REVIEW - Implementation Patterns


Title:

Implementation Patterns

Author:

Kent Beck

Publisher:

Pearson Education (2007)

Pages:

176pp

Reviewer:

Ed Sykes

Reviewed:

January 2009

Rating:

★★★★★


This book is worth the money.

Reading Implementation Patterns, by Kent Beck, will help you write highly object orientated, intention revealing code. Unfortunately there isn't a simple trick to reveal. Instead values, principles and patterns are described that will get you thinking about your minute by minute implementation decisions. Sometimes, reading and writing code generates mental friction. Other times the process is effortless. If you want to understand why then buy this book.

This book is short but full of useful ideas. The language used to describe the patterns is informal and easy to digest. The examples are in Java that anyone with OO experience can follow. Since you must think deeply whilst reading this book it takes longer to read than the 143 pages would suggest.

If you have invested in a language bible, the practice of programming and a design patterns book, then Implementation Patterns would be a good investment. You will get 3 things for your investment. Firstly, whatever your experience, an immediate improvement in the quality of the OO code that you write. Secondly, a set of thinking tools and a language to describe how code works at a micro level. Thirdly, an insight into the mind of Kent Beck, one of the most influential software engineers of recent times.

Whilst reading Implementation Patterns I began to understand why I have adopted certain conventions when crafting software. Now I also understand better why I don't like parts of the code bases that I work on. I've read the book twice and the second time was more rewarding than the first. I also expect to reference the book whilst writing more of the kind of code that I like.

This book is worth the money.


Book cover image courtesy of Open Library.





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