Good Habits for Great Coding

Part 1: Not Learned in School1. A Coding Fantasy Goal: Convince the reader that dedication to a craft is the price of excellence in the craft. 2. Coding Tricks Goal: a. Show the reader that even simple functions can be written in many ways, each with different attributes. b. Introduce several algorithmic tricks-e.g., tail recursion-that should be better known. 3. Style Goal: Explain why style is difficult to teach and to offer an effective way to teach it and learn it. 4. More Coding Tricks Goal: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different function designs. Part 2: Coding Advice5. Function Design Goal: To show the reader that using functions effectively will require avoiding certain traps. 6. Self-Documenting Code Goal: To show by example that code can reveal its intent more clearly by careful structuring, by using cohesion and coupling, by visual alignment, and by choice of identifiers. 7. Step-wise refinement. Goal: To convince the reader that code identifiers should tell a story. 8. Comments. Goal: To show the reader that there is an art to using comments effectively. 9. Stop Coding. Goal: To expose the reader to effective program design policies. 10. Testing Goal: To convince the reader that various kinds of testing need to be done while code is being written. 11. Defensive Programming Goal: To demonstrate the value of different kinds of defensive programming techniques. 12. Refactoring Goal: To show the reader the multiple benefits of refactoring. 13. Write the Tests First (Sometimes) Goal: To show the reader that sometimes tests should be written before the production code is written. 14. Expert Advice Goal: To evaluate 14 different programming tips suggested by experts. Part 3: Perspective15. A Lesson in Design Goal: To show the reader the significant differences between coding an academic assignment and coding an industrial application. 16. Beware of OOP Goal: To discuss some of the controversy and criticism surrounding object-oriented programming, especially in academic (school) assignments. 17. The Evolution of a Function Goal: To show the reader how the design of even a simple one-line function can go through many versions during a refactoring. 18. Do Not Snub Inefficient Algorithms Goal: To show the reader that inefficient algorithms sometimes may be preferred and sometimes may be code-tuned to become efficient. Part 4: Walk the Walk19. Problems Worth Solving Goal: To help the reader develop his or her programming skills with nine short problems that each teach a lesson. The author's solutions are given after each problem. 20. Problem Solving Goal: To give the reader some general advice about problem solving in programming. 21. Dynamic ProgrammingGoals: a. To explain the nature of dynamic programming. b. To give the reader four challenging problems (most with three differently designed solutions) that the reader can use to develop skills. The author's solutions are given after each problem.