I received this book from a friend as 'the definitive word' in Software Construction. I took it home and read about 4 pages before I put it back down and wondered what was Slashdot. Slowly and surely I have been reading it, a chapter at a time.The book is good, and as you get deeper into it, it provides some helpful checklists to use as you construct code. Examples abound of good and bad code, but, being a 'newcomer' to the computer world, the mostly Pascal examples are sometimes worthless to me. Being a Java programmer I wish that there was an overhaul of this book to include UML and more on OOP then what it currently has. A section on the accelerated development cycle of the web would be good too. If you work for a large IT Firm, and/or you find yourself in charge of software development at your company, this can be a good book to read, and a helpful guide. YMMV.
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Summary: This seven years old book is still very actual
Review: The things described in this book are very valuable. Goes in depth in writing actual code (using some code guidelines) to performance tuning, testing and debugging without specific focus to one programming language. This is one of the books that is required reading for people who whan to write code.
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Summary: Best Book on my shelf
Review: Code Complete has had a larger impact on my programming (quality and productivity) than any book, class, or experience I've had as a programmer. It is unique because it does not just share some techniques to improve your style; it combines them into a philosophy which you can continue to learn from long after putting the book aside.
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Summary: One of the best written books ever
Review: I first read Steve McConnell's book on Code Construction whilst working in the US in 1996 and I am still amazed at the continuing relevance of the book in the Web/Java era. I would recommend this book to anyone who seriously wants to have a carreer in software development. Whether they are managing a software team or are a lone developer. [Managers: Find out what your team really needs to write good code! And it aint just free cola.] In my opinion even hobbyists can benefit from McConnells approaches to writing coherent code described in this book. It has pride of place on my bookshelf next to his other book "Rapid Development: Taming Wild Software Schedules". This book, however, is a far more enjoyable read and gives a great insight into how 'real-world' programmers should function. Ah well. Not much more I can say on this book other than, If you aint got it get it! martin ;-)
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Summary: A Keen Programmer's Reference
Review: This book is a goldmine! The wisdom that McConnell conveys in Code Complete is obviously born of experience. By approaching software from a 'construction' view, it is clear that the author is well aquainted with the fiasco that can result from poor planning. I am especially impressed by the emphasis on modularity which seems to be a dominant theme throughout the book. Also significant is the encouragment to document the code as you go, whether it is a parallel effort or incorporated as comments in the code itself. (Reading undocumented code is like going down a road with no signs, signals or landmarks at all!) The book also offers a great OBJECTIVE treatment of the different Programming Languages. The focus of the book on method and structure gives the reader a strategic angle for defining the requirments and choosing the correct language for the task at hand. Even though I am a novice at programming, I don't feel alienated or intimidated by Steve's delivery of the subject matter. He has a gentle, consise style, laced with tasteful humor and comfortable exhortations to do the job right the first time. Code Complete is a great resource for the seasoned pro and the beginner alike, and the content is sure to be applicable for decades to come. I value this book and recommend it to ANYONE who is envolved in software development.
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Summary: Must read for programmers
Review: Several years ago - after having just started into programming, a coworker with many years of experience in the field told me that I must read this book. I was pretty hesitant, it looked so long and I had so many other things to learn, but he kept insisting that it would save me from having to learn things the hard way. So, I broke down and bought it. Surprisingly, even with it's length - it was extremely easy to read and wow! What an eye opener. So many things that seemed like such common sense but that I had never considered. The book is written so well that even now, years later, I still remember specific points from it. It changed my coding style completely. I went from -- well, code that I wouldn't want to admit was mine after reading the book to code that I could come back to after several weeks and still understand -- code that OTHER people could understand even (what a concept!). They say there is a huge difference between good programmers and the mediocre ones and I think this book does an excellent job of capturing a lot of those fundamental principals that good programmers know and use. I really wish there were more books like this. It's chock full of good coding techniques which will make your code better organized, more readable, easier to maintain and have fewer bugs. While I do think that people at any level can still find good information in here, I think those programmers who find themselves struggling with the readability and maintainability of their code are the ones that will reap the most benefits from it. In particular, if you are a programmer just starting out and want to move quickly beyond the junior level stage, this is the book for you. Don't wait! It really is worth it.
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Summary: A "MUST READ" for *ANY* Programmer
Review: Code Complete has been in my "Top 5" books for programmers since I first read it many years ago. It covers timeless topics such as coding techniques that many developers debate but unlike developer debates which can often degrade to a religious war, Steve's explanations are clear, lucid, very justified, and devote of ego. I could go on and on about why ever programmer should read this book, but please suffice it to say that if you haven't read this book, you don't have a right to an opinion on coding-related topics! (how's that for an unequivocal statement! :-) After reading Code Complete you will have solid reasons for the coding constructs you choose. This will improve the quality of the code you produce by several times if not by and order of magnitude. The only thing I wish for Code Complete is to see it updated. Its examples are primarily in C and Fortran, and I wish it were updated using examples from languages such as Visual Basic, Java, Perl, Python, and C#. Don't however think that this means it is not relevent if you don't program in C or Fortran; its concepts are timeless and language independent. I thank Steve for writing this book, and I am even more thankful that he is such a skilled communicator.
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Summary: You owe it to yourself to read this
Review: I sorely wish everyone who's code I have had to read over the last 18 years had grasped the principles this book expounds. It should be required reading for CS students (especially some of the opinionated and functionally useless idiots that I've seen produced by our academic system of late). The chapter on optimization - and how it's not always a smart idea - is worth the price of the book alone. Yes the book is a little old, but the laws of physics don't change that often, and neither does human behaviour :-). If the book lacks anything, it is coverage of object orientation. For that, get a copy of "Effective C++". Recommended reading, both for those who code, and those who administer other coders.
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Summary: Great Book on Coding Discipline
Review: This is a book that almost all programmers have to read. McConnell teaches you how to be efficient and accurate in your coding styles. He explains what are the downsides of certain techniques and how to modify yourself to be more efficient. In a way, I would call this a rule book on how you should apply yourself to software development. It gives a lot of suggestions on how you should go about this field and make yourself a better programmer. Topics range from naming conventions (including when a name is too long), planning, modularity, and just plain common sense.
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Summary: The boost in my working skills
Review: After being informed about this book, I just bought it assuming it to be a good book, and to my surprise it was. Recognising lots of the mistakes one can make, given as examples in this book, I realised I just had to completely read this book. It gave me personally the insight in writing good and understandable code, so that I am still using a lot of the practices recommended by Steve McConnel. It not only lets you write good code, it also gives you insight in recognizing not-so-well-written-code. I would recommend this book to everyone who is in software programming, you don't have to read it in one go, but it should be on everyone's bookshelf, if it were only to use as a reference once in a while. Good work.
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