Four Books Every Aspiring Programmer Should Start Reading Right Now
If you are serious about becoming a great programmer, you will read quite a lot, especially if you are new to this field. Reading is fundamental for your success in this industry. When you start learning how to code, your two main priorities should be to build up your software literacy and to get familiar with a programming language
1. The Imposter’s Handbook, by Rob Conery
If you are new to computer science, this is the first book you should read. It covers the fundamentals that every programmer should know, such as data structures, introductory computer science theory, databases, programming languages, and software design. It does not cover these areas in-depth, but this is precisely why it’s a good start for beginners.
2. The Pragmatic Programmer, 20th Anniversary Edition by David Thomas and Andrew Hunt
This is one of the classic programming books. It’s been around for so long (over 20 years), yet it is still incredibly accurate today. This book focuses on the core processes of software development like testing, not duplicating code, writing flexible components, and automation, but also on career development and what you can do as an individual to become better at this job. It teaches you foundational skills and healthy habits that will make you successful.
3. Clean Code, by Robert C. Martin
This is the second classic on the list. And for a good reason. Many great developers out there can implement fantastic solutions for a given problem, who are technical experts, but who don’t know how to write code that humans can understand. Writing code that is easy to read and reason about is the most important skill a programmer can have. Unfortunately, nobody teaches us how to write such code, which is why this book is so precious. It contains many solid tips, techniques, and examples to make your code readable. On top of that, writing clean code will separate you from the crowd at technical interviews.
4. Head First Java/C#/Python/JavaScript
After you decide what programming language to pursue, the next question will be, “Where do I start?”. There are so many books and tutorials on any given language, but they are not all best suited for absolute beginners. Some of them are very technical and can be discouraging. You need a book that is fun and easy to understand. I think the best books to start learning a programming language are from the “Head First” collection from O’Reilly. They have many visual elements, jokes, puzzles, and non-standard designs. They are fun to read and do a fantastic job teaching you the foundational aspects of any programming language.
- Head First Java, 3rd Edition
- Head First C#, 4th Edition
- Head First JavaScript Programming
- Head First Python, 2nd Edition
- Head First Swift
- Head First Kotlin
I hope you’re excited to start reading these books. They will get you closer to your dream of becoming a great developer. Until you get started, I want you to keep one thing in mind, especially if you are brand new to computer science. Even though these books are beginner-friendly, there will probably be concepts that you won’t understand fully at first. This is normal. You are deep diving into an unfamiliar topic, and you should be comfortable knowing that it is OK not to grasp every concept firsthand. You will probably read these books at least twice as you gain experience with programming, and things will fall into place in time. Happy reading!
