The Best Books for Software Engineers (Beginner to Advanced Careers)
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Welcome to the Thomas guide to the best software engineering books in 2023. Thomas has been connecting North American industrial buyers and suppliers for more than 120 years. When you purchase products through our independent recommendations, we may earn an affiliate commission.
In a complex job, software engineers must first and foremost be solution-oriented. As architects and developers of an entirely digital world, they must not only envision and create but problem-solve even the smallest bugs in the system for optimal functionality. The best software engineering books on this list include not only ones that focus on programming languages, examples, and techniques, but also softer skills that benefit the software programmer in other areas of their career.
Reading books from the pros is a great way to advance in a software engineering career
Image credit: Shutterstock/fizkes
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Books for Software Engineers
This list is chock-full of books on software engineering, and, if you don’t own them already, you might want to consider expanding your collection. There’s something here for everyone, whether those just starting out in the software engineering world, or even those experienced and established in the industry.
Thomas’ Top Picks for the Best Software Engineering Books 2023
Clean Code by Robert C. Martin | Buy Now
The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas | Buy Now
The Clean Coder by Robert C. Martin | Buy Now
Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software by Erich Gamma | Buy Now
Refactoring by Martin Fowler | Buy Now
Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture by Martin Fowler | Buy Now
Head First Design by Eric Freeman | Buy Now
Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakman McDowell | Buy Now
The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks | Buy Now
Code Complete by Steve McConnell | Buy Now
Scroll down to read more about our top picks for the best books for software engineers.
*Prices listed in this article were as shown in US$ on amazon.com (USA) as of October 2022
1. Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftmanship by Robert C. Martin
Affectionately called ‘Uncle Bob’ by those in the know, Robert C. Martin has written a helpful manual on software craftmanship, Clean Code. This ook is a noted guidebook in writing cleaner code and training software engineers in recognizing buggy or sluggish code. Segmented into three sections, each part deals with a different avenue of creating better, more efficient code through learning heuristics, through the principles of clean code, and increased complexity.
Many consider it a must-have for software engineers as it teaches and focuses on the fundamentals, therefore is a great pick for beginners too.
2. The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas
Another look into the basic process of creating code, The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas strips down the complexity of code to examine the foundations of the subject, teaching programmers to finetune their own code.
Though first published over 20 years ago, many still reference it throughout their careers as it provides imperative advice on useful and flexible code. It even gives soft skill and career advice for programmers.
3. The Clean Coder by Robert C. Martin
Robert Martin’s The Clean Coder advertises itself as a code of conduct for software engineers, and many avid fans agree. Rather than focusing on the hard skills of programming language, it looks into soft skills needed to advance in the workplace and life in general as a programmer.
Tackling conflict, time management, and avoiding burnout, this book deals with all the personal schematics of being a software engineer—a subject you won’t find in most other textbooks.
4. Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software by Erich Gamma
So much of software engineering is the identification of problems and the creation of their solutions, and this is what the book, Design Patterns, was created to assist. In the book, the authors go over what patterns are, where they might be applicable, and how they can be used to solve design problems.
It presents 23 patterns of usable and reusable design patterns aimed at problem-solving and even shows examples in programming languages like C++ and Smalltalk to help guide readers.
5. Refactoring by Martin Fowler
This book was so popular, it required a reprint. This second edition of Refactoring by Martin Fowler has all the benefits of the original, with an extra web edition and updated functional examples. It explains the concept of refactoring, teaches how to identify code that requires this technique, and how to do it in every programming language.
The book not only helps software engineers rewrite code but also how to identify coding obstacles.
6. Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture by Martin Fowler
Yet another book by Martin Fowler, Patterns of Enterprise Applications takes a deeper look into the more specific world of enterprise application development. Applying his general knowledge of code and programming to the subsystem of enterprise applications, Fowler analyzes the field and presents solutions in areas where multiple problems may arise due to the complex nature of the subject.
7. Head First Design by Eric Freeman
Head First Design by Eric Freeman is a dynamic book focused on teaching object-oriented design to its readers. Through using multiple learning techniques and visuals, it purports to teach patterns and how they can be applied to the code.
With an international Amazon rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, many readers have found this book not only engaging but also a useful tool in teaching the concepts of software engineering.
8. Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell
Reminiscent of SparkNotes, Cracking the Coding Interview leads software engineers through probable questions they could encounter during a job interview. Written by a software engineer who has been on both sides of the hiring process, this book helps software engineers prepare for their interviews by walking them through examples of what they might be asked, and how to solve issues they could potentially be presented with.
9. The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P Brooks
Though many view software engineering through an entirely technological lens, the subject often deals with philosophical and ethical questions too. The Mythical Man-Month analyzes software engineering facts and opinions and processes them through a management point of view. Though it does not directly deal with coding, but rather the implications and ethics of the subject, it certainly remains one of the most popular books of the software engineering field and has recently had an anniversary edition rewrite.
10. Code Complete by Steve McConnell
Another book that boasts being a practical guide on software engineering, Code Complete by Steve McConnel has been updated to include anecdotes and the latest technology in software construction. The book tackles how to create simple but effective code and techniques for refactoring, debugging, construction, and development. An all-in-one that brings together several techniques, Code Complete is perhaps one of the best all-rounders when it comes to software engineering books.
Best Books for Software Engineers 2023— Summary
Lists on this subject may differ, but so many of our above picks are mainstays for any software engineer’s bookshelf. The two absolute must-haves are the extremely highly-rated basic code guides, Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftmanship by Robert C. Martin (US$44.99, Amazon), and The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt and David Thomas (US$32.88, Amazon). We hope our review of the best software engineering books has been helpful. For more similar suppliers of coding guidebooks and coding products, consult our additional guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform.
