Tell me more ×
Programmers Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professional programmers interested in conceptual questions about software development. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote -2 down vote favorite

Can anybody recommend a decent book or website to learn Principals of Programming? I know there is lots out there, but finding the right one with the right information can be awkward when your not fully knowledgeable on the subject.

I'm not looking to learn a particular programming language but have some experience in C#. I would like to advance my skills in terms of structuring code, design, security, etc, etc...

Basically I don't want to spend time reading stuff that's out of date or inadequate, and want to be able to develop an app (or whatever) using standard practices rather than just doing it my way.

share|improve this question
2  
You need to choose a programming paradigm. Each paradigm has its own set of basic principles. – Oded♦ Jan 14 at 20:31
In addition to the above - start with a language. Anything that takes your fancy, for whatever reason. Learn that language. Then learn about the principles governing the paradigm. Learn another language from that paradigm. Then a language from a different paradigm and learn the principles. Rinse, repeat. – Oded♦ Jan 14 at 20:35

closed as off topic by Oded♦, Robert Harvey, Jim G., Walter, Dynamic Jan 14 at 21:08

Questions on Programmers Stack Exchange are expected to relate to software development within the scope defined in the FAQ. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about closed questions here.

1 Answer

up vote 0 down vote accepted

Think Python is a great book for learning the principals. It was originally written to teach programming in general so it should be a good match.

It is free at the link, as well as being easy to follow and interesting. I started with C# too but I fell in love with Python fairly quickly.

Also, have a look at Coursera and Udacity, both offer programming courses good for various skill levels.

share|improve this answer
1  
My boss is looking for me to get into iOS development. Ive been on the apple developers site, which is good, but would like to brush up on the fundamentals too. Ill give this a look because even though its for Python, at the end of the day all programming languages are similar when it comes to principals. Thanks – Patrick Keane Jan 14 at 20:38
@PatrickKeane you might want to check out MonoTouch which allows you to use .Net with iOS – The_Cthulhu_Kid Jan 14 at 20:44
1  
Wow Coursera looks excellent! Covers anything from learning Guitar to Contraception to the Cosmos! I think I will be busy for some time :) lets hope I dont stray too far away from programming lol. Thanks for that! – Patrick Keane Jan 15 at 13:08
@PatrickKeane no problem mate, good luck! – The_Cthulhu_Kid Jan 15 at 16:54

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.