Top Coding books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Coding books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Coding

Understanding the concepts of Coding starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

"For me, Code was a revelation. It was the first book about programming that spoke to me. It started with a story, and it built up, layer by layer, analogy by analogy, until I understood not just the Code, but the System. Code is a book that is as much about Systems Thinking and abstractions as it is about code and programming. Code teaches us how many unseen layers there are between the compu…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Programming Pearls

When programmers list their favourite books, Jon Bentley’s collection of programming pearls is commonly included among the classics. Just as natural pearls grow from grains of sand that irritate oysters, programming pearls have grown from real problems that have irritated real programmers. With origins beyond solid engineering, in the realm of insight and creativity, Bentley’s pearls offer uni…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Clean Coder: A Code of Conduct for Professional Programmers

Programmers who endure and succeed amidst swirling uncertainty and nonstop pressure share a common attribute: They care deeply about the practice of creating software. They treat it as a craft. They are professionals. In The Clean Coder: A Code of Conduct for Professional Programmers, legendary software expert Robert C. Martin introduces the disciplines, techniques, tools, and practices of tru…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Refactoring

Refactoring is about improving the design of existing code. It is the process of changing a software system in such a way that it does not alter the external behavior of the code, yet improves its internal structure. With refactoring you can even take a bad design and rework it into a good one. This book offers a thorough discussion of the principles of refactoring, including where to spot opp…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Cracking the coding interview

I am not a recruiter. I am a software engineer. And as such, I know what it's like to be asked to whip up brilliant algorithms on the spot and then write flawless code on a whiteboard. I've been through this as a candidate and as an interviewer. Cracking the Coding Interview, 6th Edition is here to help you through this process, teaching you what you need to know and enabling you to perform at…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software

Capturing a wealth of experience about the design of object-oriented software, four top-notch designers present a catalog of simple and succinct solutions to commonly occurring design problems. Previously undocumented, these 23 patterns allow designers to create more flexible, elegant, and ultimately reusable designs without having to rediscover the design solutions themselves. The authors beg…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Additional Coding Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Coding, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

Coders at Work

This is a who's who in the programming world - a fascinating look at how some of the best in the world do their work. Patterned after the best selling Founders at Work, the book represents two years of interviews with some of the top programmers of our times.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Python Programming: An Introduction to Computer Science

This book is designed to be used as the primary textbook in a college-level first course in computing. It takes a fairly traditional approach, emphasizing problem solving, design, and programming as the core skills of computer science. However, these ideas are illustrated using a non-traditional language, namely Python. Although Python is the language, teaching Python is not the main point of …

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming

JavaScript lies at the heart of almost every modern web application, from social apps like Twitter to browser-based game frameworks like Phaser and Babylon. Though simple for beginners to pick up and play with, JavaScript is a flexible, complex language that you can use to build full-scale applications. This much anticipated and thoroughly revised third edition of Eloquent JavaScript dives dee…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Pragmatic Programmer

Ward Cunningham Straight from the programming trenches, The Pragmatic Programmer cuts through the increasing specialization and technicalities of modern software development to examine the core process--taking a requirement and producing working, maintainable code that delights its users. It covers topics ranging from personal responsibility and career development to architectural techniques f…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Self-taught Programmer: The Definitive Guide to Programming Professionally

Cory Althoff is a self-taught programmer. After a year of self-study, he learned to program well enough to land a job as a software engineer II at eBay. But once he got there, he realised he was severely under-prepared. He was overwhelmed by the amount of things he needed to know but hadn't learned. His journey learning to program, and his experience in first software engineering job were the …

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

C Programming Absolute Beginner's Guide

Write powerful C programs...without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to get comfortable with C, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. You’ll learn all the basics: how to organize programs, store and display data, work with variables, operators, I/O, pointers, arrays, functions, and much more. C programming has neverbeen this simple! Who knew how simple C progra…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Specializations and Deeper Coding Knowledge

You've got your basics in order – time to move on to some advanced and specialized concepts. Coding is evolving every day, these books can help you master it.

The Pragmatic Programmer: Your Journey to Mastery, 20th Anniversary Edition

“One of the most significant books in my life.” —Obie Fernandez, Author, The Rails Way “Twenty years ago, the first edition of The Pragmatic Programmer completely changed the trajectory of my career. This new edition could do the same for yours.” —Mike Cohn, Author of Succeeding with Agile , Agile Estimating and Planning , and User Stories Applied

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

Augment your Coding books

There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!

Only 1 Spot Left

I am a Software Engineer with very deep knowledge of back-end systems, cloud infrastructure, databases, data engineering, and building data-driven products and services. I've been coding since my school days and have spent a good part of the last decade and a half writing code. I'm a self-taught programmer, and …

$150 / month
  Chat
2 x Calls
Tasks

Only 2 Spots Left

I am an experienced lead software engineer whose main area of expertise is Microsoft stack, which includes ASP.NET (Framework and Core), SQL Server, Azure, and various front-end technologies. I am familiar with industry-wide best practices, such as SOLID principles, software design patterns, automation testing principles (BDD and TDD) and microservices …

$550 / month
  Chat
4 x Calls
Tasks

Only 2 Spots Left

🚀 Accelerate Your Software Engineering Career with Proven Mentorship 🔥 Are you a software developer aiming to become better at what you do? 🎯 If you're serious about moving up in your career, my mentorship program promises to give you the support and guidance you need to succeed. 🔥 What …

$150 / month
  Chat
2 x Calls
Tasks

Only 2 Spots Left

I am a Senior Consultant based in Stoke-on-Trent with over 10 years of Web Development experience from small startups to large corporate companies and more. I have taught junior and mid-level developers at my previous companies new skills and ways of working to help their personal growth. In addition, I …

$80 / month
  Chat

Only 2 Spots Left

I help you 1. Implement processes to deploy stress-free several times per day (without heroics) 2. Bring your team together by collaborative pairing and release planning 3. Grow highly capable, happy engineers who don't shy away from working with legacy code I coach leaders managing product engineering teams in engineering …

$80 / month
  Chat
Tasks


Isn't it tragic that the creative energy of most indie hackers flows into products that never see the delighted faces of their intended users? I was stuck in my career until I built my first real apps running in the Internet. From there, opportunities opened up and I've had the …

$50 / month
  Chat
4 x Calls
Tasks

Browse all Coding mentors

Still not convinced?
Don’t just take our word for it

We’ve already delivered 1-on-1 mentorship to thousands of students, professionals, managers and executives. Even better, they’ve left an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for our mentors.

Find a Coding mentor
  • "Naz is an amazing person and a wonderful mentor. She is supportive and knowledgeable with extensive practical experience. Having been a manager at Netflix, she also knows a ton about working with teams at scale. Highly recommended."

  • "Brandon has been supporting me with a software engineering job hunt and has provided amazing value with his industry knowledge, tips unique to my situation and support as I prepared for my interviews and applications."

  • "Sandrina helped me improve as an engineer. Looking back, I took a huge step, beyond my expectations."