Code Complete
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Code Complete (ISBN 1556154844) is a 1993 software development book by Steve McConnell urging developers to get past code and fix programming and the "big design up front" waterfall model. It is also a compendium of useful software construction techniques, from naming variables to deciding when to write a subroutine.
McConnell defines the main activities in construction as:
- detailed design
- coding
- debugging
- integration, and
- developer testing (unit testing and integration testing).
Although he does not dismiss the value of other aspects of software development such as requirements and documentation, McConnell emphasizes the construction of software because:
- Construction is a large part of software development.
- Construction is the central activity in software development.
- With a focus on construction, the individual programmer's productivity can improve enormously.
- Construction's product, the source code, is often the only accurate description of the software.
- Construction is the only activity that's guaranteed to be done.
The second edition was released in the June 2004 ISBN 0735619670.
External links
- Code Complete's 2nd edition website (http://cc2e.com/)
- Steve McConnell's website (http://www.stevemcconnell.com/)