I was introduced to Code Complete after working together on a Django-project with Alexander and Andreas this fall. They both spoke warmly about the book. Stackoverflow.com’s readers seemed to like it as well, and had voted it “the single most influential book every programmer should read”. So I got around and ordered it, at last. It arrived a few days ago together with The Pragmatic Programmer and a copy of K&R’s C Programming Language(I only had a library version). So far I must say I’m quiet happy with the book.
I read chapter 31 about Layout and Style first, then chapter 32 on self-documenting code. Today I looked at the sections on Defensive Programming. I don’t think I’ll read the book from cover to cover, ~840 p. feels too bloated, somehow. I like concise, to the point, information better. But the book is an easy read, never the less. It’s subjects are interesting an have valid points. It makes me happy to read ~50 p. about code-layout - and I found the discussion on different error-handling design decisions especially interesting, a subject which should be thought at the uni.
I think parts of the book would be good points for discussion in the 101-Java-class where I have a teacher’s assistance position at the moment. Especially in the later parts of the course, after they have gotten a grasp on the syntax.