Should I keep reading the pragmatic programmer?

Question

I have heard from many sources that this is one of the best books for programmers, I am currently about 50 pages into it, and so far I have only been understanding about 35% of what the authors are talking about. I am thinking maybe I am just not ready, So my question is, should I continue to read this book "now" or read it later when I know more?

To give some background on my knowledge, The only OOP language I know is Actionscript, I do also know some PHP (non OO), MySQL, Regex, XML. I am currently a web programmer/developer/designer But I have a thirst for knowledge in computer science and want to know as much as I can, but not sure where to start.

Thanks!!

Answer 1

I'd say yes, but don't worry too much about the bits you don't understand.

Try to pick up some broad ideas without sweating about the detail if you don't understand it right now.

The concepts you pick up will be valuable in your future programming career.

Answer 2

You should probably keep reading this book as you'll surely understand things later and reading this book may help you understanding those things better when the time has come.

Moreover, if you're motivated, you should not stop :)

I have read lots of books without understanding half of it when i red it but later it helps me a lot!

Answer 3

I recommend that you keep reading it. It's a great book with a lot of useful information. 35% is better than the 0% you would get from not reading it. And later you can re-read the book and pick up the rest.

Answer 4

You should keep reading it, but maybe you need a different strategy. Try general-specific-general:

• Read it once for a general sense of what the book covers and get a big-picture view
• Read it a second time to focus on the specifics
• Read it a final time to make sure all of the specifics fit in your big-picture view

Answer 5

Read in now and read it later. This is one of the few programming books that i feel has stood the test of time. The vast majority of that book is extremely relevant and contains valuable information for programmers.

Even if you're only getting 35% of what they're talking about, it's likely better and more correct than the 70-80% you'll get from other books.

Answer 6

I recommend you to read the Dogmatic Programmer. Characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproved or unprovable principles.

Answer 7

That great book covers very broad range of practical tips, from detailed program design to project management and everything between. Don't get stuck on the details of the examples written in some strange language (for instance, I have no idea of Perl). Instead, try to get the big picture - and if you don't get something, just move on.

Answer 8

Read through it now and absorb as much as you can. What I found with Pragmatic Programmer was that I may not have understood everything at the time I read it, but as I've continued to work, I start understanding I originally didn't understand fully, and appreciate the lesson more. The other thing I plan to do is read it again in a few months. That way I can have a wider knowledgebase for the next time I read it and it will allow me to understand and absorb the things that I didn't prior

Answer 9

Heck, I even applied it in my householding!

Answer 10

Keep reading it - it will make you a better programmer even if you only understand some of it. Personally, I prefer Code Complete by Steve McConnell. The first chapters are average but the rest of the book is pure gold. I'd recommend it whole-heartedly for any junior to intermediate coder. I treasure my first edition copy.

Answer 11

I'm slightly ahead of you on the learning curve but decided to get Code Complete, Pragmatic Programmer and Clean Code.

Code Complete is well written, clear concise examples, well segmented. You can use it as reference.

Pragmatic Programmer held some good nuggets, lots of common sense. Slightly less readable in parts but it's not that big a book anyway.

Clean Code mostly teaches common sense but is a good place to start if you have no mentor to learn what you should be doing.

I really recommend as someone said above read now, read later. The thing is you won't need a lot of the sections where you are now, but as you follow the path, you can go back and learn up the relevant sections covered in the books.

Answer 12

I'd say the fact that you only understand 35% is darned good reason to keep reading! If you already understood it all, you wouldn't need to read the book!

Remember that feeling of feeling like you don't know anything -- that is the sign that you are pushing the envelope and getting better.

Answer 13

When I read that book, I was kind of disappointed. I did not learn anything particularly new, because I read it after many years of practice, but it's a great book. Keep reading it, and if you find yourself stranded, practice some more, dig into things, and then go back into it.

Consider it as a platform that delineates what you don't know, and gives you the pieces of information you need to be a better programmer.

Answer 14

I think Steve Yegge says it best about the book here: (It's #1 in the list)

Honestly, though, I worry that the book is somewhat futile. It may be one of those books that you either understand and agree with already, or you never will.

I've read the book first before reading his thoughts about it, but I really felt the same way. It was all very interesting, but somehow it didn't feel like the mind-opening book I heard people say it was. It was like all the general good advice I've read or heard in other places all packed up in 200 pages. Well, probably the others quoted from the book, anyway. But it was a good way to arrange all the ideas in my head, and it was a fun read. I recommend it!

Answer 15

I picked up the book from a university library and started reading it and the main problem with it is that it treats programming as a craft and assumes that we need tips and tricks and "best practices" to get through our programming lives.

You would be better off reading some maths books on logic, set theory and other things of that nature.

Take a look at some essays and articles written by E.W.Dijkstra, C.A.R. Hoare, Niklaus Wirth, and David Gries. Any of their stuff will be far more useful and directly related to computing science than that book.