Honing your craft as a programmer is no easy task, but it can be made fun. Today is ‘World Book Day. It is a celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading. Each year, on 23 April, celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the magical power of books – a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures. To tie in with 4.23 World Book Day, we listed seven inspiring books about technology&programming for you! Curious about the tech world? You’ll find these books helpful and inspiring!
Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software
Charles Petzold
This book will not teach you how to program, nor how to land a job in the tech industry. It is, on the other hand, the first step toward that journey. Plenty of times we have struggled with programming because of lacking the necessary tech-savvy to get things done. This book solves this problem.Even if you have been working with computers for a long time, there is a chance that Petzold can teach you something new or at least show you something from a perspective you had not considered before.
The Pragmatic Programmer
In this book, Andrew Hunt and Dave Thomas give the readers a series of tips on improving their programming output. These tips are mostly centred around the principle that programming is, at its core, a collaborative pursuit. If you aspire to work as a software engineer or programmer of any kind, much of the code that you will be working with will not be yours. Hunt and Thomas’s tips guide you through working in such an environment. Their tips are practical and are best learned through practice. When you pick up the book, try to go slowly and reflect on the authors’ advice the next time you are programming. This is not a one-time read, but rather a workshop in good practices. Some examples: Tip 30: You Can’t Write Perfect SoftwareTip 44: Don’t Program by CoincidenceTip 50: Don’t Use Wizard Code You Don’t UnderstandTip 70: Sign Your Work“The Pragmatic Programmer” offers invaluable advice for anyone working with code, and it should be in every programmer’s library.
Introduction to Algorithms
Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson,
Ronald L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein
People who have a bachelor’s degree in computer science probably know this one already. It may seem daunting to go through a book like this without an instructor, but the good thing about not being in school anymore is that you get to take your time. Regardless of how long you take, the basic data structures and algorithms presented in this book are invaluable to any programmer serious about their career development.
The Art of Computer Programming: Volume 1
Getting through “The Art of Computer Programming” is a daunting task. Few have managed to go through the entire book consistently，but if you move past that, he provides incredible insight and depth into the basic algorithms and data structures. This book is a true challenge of intellect and perseverance, but it is also the source of a huge wealth of information. Bill Gates himself said that if you finish this book you should send him a resume. Worth the try, right?
Cracking the Coding Interview
Gayle Laakmann McDowell
Looking to land a job as a software engineer? Whatever your answer may be, this book is still worthwhile. This book makes you a better problem solver within the context of computer programming, so it is essential, even if you are not planning on interviewing any time soon.
The Mythical Man-Month
Frederick P. Brooks Jr.
This historic book about software engineering takes the spot of the must-read book about managing a software project. If you are planning on working with a team of engineers, the concepts introduced in this book will broaden your perspective about what works and what doesn’t in the context of developing software. This is a book to read as a way of ensuring that you are not misunderstanding your role as part of your team, organization, and the tech industry as a whole. It is a great book to read and then subtly recommend to your manager.
Algorithms to Live By
Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths
The last book on this list is not entirely linked to writing code, but rather to examine the problem-solving techniques derived from the design of certain algorithms.The authors of this book make a brilliant connection between human psychology and computer science, linking the rationale behind a few hand-picked algorithms to everyday problems.
After reading these amazing books, maybe you will find the tech world is so fascinating. If you are eager to have a sip and learn the skills, come to us!
