The best way to learn design in any field is to study examples, and some
of the best examples of software design come from the tools programmers
use in their own work. Software Design by Example: A Tool-Based
Introduction with JavaScript therefore builds small versions of the
things programmers use in order to demystify them and give some insights
into how experienced programmers think. From a file backup system and a
testing framework to a regular expression matcher, a browser layout
engine, and a very small compiler, we explore common design patterns,
show how making code easier to test also makes it easier to reuse, and
help readers understand how debuggers, profilers, package managers, and
version control systems work so that they can use them more effectively.
This material can be used for self-paced study, in an undergraduate
course on software design, or as the core of an intensive weeklong
workshop for working programmers. Each chapter has a set of exercises
ranging in size and difficulty from half a dozen lines to a full day's
work. Readers should be familiar with the basics of modern JavaScript,
but the more advanced features of the language are explained and
illustrated as they are introduced.
All the written material in this project can be freely reused under the
terms of the Creative Commons - Attribution license, while all of the
software is made available under the terms of the Hippocratic License.
All proceeds from sale of this book will go to support the Red Door
Family Shelter in Toronto.
Features
- Teaches software design by showing programmers how to build the tools
they use every day
- Each chapter includes exercises to help readers check and deepen
their understanding
- All the example code can be downloaded, re-used, and modified under
an open license
