Section 1.1: Book #1 - Clean Code

Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship

Amazon.com: Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship (Audible Audio Edition): Robert C. Martin, Theodore…

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Clean Code was one of the first recommendations I received, packed with valuable insights for Software Engineers seeking practical guidelines. Robert Martin is candid about his views on writing software, a perspective I found invaluable early in my career. Key takeaways include:

• Prioritize meaningful naming for classes, functions, and variables
• Simplify your software as much as possible
• Ensure functions are concise, focusing on a single task
• Maintain consistency across your codebase
• Favor polymorphism over conditional statements
• Implement dependency injection
• Write tests that are fast, independent, readable, and repeatable

Section 1.2: Book #2 - Growing Object-Oriented Software

Growing Object-Oriented Software, Guided by Tests

Growing Object-Oriented Software, Guided by Tests [Freeman, Steve, Pryce, Nat] on Amazon.com. FREE shipping on…

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This book emphasizes Test Driven Development (TDD) and the importance of building quality from the outset. Traditionally, teams would wait until project completion to deploy, but this book encourages the construction of a “walking skeleton,” essentially launching a basic application to mitigate risks early on.

Implementing this approach has significantly reduced the stress associated with going live; launch days feel more like celebrations rather than stressful events filled with anxiety about potential issues.

Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash

Additional principles I learned include:

• Favor telling over asking
• Apply the Law of Demeter to avoid long method chains
• Understand the Testing Pyramid (Unit, Integration, End-to-End)
• If a failing test is challenging to write, consider redesigning the system

Section 2.1: Book #3 - Refactoring

Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code (2nd Edition)

Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Signature Series…

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Understanding refactoring can be daunting for those starting in Software Engineering. This book articulates what refactoring entails and how to implement it effectively to maintain clean codebases over time. The concept of refactoring refers to restructuring code without altering its functionality.

The joy of writing tests to verify behavior before simplifying code is immensely rewarding. This practice enhances test-writing skills while ensuring that passing tests confirm code functionality.

The latter half of the book, while dense, offers clear “recipes” for various refactoring techniques based on different code smells, encouraging critical thinking about when to refactor.

Section 2.2: Book #4 - 99 Bottles

99 Bottles - Sandi Metz

We are practical people. We love beautiful code but we're committed to getting things done. 99 Bottles of OOP enables…

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I was fortunate to attend a workshop led by Sandi Metz, where I had the opportunity to engage deeply with the material in her book. This work focuses on effective Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and refactoring, covering key principles such as SOLID.

The unique exercise of performing one-line refactors—modifying only a single line of code at a time—encourages a thoughtful approach to keeping tests passing while adhering to a specific methodology.

Section 2.3: Book #5 - Extreme Programming Explained

Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change, 2nd Edition

Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change, 2nd Edition (The XP Series)

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This book revolutionized my perspective. Previously, my role as a Software Engineer involved working independently, focusing solely on meeting deadlines and maintaining quality. My days were often spent isolated, merging my work into the main codebase only for future deployments.

However, after joining a small team practicing Extreme Programming, I experienced a collaborative environment that accelerated my learning. We maintained various systems with a compact group, employing practices like writing tests first, discussing architecture, and pair programming, which transformed our workflow.

Key takeaways from this book include:

• Emphasis on communication
• A focus on simplicity
• The value of feedback
• The necessity of courage and respect

Practices promoted include:

• Pair programming
• Test Driven Development (TDD)
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
• Small, frequent releases
• Relentless refactoring
• Adhering to a 40-hour workweek
• Collective code ownership

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