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The Software Craftsman

I've just finished reading The Software Craftsman: Professionalism, Pragmatism, Pride by Sandro Mancuso, and I must say that it resonated with me. Treating software development as a craft, and striving for mastery is something that I admire.

This book reflects my attitude towards building software, and is now one of my favourite development books (The Pragmatic Programmer being my all time favourite).

The only thing I don't really agree with is the emphasis on XP practices, notably TDD. I think professional developers should know about TDD and have practiced it, but I don't think it's a requirement to being a software craftsman. The debate between Jim Coplien and Uncle Bob on TDD is good food for thought.


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