Head First Software Development

A Learner's Companion to Software Development

By Dan Pilone, Russell Miles
December 2007
Pages: 495
Series: Head First
ISBN 10: 0-596-52735-7 | ISBN 13: 9780596527358
(4) (Average of 3 Customer Reviews)

Description

Even the best developers have seen well-intentioned software projects fail -- often because the customer kept changing requirements, and end users didn't know how to use the software you developed. Instead of surrendering to these common problems, let Head First Software Development guide you through the best practices of software development. Before you know it, those failed projects will be a thing of the past.

With its unique visually rich format, this book pulls together the hard lessons learned by expert software developers over the years. You'll gain essential information about each step of the software development lifecycle -- requirements, design, coding, testing, implementing, and maintenance -- and understand why and how different development processes work.

This book is for you if you are:

Tired of your customers assuming you're psychic. You'll learn not only how to get good requirements, but how to make sure you're always building the software that customers want (even when they're not sure themselves)
Wondering when the other 15 programmers you need to get your project done on time are going to show up. You'll learn how some very simple scheduling and prioritizing will revolutionize your success rate in developing software.
Confused about being rational, agile, or a tester. You'll learn not only about the various development methodologies out there, but how to choose a solution that's right for your project.
Confused because the way you ran your last project worked so well, but failed miserably this time around. You'll learn how to tackle each project individually, combine lessons you've learned on previous projects with cutting-edge development techniques, and end up with great software on every project.

Head First Software Development is here to help you learn in a way that your brain likes... and you'll have a blast along the way. Why pick up hundreds of boring books on the philosophy of this approach or the formal techniques required for that one? Stick with Head First Software Development, and your projects will succeed like never before. Go on, get started... you'll learn and have fun. We promise.

Featured customer reviews

Recommended Reading, December 18 2008

Rating:

Submitted by Edmonton Linux Users Group [Respond | View]

This book is presented in the familiar style of other Head First titles,
which use a variety of techniques, exercises, and tests to appeal to a
wide audience and reinforce the learning experience. While the book is
intended for relatively new developers who are familiar with Object
Oriented development (specifically Java, since the technical aspects of
the book are geared towards it).

I do appreciate that the style lets me do a bit of picking and choosing
for what I may want to learn, essentially passing over something that
doesn't work for me where I might already know or understand the topic.
Certainly, working through all of the material, where I am unfamiliar with
it or need to learn it, is the best course.

I like that there is an emphasis on some relatively standard
methodologies, from design requirements through to testing and further
development. What is interesting to me is how there are so many
methodologies out there that are actually very similar. I think what's
important is to be able to adapt to the specific environment you are in. I
am very happy to be doing most of my development in an environment that
allows me to do a lot of prototyping, which is mildly different from the
iterative approach advocated in the book.

I found some of the tools interesting - the "planning poker" game is a
somewhat innovating way to estimate how long various tasks will take.
Obviously, that means a team approach to estimating, compared to an old
school method I recall whereby the team lead would make a best guess
based on experience, then double it, and double it again. The object was
simply to overcome the developer's optimism while taking into account all
the things that could cut into the team's productivity.

Because I'm not much into Java, I found some of the tools to be less than
beneficial. However, it should be noted that the principles are still
important, and learnable, even if you need to use different tools because
of your environment. Also note that to cover all the bases would have
required a volume many times the current ~450.

I would also state that "Object Oriented" isn't necessarily the best way
to go. I still do a lot of procedural programming, and even blended
procedural with object oriented. Use the right tool for the job.

All in all, a pleasure to read, with (for me) lots of review and plenty of
new takes on old techniques. Recommended.

http://elug.ca/reviews/head_first_software_development.shtml (http://elug.ca/reviews/head_first_software_development.shtml)

My first Head First book, April 23 2008

Rating:

Submitted by Anonymous Reader [Respond | View]

I've been eyeballing the Head First books for a while, specifically the Java and Object-Oriented Analysis & Design. I don't program in Java and I think I understand OOP very well. Because of this, this Head First structure look to offer a bit less structure - so a good "read as you can" book.

I got this title in a raffle. I'm glad I did. It whetted my appetite for more Head First. Not so much for the content (Which I will review further down) but because it's almost like reading a comic book. Easy, entertaining and something my busy dizzy mind could readily grasp in small chunks. I will probably get another Head First book in the future. Probably more than one.

As for the content of this book, it was well laid out and for someone new to the concepts of formal software design, it was nice to see all the little pieces come together. I did have a hard time with the Java specific environment, but I guess it would be much larger if they covered other systems. The steps were clear, some of them a smidge corny, but most of them logical.

After having read this, I was inspired to put it to use. That's when it hit me. I can't see this working unless the entire development group reads the book - or they were all newbies.

I'm an idealist, so I'll believe this kinda of software development exists. It has to exist. And someday I'll work in a place where it does.

very good, April 10 2008

Rating:

Submitted by bufubuxing [Respond | View]

very very good!
it's very useful for me.

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Media reviews
"All in all, this is a great resource for anyone wanting to formalise their programming skills in a way that constantly engages the reader on many different levels."
-- Andy Hudson, Linux Format

"As with any good teacher, this O’Reilly series attacks the material from a variety of angles. If you know it, or you’re a quick learner, you can breeze right through. If you’re like me, they try everything possible to make things comprehensible."
-- Dana Blankenhorn, Dana Blankenhorn & Paula Rooney, ZDNet.com

"If you're a new software developer, this will get you started off on the right foot. And if you're an experienced (read: long-time) developer, don't be so quick to dismiss this..."
-- Thomas Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings

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"...a great resource for anyone wanting to formalise their programming skills in a way that constantly engages the reader on many different levels"
--Andy Hudson, Linux Format