Top Ten Books for Software Developers

This list includes the ten books I think are the most important for software developers working today. Each of these books can improve your software and your software development process. If one of your favorite books is missing from the list, send me a note so that I can review the book. — David Adams (dpadams@island-data.com).

Code Complete by Steve McConnell: More specific and practical programming advice than I've found in any other place written in plain language. Ideal for self-taught programmers. This book should count for at least three of the top ten books. (Read more Programming book reviews...)
Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity by Jakob Nielsen: The best book on Web design ever published. Coincidentally, almost the only book on Web design based on user research. (Read more Web Design book reviews...)
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web by Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville: The authors apply the wisdom of several centuries of library science to organizing, cataloging, and presenting information on the Web. The book is detailed, specific, and highly practical. (Read more Web Design book reviews... Read more Information Design book reviews...)
Rapid Development by Steve McConnell: A practical guide to software development and a detailed reference to best practices. McConnell's plain language and practical goals make this book invaluable. Ideal for self-taught and new project managers or project leaders. (Read more Project Management book reviews...)
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by Edward Tufte: The only book on this list that will still be read regularly in two hundred years. One of the most influential, interesting, and inspiring books written in the past several decades. Architects, statisticians, cartographers, programmers, and designers all think of Tufte writes for them. (Read more Information Design book reviews...)
Usability Engineering by Jakob Nielsen: The definitive guide to the techniques and principles of developing easy-to-use products. This once-obscure discipline is rapidly gaining prominence because Web sites require high usability to retain users. (Read more Usability book reviews...)
Designing Visual Interfaces by Kevin Mullet and Darrell Sano: A detailed and scientific approach to screen design based on how people process visual information. (Read more User Interface book reviews...)
Philip and Alex’s Guide to Web Publishing by Philip Greenspun: Easily the most entertaining database book I've ever read. The writing is opinionated, funny, and provoking. (Read more Database book reviews... Read more Web Design book reviews...)
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman: This highly readable and engaging book looks at the design principles that go into excellent products. The book's extensive use of examples of badly designed products unrelated to software is particularly useful to software developers. It's easy to see the design principles (and their violation) in everyday things such as water faucets and stoves. (Read more Usability book reviews...)
Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowler: If the phrase "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" has ever bothered you, read this book. (Read more OO book reviews... Read more Programming book reviews...)

Read a great book lately? Send an email to dpadams@island-data.com.