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• Code Complete, Second Edition

• By: Steve McConnell

• Publisher: Microsoft Press

• Pub. Date: June 9, 2004

• Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7356-1967-8

• Print ISBN-10: 0-7356-1967-0

• Pages in Print Edition: 960

• Amazon.com® Reviews

• Subscriber Rating: [21 Ratings] Subscriber Reviews

• Overview
• Table of Contents
• Extras
• Search This Book
• Help

Amazon.com Reader Reviews • Subscriber Reviews • Browse Similar Topics

Overview

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Take a strategic approach to software construction—and produce superior products—with this fully updated edition of Steve McConnell’s critically praised and award-winning guide to software development best practices.

Subscriber Reviews

Average Rating:  Based on 21 Ratings

"Very good book about software development practice" - by Alex Ott on 20-JUL-2011
Reviewer Rating:
From my point of view - this is one of the book, that every programmer should read.  Junior programmers will find many useful information, that allows to greatly improve coding (and related) facilities.
And mature developers (like me ;-) could also find some interesting information, including numbers, that allows to present some ideas to management more clearly....
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"Timeless" - by Pragmatopian on 07-MAY-2011
Reviewer Rating:
It's no wonder that it is consistently cited as one of the most influential books on software construction. A lot of sound advice has been collected between it's covers.

I'm glad I read this at the start of my journey into programming and feel sure that I'll be returning on a regular basis for a refresher.
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Top Level Categories:
Information Technology & Software Development

Sub-Categories:
Information Technology & Software Development > Software Engineering & Development

Some information on this page was provided using data from Amazon.com®. View at Amazon >

Table of Contents

 

Copyright

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I: Laying the Foundation

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 1. Welcome to Software Construction

Section 1.1. What Is Software Construction?

Section 1.2. Why Is Software Construction Important?

Section 1.3. How to Read This Book

Section 1.4. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 2. Metaphors for a Richer Understanding of Software Development

Section 2.1. The Importance of Metaphors

Section 2.2. How to Use Software Metaphors

Section 2.3. Common Software Metaphors

Section 2.4. Additional Resources

Section 2.5. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 3. Measure Twice, Cut Once: Upstream Prerequisites

Section 3.1. Importance of Prerequisites

Section 3.2. Determine the Kind of Software You're Working On

Section 3.3. Problem-Definition Prerequisite

Section 3.4. Requirements Prerequisite

Section 3.5. Architecture Prerequisite

Section 3.6. Amount of Time to Spend on Upstream Prerequisites

Section 3.7. Additional Resources

Section 3.8. Key Points

Chapter 4. Key Construction Decisions

Section 4.1. Choice of Programming Language

Section 4.2. Programming Conventions

Section 4.3. Your Location on the Technology Wave

Section 4.4. Selection of Major Construction Practices

Section 4.5. Key Points

Part II: Creating High-Quality Code

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 5. Design in Construction

Section 5.1. Design Challenges

Section 5.2. Key Design Concepts

Section 5.3. Design Building Blocks: Heuristics

Section 5.4. Design Practices

Section 5.5. Comments on Popular Methodologies

Section 5.6. Additional Resources

Section 5.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 6. Working Classes

Section 6.1. Class Foundations: Abstract Data Types (ADTs)

Section 6.2. Good Class Interfaces

Section 6.3. Design and Implementation Issues

Section 6.4. Reasons to Create a Class

Section 6.5. Language-Specific Issues

Section 6.6. Beyond Classes: Packages

Section 6.7. Additional Resources

Section 6.8. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 7. High-Quality Routines

Section 7.1. Valid Reasons to Create a Routine

Section 7.2. Design at the Routine Level

Section 7.3. Good Routine Names

Section 7.4. How Long Can a Routine Be?

Section 7.5. How to Use Routine Parameters

Section 7.6. Special Considerations in the Use of Functions

Section 7.7. Macro Routines and Inline Routines

Section 7.8. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 8. Defensive Programming

Section 8.1. Protecting Your Program from Invalid Inputs

Section 8.2. Assertions

Section 8.3. Error-Handling Techniques

Section 8.4. Exceptions

Section 8.5. Barricade Your Program to Contain the Damage Caused by Errors

Section 8.6. Debugging Aids

Section 8.7. Determining How Much Defensive Programming to Leave in Production Code

Section 8.8. Being Defensive About Defensive Programming

Section 8.9. Additional Resources

Section 8.10. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 9. The Pseudocode Programming Process

Section 9.1. Summary of Steps in Building Classes and Routines

Section 9.2. Pseudocode for Pros

Section 9.3. Constructing Routines by Using the PPP

Section 9.4. Alternatives to the PPP

Section 9.5. Key Points

Part III: Variables

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 10. General Issues in Using Variables

Section 10.1. Data Literacy

Section 10.2. Making Variable Declarations Easy

Section 10.3. Guidelines for Initializing Variables

Section 10.4. Scope

Section 10.5. Persistence

Section 10.6. Binding Time

Section 10.7. Relationship Between Data Types and Control Structures

Section 10.8. Using Each Variable for Exactly One Purpose

Section 10.9. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 11. The Power of Variable Names

Section 11.1. Considerations in Choosing Good Names

Section 11.2. Naming Specific Types of Data

Section 11.3. The Power of Naming Conventions

Section 11.4. Informal Naming Conventions

Section 11.5. Standardized Prefixes

Section 11.6. Creating Short Names That Are Readable

Section 11.7. Kinds of Names to Avoid

Section 11.8. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 12. Fundamental Data Types

Section 12.1. Numbers in General

Section 12.2. Integers

Section 12.3. Floating-Point Numbers

Section 12.4. Characters and Strings

Section 12.5. Boolean Variables

Section 12.6. Enumerated Types

Section 12.7. Named Constants

Section 12.8. Arrays

Section 12.9. Creating Your Own Types (Type Aliasing)

Section 12.10. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 13. Unusual Data Types

Section 13.1. Structures

Section 13.2. Pointers

Section 13.3. Global Data

Section 13.4. Additional Resources

Section 13.5. Key Points

Part IV: Statements

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 14. Organizing Straight-Line Code

Section 14.1. Statements That Must Be in a Specific Order

Section 14.2. Statements Whose Order Doesn't Matter

Section 14.3. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 15. Using Conditionals

Section 15.1. if Statements

Section 15.2. case Statements

Section 15.3. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 16. Controlling Loops

Section 16.1. Selecting the Kind of Loop

Section 16.2. Controlling the Loop

Section 16.3. Creating Loops Easily—From the Inside Out

Section 16.4. Correspondence Between Loops and Arrays

Section 16.5. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 17. Unusual Control Structures

Section 17.1. Multiple Returns from a Routine

Section 17.2. Recursion

Section 17.3. goto

Section 17.4. Perspective on Unusual Control Structures

Section 17.5. Additional Resources

Section 17.6. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 18. Table-Driven Methods

Section 18.1. General Considerations in Using Table-Driven Methods

Section 18.2. Direct Access Tables

Section 18.3. Indexed Access Tables

Section 18.4. Stair-Step Access Tables

Section 18.5. Other Examples of Table Lookups

Section 18.6. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 19. General Control Issues

Section 19.1. Boolean Expressions

Section 19.2. Compound Statements (Blocks)

Section 19.3. Null Statements

Section 19.4. Taming Dangerously Deep Nesting

Section 19.5. A Programming Foundation: Structured Programming

Section 19.6. Control Structures and Complexity

Section 19.7. Key Points

Part V: Code Improvements

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 20. The Software-Quality Landscape

Section 20.1. Characteristics of Software Quality

Section 20.2. Techniques for Improving Software Quality

Section 20.3. Relative Effectiveness of Quality Techniques

Section 20.4. When to Do Quality Assurance

Section 20.5. The General Principle of Software Quality

Section 20.6. Additional Resources

Section 20.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 21. Collaborative Construction

Section 21.1. Overview of Collaborative Development Practices

Section 21.2. Pair Programming

Section 21.3. Formal Inspections

Section 21.4. Other Kinds of Collaborative Development Practices

Section 21.5. Comparison of Collaborative Construction Techniques

Section 21.6. Additional Resources

Section 21.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 22. Developer Testing

Section 22.1. Role of Developer Testing in Software Quality

Section 22.2. Recommended Approach to Developer Testing

Section 22.3. Bag of Testing Tricks

Section 22.4. Typical Errors

Section 22.5. Test-Support Tools

Section 22.6. Improving Your Testing

Section 22.7. Keeping Test Records

Section 22.8. Additional Resources

Section 22.9. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 23. Debugging

Section 23.1. Overview of Debugging Issues

Section 23.2. Finding a Defect

Section 23.3. Fixing a Defect

Section 23.4. Psychological Considerations in Debugging

Section 23.5. Debugging Tools—Obvious and Not-So-Obvious

Section 23.6. Additional Resources

Section 23.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 24. Refactoring

Section 24.1. Kinds of Software Evolution

Section 24.2. Introduction to Refactoring

Section 24.3. Specific Refactorings

Section 24.4. Refactoring Safely

Section 24.5. Refactoring Strategies

Section 24.6. Additional Resources

Section 24.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 25. Code-Tuning Strategies

Section 25.1. Performance Overview

Section 25.2. Introduction to Code Tuning

Section 25.3. Kinds of Fat and Molasses

Section 25.4. Measurement

Section 25.5. Iteration

Section 25.6. Summary of the Approach to Code Tuning

Section 25.7. Additional Resources

Section 25.8. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 26. Code-Tuning Techniques

Section 26.1. Logic

Section 26.2. Loops

Section 26.3. Data Transformations

Section 26.4. Expressions

Section 26.5. Routines

Section 26.6. Recoding in a Low-Level Language

Section 26.7. The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Section 26.8. Additional Resources

Section 26.9. Key Points

Part VI: System Considerations

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 27. How Program Size Affects Construction

Section 27.1. Communication and Size

Section 27.2. Range of Project Sizes

Section 27.3. Effect of Project Size on Errors

Section 27.4. Effect of Project Size on Productivity

Section 27.5. Effect of Project Size on Development Activities

Section 27.6. Additional Resources

Section 27.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 28. Managing Construction

Section 28.1. Encouraging Good Coding

Section 28.2. Configuration Management

Section 28.3. Estimating a Construction Schedule

Section 28.4. Measurement

Section 28.5. Treating Programmers as People

Section 28.6. Managing Your Manager

Section 28.7. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 29. Integration

Section 29.1. Importance of the Integration Approach

Section 29.2. Integration Frequency—Phased or Incremental?

Section 29.3. Incremental Integration Strategies

Section 29.4. Daily Build and Smoke Test

Section 29.5. Additional Resources

Section 29.6. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 30. Programming Tools

Section 30.1. Design Tools

Section 30.2. Source-Code Tools

Section 30.3. Executable-Code Tools

Section 30.4. Tool-Oriented Environments

Section 30.5. Building Your Own Programming Tools

Section 30.6. Tool Fantasyland

Section 30.7. Additional Resources

Section 30.8. Key Points

Part VII: Software Craftsmanship

In this part:

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 31. Layout and Style

Section 31.1. Layout Fundamentals

Section 31.2. Layout Techniques

Section 31.3. Layout Styles

Section 31.4. Laying Out Control Structures

Section 31.5. Laying Out Individual Statements

Section 31.6. Laying Out Comments

Section 31.7. Laying Out Routines

Section 31.8. Laying Out Classes

Section 31.9. Additional Resources

Section 31.10. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 32. Self-Documenting Code

Section 32.1. External Documentation

Section 32.2. Programming Style as Documentation

Section 32.3. To Comment or Not to Comment

Section 32.4. Keys to Effective Comments

Section 32.5. Commenting Techniques

Section 32.6. IEEE Standards

Section 32.7. Additional Resources

Section 32.8. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 33. Personal Character

Section 33.1. Isn't Personal Character Off the Topic?

Section 33.2. Intelligence and Humility

Section 33.3. Curiosity

Section 33.4. Intellectual Honesty

Section 33.5. Communication and Cooperation

Section 33.6. Creativity and Discipline

Section 33.7. Laziness

Section 33.8. Characteristics That Don't Matter As Much As You Might Think

Section 33.9. Habits

Section 33.10. Additional Resources

Section 33.11. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 34. Themes in Software Craftsmanship

Section 34.1. Conquer Complexity

Section 34.2. Pick Your Process

Section 34.3. Write Programs for People First, Computers Second

Section 34.4. Program into Your Language, Not in It

Section 34.5. Focus Your Attention with the Help of Conventions

Section 34.6. Program in Terms of the Problem Domain

Section 34.7. Watch for Falling Rocks

Section 34.8. Iterate, Repeatedly, Again and Again

Section 34.9. Thou Shalt Rend Software and Religion Asunder

Section 34.10. Key Points

Download Chapter
1 TokenChapter 35. Where to Find More Information

Section 35.1. Information About Software Construction

Section 35.2. Topics Beyond Construction

Section 35.3. Periodicals

Section 35.4. A Software Developer's Reading Plan

Section 35.5. Joining a Professional Organization

Bibliography

Download Chapter
1 TokenAppendix A. About the Author

Section A.1. Steve McConnell

Extras

The publisher has provided additional content related to this title.

Description	Content
Visit the catalog page for Code Complete, Second Edition	Catalog Page
Visit the errata page for Code Complete, Second Edition	Errata

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