Hi All,
I am a java programmer. I recently have embarked on a refactoring project and so wanted to get some suggestions on any good books out there which can provide fast and practical insights for the same. I haven't done any refactoring projects before, and neither do I have much knowledge of design patterns yet, so some beginner level book is what I am looking for.
Thanks!
Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowler
There is also "Working Effectively With Legacy Code" by Michael Feathers.
It's about making changes in large complicated codebases
Being that your a Java a programmer I would recommend Effective Java by Joshua Bloch. Knowing which patterns and techniques work best for Java is just as important as understanding the principles of refactoring code.
Yes, the obvious choice is Refactoring by Martin Fowler. Make sure you have test coverage for anything you're refactoring though (if possible) :)
Combine that with the latest edition of Joshua Bloch's awesome Effective Java and you'll be well on your way to mastering not only Java, but the best approach to how things should be done. Both of these are important things to have when refactoring.