This book will try to make you familiar enough with this language to do usefulandamusingthingswithit. Some programmers believe that this complexity is best managed by using. Someone thought it was a good idea to try to ride along on this success. How the internet works, programming languages ) while learning some programming languages (Python as a start).Knowledge of Computers, Hardware, Netowork and Security can also be very useful for a programmer, Let me start by defining what i mean by a Good course /book. short and to the point (no drawn out fluff talk).
One of the central themes of stackoverflow.com is that software developers no longer learn programming from books, as Joel mentioned:
Programmers seem to have stopped reading books. The market for books on programming topics is miniscule compared to the number of working programmers.
Joel expressed similar sentiments in 2004's The Shlemiel Way of Software:
But the majority of people still don't read. Or write. The majority of developers don't read books about software development, they don't read Web sites about software development, they don't even read Slashdot.
If programmers don't learn from books today, how do they learn to program? They do it the old-fashioned way: by rolling up their sleeves and writing code – while harnessing the collective wisdom of the internet in a second window. The internet has rendered programming books obsolete. It's faster, more efficient, and just plain smarter to get your programming information online. I believe Doug McCune's experience, which he aptly describes as Why I Don't Read Books, is fairly typical.
I lay part of the blame squarely at the feet of the technical book publishing industry:
- Most programming books suck. The barrier to being a book author, as near as I can tell, is virtually nonexistent. The signal to noise of book publishing is arguably not a heck of a lot better than what you'll find on the wilds of the internet. Of the hundreds of programming books released every year, perhaps two are three are truly worth the time investment.
- Programming books sold by weight, not by volume. There seems to be an inverse relationship between the size of a programming book and its quality. The bigger the book, somehow, the less useful information it will contain. What is the point of these giant wanna-be reference tomes? How do you find anything in it, much less lift the damn things?
- Quick-fix programming books oriented towards novices. I have nothing against novices entering the programming field. But I continue to believe the 'Learn [Insert Language Here] in 24 hours!' variety of books are doing our profession a disservice. The monomaniacal focus on right now and the fastest, easiest possible way to do things leads beginners down the wrong path – or as I like to call it, 'PHP'. I kid! I kid!
- Programming book pornography. The idea that having a pile of thick, important-looking programming books sitting on your shelf, largely unread, will somehow make you a better programmer. As David Poole once related to me in email, 'I'd never get to do that in real life' seems to be the theme of the programming book porn pile. This is why I considered, and rejected, buying Knuth's Art of Computer Programming. Try to purchase practical books you'll actually read, and more importantly, put into action.
As an author, I'm guilty, too. I co-wrote a programming book, and I still don't think you should buy it. I don't mean that in an ironic-trucker-hat, reverse-psychology way. I mean it quite literally. It's not a bad book by any means. I have the utmost respect for my esteemedco-authors. But the same information would be far more accessible on the web. Trapping it inside a dead tree book is ultimately a waste of effort.
The internet has certainly accelerated the demise of programming books, but there is some evidence that, even pre-internet, programmers didn't read all that many programming books. I was quite surprised to encounter the following passage in Code Complete:
Pat yourself on the back for reading this book. You're already learning more than most people in the software industry because one book is more than most programmers read each year (DeMarco and Lister 1999). A little reading goes a long way toward professional advancement. If you read even one good programming book every two months, roughly 35 pages a week, you'll soon have a firm grasp on the industry and distinguish yourself from nearly everyone around you.
I believe the same text is present in the original 1993 edition of Code Complete, but I no longer have a copy to verify that. A little searching uncovered the passage Steve McConnell is referencing in DeMarco and Lister's Peopleware:
The statistics about reading are particularly discouraging: The average software developer, for example, doesn't own a single book on the subject of his or her work, and hasn't ever read one. That fact is horrifying for anyone concerned about the quality of work in the field; for folks like us who write books, it is positively tragic.
It pains me greatly to read the reddit comments and learn that people are interpreting the stackoverflow.com mission statement as a repudiation of programming books. As ambivalent as I am about the current programming book market, I love programming books! This very blog was founded on the concept of my recommended developer reading list. Many of my blog posts are my feeble attempts to explain key concepts outlined long ago in classic programming books.
How to reconcile this seemingly contradictory statement, the love and hate dynamic? You see, there are programming books, and there are programming books.
The best programming books are timeless. They transcend choice of language, IDE, or platform. They do not explain how, but why. If you feel compelled to clean house on your bookshelf every five years, trust me on this, you're buying the wrong programming books.
The best programming books are timeless. They transcend choice of language, IDE, or platform. They do not explain how, but why. If you feel compelled to clean house on your bookshelf every five years, trust me on this, you're buying the wrong programming books.
I wouldn't trade my programming bookshelf for anything. I refer to it all the time. In fact, I referred to it twice while composing this very post.
I won't belabor my recommended reading list, as I've kept it proudly the same for years.
(Update: Tim Spalding kindly set up a LibraryThing account on my behalf – and members have already documented and entered every book pictured on these shelves. Impressive, and quite cool!)
But I do have this call to arms: my top five programming books every working programmer should own – and read. These seminal books are richly practical reads, year after year, no matter what kind of programming I'm doing. They reward repeated readings, offering deeper and more penetrating insights into software engineering every time I return to them, armed with a few more years of experience under my belt. If you haven't read these books, what are you waiting for?
Code Complete 2 | Don't Make Me Think |
Peopleware | Pragmatic Programmer |
Facts and Fallacies |
It is my greatest intention to make stackoverflow.com highly complementary to these sorts of timeless, classic programming books. It is in no way, shape, or form meant as a replacement for them.
On the other hand, if you're the unfortunate author of Perl for Dummies, then watch your back, because we're definitely gunning for you.
There are thousands of books available for web designers and developers online. There has been no language, no point of discussion, or no trend that has not, at one time or another, been extensively explored and analyzed, and eventually published as an eBook. The great news is quite a lot of these books are available for free! And we have collected our favorites for you!
To help you quickly find what you’re looking for, I’ve organised the free ebooks into the following categories: CSS & HTML, JavaScript, PHP, WordPress, Git, UX, Miscellaneous Web Design and finally, a selection of Older, Yet Always Relevant Books.
The Web Designer Toolbox
Unlimited Downloads: 1,000,000+ Web Templates, Themes, Plugins & Design Assets
CSS & HTML Essential Learning
Resilient Web Design By Jeremy Keith (HTML)
Rather than being a guide to solid web design, Resilient Web Design has been written to highlight some of the approaches and techniques to web design that have proven to be resilient over the years.
Adaptive Web Design By Aaron Gustafson (HTML)
Adaptive Web Design delves into the origins of progressive enhancement, its philosophy, and mechanisms, and reveals the countless practical ways that you can apply progressive enhancement principles using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Magic of CSS By Adam Schwartz (HTML)
Written by Adam Schwartz, the Magic of CSS is an ebook that will introduce you to some of the trickiest aspects of CSS. It includes chapters on the box model, layout, tables, color, typography, and transitions, and does include interactive examples.
A Guide to HTML5 & CSS3 By Ashley Menhennett
A Guide to HTML5 and CSS3 covers the basics of web development and it’s a great starting point whether your plan is to make websites, HTML5 mobile apps or games. Please note that you will need to signup to download this ebook.
HTML Canvas Deep Dive By Josh Marinacci (HTML)
HTML Canvas Deep Dive is a hands-on introduction to Canvas from Josh Marinacci. The book has been organized into 2 sections: First, there are the reading portions where it describes how an API works (with interactive examples), and then there are the hands-on lessons that will walk you through the process of building your own canvas apps.
HTML5 Canvas By Jeff Fulton
The second edition of HTML5 Canvas gets you going with HTML5 Canvas, teaching you how to draw, render text, manipulate images, and create animation—all in the course of building several interactive web games throughout the book. The free online version includes 53 interactive examples and exercises.
Pocket Guide to Writing SVG By Joni Trythall (HTML)
The Pocket Guide to Writing SVG offers a detailed introduction to building SVG online. It has been written for designers and developers that are looking to quickly add SVG to their workflow.
Typography Handbook
Typography Handbook is a concise, referential guide on best web typographic practices.
Learn JavaScript
Speaking JavaScript By Dr. Axel Rauschmayer (HTML, PDF & ePub)
The Speaking JavaScript ebook teaches beginners just enough JS to help them be productive straightaway, and for seasoned JavaScript programmers there’s a detailed reference guide that covers each JS feature indepth.
JS MythBusters
JS MythBusters is an optimization handbook from a high level point of view.
Learning JavaScript Design Patterns By Addy Osmani
Written by Addy Osmani, Learning JavaScript Design Patterns will show you how to write beautiful, structured, and maintainable JavaScript by applying classical and modern design patterns to the language. If you want to keep your code efficient, more manageable, and up-to-date with the latest best practices, this book is for you.
jQuery Fundamentals By Rebecca Murphey
jQuery Fundamentals has been designed to get you comfortable working through common problems you’ll come across when using jQuery. Each chapter covers a concept and gives you the chance to try example code related to the concept.
Programming JavaScript Applications By Eric Elliott
In this early release edition of Programming JavaScript Applications, you will have the chance to take your existing JavaScript skills to the next level and learn how to build complete web scale or enterprise applications that are easy to extend and maintain.
Developing Backbone.js Applications By Addy Osmani
If you want to build your site’s frontend with the single-page application (SPA) model, Developing Backbone.js Applications shows you how to get the job done with Backbone.js. You’ll learn how to create structured JavaScript applications, using Backbone’s own flavor of model-view-controller (MVC) architecture.
Learn PHP
PHP: The Right Way By Josh Lockhart
There’s a lot of outdated information on the Web that leads new PHP users astray, propagating bad practices and bad code. This must stop. PHP: The Right Way is an easy-to-read, quick reference for PHP best practices, accepted coding standards, and links to authoritative tutorials around the Web.
Learn WordPress
Locking Down WordPress By Rachel Baker, Brad Williams & John Ford
In Locking Down WordPress, WordPress pros Rachel Baker, Brad Williams, and John Ford take you through everything you need to know to make sure you have WordPress security is under control.
The WordPress Plugin Business Book
This free ebook will gradually help you learn what’s necessary to constantly acquire new plugin users, and what to do in order to convert those users into subscribed, paying customers.
WordPress Meet Responsive Design By Chris Coyier, Ian Stewart & Sara Cannon
In WordPress Meet Responsive Design, Chris Coyier, Ian Stewart and Sara Cannon give you the lowdown on their real world uses and strategies for designing WordPress responsively.
11 Things to Do with Every New WordPress Install (PDF)
This ebook covers strategies and tips to start packaging and offering WordPress maintenance services to your clients.
WordPress Security – A Pocket Guide (PDF)
In this introduction to WordPress security you will learn some straightforward tips, and best practices for keeping your site safe.
Learn Git
Pro Git 2nd Edition By Scott Chacon and Ben Straub (HTML, PDF, ePub & Mobi)
The Pro Git eBook, know in its second edition, covers basics of Git as well as advanced topics such as branching and running distributed Git.
Git From The Bottom Up by John Wiegley
As the name suggests, Git From the Bottom Up teaches you Git from basic to advanced levels. It is available as a PDF file, so you can easily download it and use it as per your convenience.
UX – User Experience Learning
Making an Enterprise UX Friendly By Justinmind
The Making an Enterprise UX Friendly free eBook give you the tools and templates for making a business case for UX, recruit a strong UX team and build a business-facing UX strategy.
The Guide to Usability Testing (PDF)
The Guide to Usability Testing includes 109 pages of practical explanations and tips for 20 usability testing methods, some useful advice from usability experts like Jakob Nielsen, Jeff Sauro, Dr. David Travis, and others, and also shares some best practices from companies like Apple, MailChimp, Yahoo, DirecTV, Buffer, and more.
Web UI Best Practices (PDF)
The free ebook Web UI Best Practices talks aboutsome og the techniques spanning visual design, interface design, and UX design.
The Guide to UX Design Process & Documentation (PDF)
The Guide to UX Design Process & Documentation ebook looks at real-life examples of design processes from companies such as Apple, Amazon, Twitter, and more. Expert advice is provided by Cennydd Bowles, Louis Rosenfeld, Ash Maurya, and others on the 7 stages of product design.
The Guide to Mockups (PDF)
The Guide to Mockups by UXPin includes 72 pages of visual examples, explorations of fidelity, and best practices. You’ll also learn the differences between mockups, prototypes, and wireframes so you get a more practical understanding of where each fits into the design process.
UX Design for Start-Ups By Marcin Treder
Written by Marcin Treder, UX Design for Start-Ups is a must read for any startup or grown-up company that wishes to keep its startup spirit and conquer the world with stunning UX Design.
The Little Book Of Modern Frontend Tooling (HTML)
The Little Book Of Modern Frontend Tooling is a free, work-in-progress, open-source book that takes you through the application development lifecycle and introduces you to the world of tooling for modern web applications.
The Guide to Wireframing (PDF)
With over 100 pages, The Guide to Wireframing covers what makes a great wireframing workshop. It’s wireframing from the big idea to details: digital and analog tools, web and mobile design patterns sources, all concluded with design principles for people who build products.
Web & Mobile App Design eBook
The Modern Web Design Process
The modern web design process is a free ebook to help you learn how a well-defined process translates to high-performing websites.
Study Web Development
Study Web Development is a free eBook on how to become a web developer and successful freelancer.
Mobile Game Design by Chroma Coders (PDF)
The free and in-depth Mobile Game Design (or, How to Start Your Own Mobile Game Company) ebook talks about the main mechanics for mobile game development, as well as 'hidden game mechanics' you can use to stand out in the marketplace.
Building Web Apps with Go By Jeremy Saenz (HTML, ePub, MOBI & PDF)
Building Web Apps with Go is an ebook from Jeremy Saenz that will teach you how to quickly build we applications with the Go programming language.
Email Marketing Field Guide By MailChimp (ePub, PDF & Mobi)
The Email Marketing Field Guide, from the guys over at MailChimp, covers the basics of HTML email and shares some tips and best practices you’ll need to keep in mind as you develop your own email marketing plan.
Pixel Perfect Precision Handbook v.3 (PDF & iBook)
Last year the popular ebook Pixel Perfect Precision Handbook was updated and released with over new 40 pages, as well as some updates to existing content.
Book of Speed By Stoyan Stefanov
The Book of Speed by Stoyan Stefanov is a free (public domain), online, open-source, not yet finished, book about web performance.
50 Logo Design Tips By Ian Paget
The 50 Logo Design Tips free eBook has been compiled by Ian Paget and offers insightful tips from some of the most experienced, influential & creative logo designers out there.
Designing for the Web By Mark Boulton
A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web aims to teach you the techniques for designing your website using the principles of graphic design. You’ll learn solid graphic design theory that you can simply apply to your designs, making the difference from a good design to a great one.
Pay Me… Or Else! By Lior Frenkel (HTML)
Pay Me… Or Else! is a short eBook for anyone that has trouble getting paid by clients. It covers tactics and tips that will help you recover your hard earned money and how to avoid similar situations in the future.
Older, Yet Always Relevant Free ebooks
Introduction to Good Usabilityby Peter Pixel.
This usabilty guide sheds some light on some common interface elements and mistakes people often make with them. This is by no means a complete guide or solid set of rules, but it is definitely a good start.
This usabilty guide sheds some light on some common interface elements and mistakes people often make with them. This is by no means a complete guide or solid set of rules, but it is definitely a good start.
Faster, and More Secure WebfontsBy Bram Pitoyo.
Font embedding for the web is a great step in making the web look better and become more functional, but what about security and load times? this ebook takes the top layer off font embedding and shows you how things work, and ultimately how to improve performance and make it more secure.
Font embedding for the web is a great step in making the web look better and become more functional, but what about security and load times? this ebook takes the top layer off font embedding and shows you how things work, and ultimately how to improve performance and make it more secure.
Taking Your Talent to the WebBy Jeffrey Zeldman.
This book was originally written in 2001 for print designers whose clients wanted websites. While browser references and modem speeds may reek of 2001, much of the advice about transitioning to the web still holds true.
This book was originally written in 2001 for print designers whose clients wanted websites. While browser references and modem speeds may reek of 2001, much of the advice about transitioning to the web still holds true.
The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web.
In order to allay some of the myths surrounding typography on the web, this book has been structured to step through Bringhurst’s working principles, explaining how to accomplish each using techniques available in HTML and CSS.
In order to allay some of the myths surrounding typography on the web, this book has been structured to step through Bringhurst’s working principles, explaining how to accomplish each using techniques available in HTML and CSS.
Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design.
With the Web, people with disabilities can do more things themselves, without having to rely on others. This book helps you improve your websites to remove accessibility barriers and avoid adding new barriers.
With the Web, people with disabilities can do more things themselves, without having to rely on others. This book helps you improve your websites to remove accessibility barriers and avoid adding new barriers.
Getting Real: The BookBy 37signals.
Getting Real is a smaller, faster, better way to build websites. Getting Real delivers better results because it forces you to deal with the actual problems you’re trying to solve instead of your ideas about those problems.
Getting Real is a smaller, faster, better way to build websites. Getting Real delivers better results because it forces you to deal with the actual problems you’re trying to solve instead of your ideas about those problems.
Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines.
The Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines (Guidelines) have been developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the U.S. General Services Administration to help web creators to base their decisions on the most current and best available evidence.
The Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines (Guidelines) have been developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the U.S. General Services Administration to help web creators to base their decisions on the most current and best available evidence.
Search User Interfaces.
This book outlines the human side of the information seeking process, and focuses on the aspects of this process that can best be supported by the user interface. It describes the methods behind user interface design generally, and search interface design in particular.
This book outlines the human side of the information seeking process, and focuses on the aspects of this process that can best be supported by the user interface. It describes the methods behind user interface design generally, and search interface design in particular.
Web Style Guide – 3rd Edition.
This book explains established design principles and covers all aspects of web design—from planning to production to maintenance. The guide also shows how these principles apply in web design projects whose primary concerns are information design, interface design, and efficient search and navigation.
This book explains established design principles and covers all aspects of web design—from planning to production to maintenance. The guide also shows how these principles apply in web design projects whose primary concerns are information design, interface design, and efficient search and navigation.
Type Classification eBookBy Jacob Cass.
This book has been written to help you learn the 10 broad classifications of type. These are the basic foundations of what you need to learn to learn typography and it is essential for any designer to know how to classify type.
This book has been written to help you learn the 10 broad classifications of type. These are the basic foundations of what you need to learn to learn typography and it is essential for any designer to know how to classify type.
How To Be CreativeBy Hugh MacLeod.
Written by HughMacLeod, an advertising executive and popular blogger with a flair for the creative. He offers his 26 tried-and-true tips for being truly creative with each point being illustrated by a cartoon drawn by the author himself.
Written by HughMacLeod, an advertising executive and popular blogger with a flair for the creative. He offers his 26 tried-and-true tips for being truly creative with each point being illustrated by a cartoon drawn by the author himself.
Who’s There?By Seth Godin.
Who’s There is not an ebook about how to write better or how to follow the traditional conventions about formatting and building a blog. Instead, he talks about how building a blog asset can have a spectacular impact on you, your career, your organization and your ideas.
Who’s There is not an ebook about how to write better or how to follow the traditional conventions about formatting and building a blog. Instead, he talks about how building a blog asset can have a spectacular impact on you, your career, your organization and your ideas.