Design patterns, any good books?
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Sounds like a good technical test. Tell candidates to bring in their technical library and if this book isn't in it, then they don't get the job.
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
Then on the other hand, if the only knowledge from the book they remember is the singleton pattern (one of the most abused and misunderstood patterns), then they don't get the job. In my experience, the Gang of Four book is little more than a coffee table book for most programmers. The programmers who do use it, usually use it poorly. The most common problem I see is the utilization of a "design pattern" because it is there, not because it is the correct application of the pattern. Normal programmers just produce god-awful code. The Gang of Four book provies people with the knowledge to produce complex god-awful code. :)
Tim Smith I'm going to patent thought. I have yet to see any prior art.
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Funny, the book I'd expect everyone to recommend, is not on the front page of that search
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ "I am working on a project that will convert a FORTRAN code to corresponding C++ code.I am not aware of FORTRAN syntax" ( spotted in the C++/CLI forum )
That's because the search was on "design patterns for beginners." The Gamma et al book IMO is not suitable for beginners. The book that is suitable is the first one in that list - Design Patterns Explained.
Kevin
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}Design Patterns Explained http://www.amazon.com/Design-Patterns-Explained-Perspective-Object-Oriented/dp/0321247140[^] More accessible than the Gamma book IMO.
Kevin
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Then on the other hand, if the only knowledge from the book they remember is the singleton pattern (one of the most abused and misunderstood patterns), then they don't get the job. In my experience, the Gang of Four book is little more than a coffee table book for most programmers. The programmers who do use it, usually use it poorly. The most common problem I see is the utilization of a "design pattern" because it is there, not because it is the correct application of the pattern. Normal programmers just produce god-awful code. The Gang of Four book provies people with the knowledge to produce complex god-awful code. :)
Tim Smith I'm going to patent thought. I have yet to see any prior art.
You were forgetting that this is just the bit to get past the first part of the interview.;P As I've stated in posts in the past, if somebody can't explain to me what the importance of composition is and how it works, they don't get any further.
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}For a new programmer, "Design Pattern" provide a good head start with learning what techniques work well and which ones don't. One of the biggest problems with design patterns is the inherent vagueness. This leads to design patterns appearing to be appropriate in situations where they aren't. Think of it this way. A design pattern book is like buying a 10 piece tool box from your local hardware store. For day to day things, that screwdriver works well, but it has limited use. A real craftsman has things that you just don't get with your average toolbox. 1) A vast collection of tools. Many of those tools are specialized for the type of work being done. (Learned patterns not found in books) 2) Sophistication while improvising. A real craftsman, when dealing with a problem doesn't resort to hammering in a nail with a pair of pliers. (Proper application of a design pattern) 3) Ability to create their own tools. These tools can be simple or complex. But they fill in a gap that the craftsman has encountered. (Creating your own design patterns) If design patterns work for you, then read everything you can get a hold of. But remember that those books are only a first step. Don't use a design pattern because the book says so, use it because you understand the problem and how the design pattern resolves the problem. Understand the positives and negatives of using the pattern. (And yes, there will be negatives) Design patterns are just a formalized way of documenting what people have been doing ever since the start of time.
Tim Smith I'm going to patent thought. I have yet to see any prior art.
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You were forgetting that this is just the bit to get past the first part of the interview.;P As I've stated in posts in the past, if somebody can't explain to me what the importance of composition is and how it works, they don't get any further.
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
Just be kind to us old farts who have been doing that stuff since the dawn of time but don't know what the "composite pattern" means. And yes, I had to look it up. As usual, my response to reading it was "Well DUH, who wouldn't do that." :laugh:
Tim Smith I'm going to patent thought. I have yet to see any prior art.
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That's because the search was on "design patterns for beginners." The Gamma et al book IMO is not suitable for beginners. The book that is suitable is the first one in that list - Design Patterns Explained.
Kevin
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I gave the "for beginners" not knowing the full extent of Hamed's knowledge/experience. If I assumed incorrectly his status as "beginner", then I owe Hamad an apology for any insults inadvertently made.
Richard A. Abbott wrote:
I owe Hamad an apology for any insults inadvertently made
Not at all Richard, don't mention it. In this industry, I noticed I'm always a beginner, because there's always a lot to learn, so your consideration is always true;)
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
} -
For a new programmer, "Design Pattern" provide a good head start with learning what techniques work well and which ones don't. One of the biggest problems with design patterns is the inherent vagueness. This leads to design patterns appearing to be appropriate in situations where they aren't. Think of it this way. A design pattern book is like buying a 10 piece tool box from your local hardware store. For day to day things, that screwdriver works well, but it has limited use. A real craftsman has things that you just don't get with your average toolbox. 1) A vast collection of tools. Many of those tools are specialized for the type of work being done. (Learned patterns not found in books) 2) Sophistication while improvising. A real craftsman, when dealing with a problem doesn't resort to hammering in a nail with a pair of pliers. (Proper application of a design pattern) 3) Ability to create their own tools. These tools can be simple or complex. But they fill in a gap that the craftsman has encountered. (Creating your own design patterns) If design patterns work for you, then read everything you can get a hold of. But remember that those books are only a first step. Don't use a design pattern because the book says so, use it because you understand the problem and how the design pattern resolves the problem. Understand the positives and negatives of using the pattern. (And yes, there will be negatives) Design patterns are just a formalized way of documenting what people have been doing ever since the start of time.
Tim Smith I'm going to patent thought. I have yet to see any prior art.
As an stand alone programmer, I created a lot of softwares during the last five years. The first one is still working quite well, but guess which one is the best for maintenance? The last one. Because the way I code has changed by experience. Yesterday, when I saw Observer pattern, I said: "Oh Hamed, this is what you are using a year, without knowing it's a known design pattern, and if you knew this five years ago, you where a better programmer the first four years as well." I've learned that perhaps these design patterns are experiences of other programmers and perhaps there are things that I will learn by experience in next years of programming but why don't learn them now?
Tim Smith wrote:
One of the biggest problems with design patterns is the inherent vagueness.
Sure I'll not force myself in to using what I don't have a good reason for, but it is likely to encounter with a simmilar scenario in another project, Isn't it? If so, knowing how people solved it, helps me do the same or even better. In short: Let's use other's experiences.:)
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
} -
I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}maybe you want to read this one too: http://www.datingdesignpatterns.com/ LOL!!! :laugh:
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maybe you want to read this one too: http://www.datingdesignpatterns.com/ LOL!!! :laugh:
I'm currently reading 'Head First Design Patterns' and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone wanting to know about the main patterns out there. its full of great examples, diagrams and it is genuinely an interesting read. my girlfriend (a non-programmer) has even commented that it doesn't look like a software book! i.e. it looks fun and it is fun - remember that its not always easy to read a 600 page technical book and stay interested, but im steaming through this one! check it out on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Head-First-Design-Patterns/dp/0596007124 good luck ;) Joe
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}The Wikipedia has some good content on this if you're looking for reference on Design Patterns. :-D
Yours Truly, The One and Only! --- Rajinder Yadav devmentor.org
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
} -
That's because the search was on "design patterns for beginners." The Gamma et al book IMO is not suitable for beginners. The book that is suitable is the first one in that list - Design Patterns Explained.
Kevin
I second this opinion. Design Patterns by Gamma et al is more of a specification that has really terse explanations of the patterns with no implementations or very little implementation. Design Patterns Explained by Alan Shalloway et al is a great book for getting your feet wet. It reads like a novel, gives you really basic UML and the explanation for it if UML isn't your forte. The examples, which are to-the-point but lengthy enough to get an idea, are useful. I've treated DP by Gamma et al as a reference and DPE as a book by a fellow programmer and this seems to work for me.
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}I'd also recommend (probably in suggested lit. already though): - Craig Larman : Applying UML patterns (3rd ed.) - James Cooper : C# Design Patterns (= tougher, but a sample companion to the original GoF book) Regards, Arjan Keene
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}Agile Principles, Patterns and Practices in c#. The previous edition used mainly java for examples. The book is a worthwhile read for c++ or c# or java developers. Robert Martin is an excellent author. The book has numerous examples.
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}Hamed Mosavi wrote:
Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic?
see the bottom: http://home.earthlink.net/~huston2/dp/patterns.html[^]
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I'm currently reading 'Head First Design Patterns' and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone wanting to know about the main patterns out there. its full of great examples, diagrams and it is genuinely an interesting read. my girlfriend (a non-programmer) has even commented that it doesn't look like a software book! i.e. it looks fun and it is fun - remember that its not always easy to read a 600 page technical book and stay interested, but im steaming through this one! check it out on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Head-First-Design-Patterns/dp/0596007124 good luck ;) Joe
I'm just about done with that book. Just haven't brought myself to finish the chapter on the Model-View-Controller pattern. :P It is geared for Java though. But I totally agree. It's a book that keeps me interested and that's pretty great in a sea of tech manuals that are dry as the Sahara. Keith
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For a new programmer, "Design Pattern" provide a good head start with learning what techniques work well and which ones don't. One of the biggest problems with design patterns is the inherent vagueness. This leads to design patterns appearing to be appropriate in situations where they aren't. Think of it this way. A design pattern book is like buying a 10 piece tool box from your local hardware store. For day to day things, that screwdriver works well, but it has limited use. A real craftsman has things that you just don't get with your average toolbox. 1) A vast collection of tools. Many of those tools are specialized for the type of work being done. (Learned patterns not found in books) 2) Sophistication while improvising. A real craftsman, when dealing with a problem doesn't resort to hammering in a nail with a pair of pliers. (Proper application of a design pattern) 3) Ability to create their own tools. These tools can be simple or complex. But they fill in a gap that the craftsman has encountered. (Creating your own design patterns) If design patterns work for you, then read everything you can get a hold of. But remember that those books are only a first step. Don't use a design pattern because the book says so, use it because you understand the problem and how the design pattern resolves the problem. Understand the positives and negatives of using the pattern. (And yes, there will be negatives) Design patterns are just a formalized way of documenting what people have been doing ever since the start of time.
Tim Smith I'm going to patent thought. I have yet to see any prior art.
Tim Smith wrote:
Learned patterns not found in books
One of the advantages of READING the books is knowing that it actually references these. There are in fact a much larger collection of patterns than published by the GoF. In fact if you google "parallel design patterns" you will find http://www.cs.wustl.edu/~schmidt/patterns-ace.html[^] and others. There is even a conference on design patterns, and they do regularly introduce new design patterns. The original intent was to share how programmers solve problems so that similar problems can be solved rapidly by other programmers. Shared experience so to speak. But the intent got twisted a bit towards, "this and only this shall you use." I never was much on absolutes. We have several books on design patterns, and I have encouraged my team to read them, and I will ask if they reviewed the patterns in making their designs, but I will only push harder if they did not attempt to see if a design pattern already existed. The official list of patterns I thought was well above 100. But I could be wrong, I have seen too many numbers this weekend and I don't feel like googling the conference papers again.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I'm a c++ programmer and worked almost five years on c++, MFC and played a little bit with C#. By reading a few design pattern articles here in CP, I noticed during the last few years, my experience in coding shifted me towards following a special way of designing my classes that, with a cleaner implementation, is actually simmilar to known design patterns. I also noticed the bad habits and better design patterns in some other classes as well. I realized that these patterns are probably invaluable experiences of great programmers during their life time. I also found out what is the actual usage of those UMLs we learned in university and had no use for them in those days(Don't blame me, blame my university for teaching something without describing actual usage of it;P.) I decided to read as much design pattern books as I can! Which book(s) do you recommend on this(Design patterns) topic? Thanks a lot in advanced.
// "Life is very short and is very fragile also." Yanni
while (I'm_alive)
{
cout<<"I love programming.";
}Yes, GOF is the original. Design Patterns in C# by Metsker is an easier digest of the GOF book with some great tutorial samples. For enterprise level apps, Martin Fowler's Patterns of Enterprise Appliction Architecture is a good read, but I've just received Applying Domain-Driven Design and Patterns: With Examples in C# and .NET by Jimmy Nilsson, which looks like a lighter precursor to Fowler's with great examples.