On Being a Better Programmer

This book is about the developer. It’s about doing a difficult job–part listener, advisor, interpreter, and dictator. Theory and practice combine to make you strong.

What Makes a Pragmatic Programmer?

We’re unique, but a pragmatic programmer shares many of:

• early adopter / fast adapter
• inquisitive
• critical thinker
• realistic
• jack of all trades

Individual Pragmatists, Large Teams

Almost as a summary, “Care about your craft” and “Think about your work.” Through software development is an engineering discipline, there’s room for individual craftsmanship (as there is in the trades). It’s more than mechanical:

We who cut mere stones must always be envisioning cathedrals.

It’s a Continuous Process

As in so many things in life, consistency is key to success. Remember Kaizen–continuously making small improvements.