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9 Takeaways from The Pragmatic Programmer
Application of theory in books to action — 9 learnings from 9 chapters
When I was deciding what my first programming book purchase would be, The Pragmatic Programmer by David Thomas and Andrew Hunt was highly recommended by many forums. Most, if not all, the tips in the book are language agnostic, making it useful in many programming contexts. The second edition was released as part of the 20th Anniversary edition, proving the concepts are universal and timeless. This book review will attempt to summarise and apply what I find are the most impactful learnings from each chapter into practice.
№1. Be responsible and proactive
Fix bad design and poor code as soon as they are discovered
The book starts with the chapter on A Pragmatic Philosophy, dictating the attitude and philosophy of approaching problems. Most of the tips revolve around being inquisitive and taking charge of your learning journey, education, career, and having the initiative to push for changes. While the tips resonated with how I approach learning, one phrase stood out to me the most: “Do not live with broken windows”.
A broken window left unrepaired symbolises a sense of abandonment, drawing a parallel to bad design or poor…
