Software Tools
Kernighan and Plauger
12 people recommended it in 7 threads, 2008–2023.
What people on Hacker News said
Software Tools by Kernighan and Plauger was the first programming book to blow my mind, and changed the way I approach working in difficult/legacy systems.
It remains, four decades on, the best book I have ever read on how to solve the real problems of real program development. Very practical, and covers a vast amount of ground.
It was eye-opening for me because it really made me understand the unix philosophy of composing programs out of smaller programs.
I, and my employers and clients, may owe more to Mr. Kernighan for his teaching and programming style, than anyone else.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: What language-agnostic programming books should I read? 2017 · 4 recommendations
- Ask HN: What are the most eye-opening textbooks you have ever read? 2023 · 2 recommendations
- The Book That Every Programmer Should Read 2011 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Books that teach programming by building a series of small projects? 2023 · 1 recommendation
- Books I recommend to my software engineering students 2020 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What books had the greatest effect on how you structure your code? 2017 · 1 recommendation
- Which is your favorite 70-80s computer book? 2008 · 1 recommendation