Refactoring Workbook (Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 224 pages
• Published by: Addison-Wesley Professional September 6, 2003
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0321109295
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0321109293
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 1 pounds

Back Cover Copy


As a programmer, you need to be able to recognize and improve problematic code, so the program remains in a working state throughout the software lifecycle. Refactoring-the art of improving the design of existing code safely-provides an efficient, reliable system for bringing order to the chaos, and one that keeps the surprises to a minimum! Refactoring can be difficult to learn, but Refactoring Workbook, by consultant William C. Wake, presents the material in a easy-learning format that makes learning enjoyable and effective.

For many, the obstacle to learning refactoring is in identifying the "smells"—the potential problem areas-found in code. Instead of having you read about the smells, Refactoring Workbook makes sure you understand them. You'll solve a carefully assembled series of problems, and you'll find yourself learning at a deeper level and arriving at a few insights of your own. Wake uses the workbook method—a learning-focused approach that forces you to apply the techniques presented in the book-in the rest of the book. This approach helps you learn and apply the most important refactoring techniques to your code and, as a side benefit, helps you to think more about creating great code even when you're not refactoring.

Refactoring Workbook provides easy to use references such as:

• A handy, quick-reference "smell finder"
• A standard format for describing smells
• Appendices showing key refactorings
• A listing of Java™ tools that support refactoring

This book is intended for programmers with a knowledge of Java, though a C# or C++ programmer with a basic understanding of Java would also be able to follow and learn from the examples. It can be used as a companion to Martin Fowler's Refactoring (also from Addison-Wesley Professional), which provides step-by-step instructions for many refactorings.

About The Author


WILLIAM C. WAKE is an independent software consultant, coach, and trainer who has been programming for over twenty years. He has previously worked for Capital One Financial, MCI/WorldCom, VTLS, Inc, and others. He is the author of Extreme Programming Explored, also available from Addison-Wesley Professional.

Reader Reviews
Most books about programming teach us about a specific technology or two. Right now I'm staring at some great books on my shelf that have taught me things like user interface programming in Java, templates in C++, how to work with XML files, and so on. Bill Wake's "Refactoring Workbook" goes well beyond books like these. Those books give me some fleeting insights into a technology du juor. Wake's book teaching me things that will stay with me throughout my career. I finished it having learned new skills that will make me a better programmer, regardless of what I'm working on-Java user interfaces, C++, or code to read XML files. The book includes over 100 exercises, many of which are answered in an appendix. I worked through the book alone but this is the type of book I'd love to work through with a group.