Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 960 pages
• Published by: Microsoft Press
• Edition: 2nd Edition July 7, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0735619670
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0735619678
• Book Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.7 inches
• Weighs: 3 pounds

Product Description
For more than a decade, Steve McConnell, one of the premier authors and voices in the software community, has helped change the way developers write code--and produce better software. Now his classic book, CODE COMPLETE, has been fully updated and revised with best practices in the art and science of constructing software. Whether you're a new developer seeking a sound introduction to the practice of software development or a veteran exploring strategic new approaches to problem solving, you'll find a wealth of practical suggestions and methods for strengthening your skills. Topics include design, applying good techniques to construction, eliminating errors, planning, managing construction activities, and relating personal character to superior software. This new edition features fully updated information on programming techniques, including the emergence of Web-style programming, and integrated coverage of object-oriented design. You'll also find new code examples--both good and bad--in C++, Microsoft(r) Visual Basic(r), C#, and Java, though the focus is squarely on techniques and practices.

About The Author
Steve McConnell is Chief software Engineer at Construx software where he oversees Construx's software engineering practices. Steve is the lead for the Construction Knowledge Area of the software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) project. Steve has worked on software projects at Microsoft, Boeing, and other Seattle-area companies. Steve is the author of Rapid Development (1996), software Project Survival Guide (1998), and Professional software Development (2004). His books have twice won software Development magazine's Jolt Excellence award for outstanding software development book of the year. In 1998, readers of software Development magazine named Steve one of the three most influential people in the software industry along with Bill Gates and Linus Torvalds. Steve was also the lead developer of SPC Estimate Professional, winner of a software Development Productivity award. Steve has worked in the desktop software industry since 1984 and has expertise in rapid development methodologies, project estimation, software construction practices, performance tuning, system integration, and third-party contract management.

Reader Reviews
It was a pleasure to find out that this book had been updated when I reads news of it. CC2 is a great one-stop 'place' to go to when you want a great excuse to apply Stephen Covey's 'Sharpen The Saw' principle. This updated version has some solid, fantastic, expert instruction on designing from scratch, whether it's OO, writing better routines, psuedocode, nested loops, or at the higher level: agile methods, etc.. McConnell's approach of talking to you, the programmer, is ideal: not too much humor, and an easy to read, but professional approach in the way he donates the contents of his brain: i.e. McConnell's lengthy experience in the field. I read just a couple of paragraphs in a chapter before work one morning, and the advice I picked up saved so much time that same day. And it wasn't even specific to coding instruction. It was a piece of advice on a philosophy on how he personally determines how much upfront design he should settle on before coding. Reading Software Construction material of this caliber, as compared to some, yet another, new book on a specific language that might look impressive to know, is what makes for a solid programmer. Refreshing your overall S/W construction knowledge gives you so much more of your life back, because you will have way less bugs and a lot more fun maintaining the high-quality code you are now writing because of CC2. I mentioned already that he covers OO, but I wanted to emphasize the excellent material he offers in this area. I am now seeing the benefit of measuring the quality of your classes by this guideline: are they true Abstract Data Types. ( rather than just trying to use the syntax that the language provides to its potential). Great job on a rather thorough re-write of a S/W development staple.