“The Clean Coder” is not a book about the code, it is about the coder. A software developer does not only write code for himself, he writes code to solve problems, to add value to his company. In this book Robert “Uncle Bob” Martin shares his experience on the mistakes he did and how he changed his behavior in order to act as a professional.

I really enjoyed “The Clean Coder” because it made me think of my own behavior. Do I behave as a professional ? What can I improve ? What should I stop doing ?

I discovered a definition of “professionalism“ that I was not following, I learned to do “no harm”. I discovered what I implied when I said “yes“ and that I should not be afraid to say “no“. I discovered how to stay focus while coding. I discovered the benefits of Test Driven Development (TDD), the benefits of Acceptance Testing and the benefits of having a good Testing Strategy. I discovered that practicing my skills is key to achieve mastery. I discovered how to manage my time in order to stay productive, how to avoid unnecessary pressure and making concrete estimations. I discovered that collaboration is key to build excellent software and that I have to work closely with my team to complete my projects. I discovered a whole new world of apprenticeship and mentoring : Software Craftsmanship.

This software development ideology suits me, it gave me a path to follow. I decided to sign the software craftsmanship manifesto to be committed and to ask more of myself. Being a craftsman is not an easy task, it is an attitude that has to be learnt. It is challenging and that’s fine to me. I like to be challenged, it allows me to improve.

I hope you liked this journey through “The Clean Coder”, see you next time !