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Nick Davies
Nick Davies

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The Complete New Developer Reading List for 2026

Here's my curated list of the best new developer books for developers.

Quick Comparison

Book Author Pages Year
Clean Code Robert C. Martin 464 2008
The Pragmatic Programmer David Thomas and Andrew Hunt 352 2019
Head First Design Patterns Eric Freeman and Elisabeth Robson 672 2021
Code Complete Steve McConnell 960 2004
The Clean Coder Robert C. Martin 256 2011
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs Harold Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman 657 1996
Cracking the Coding Interview Gayle Laakmann McDowell 687 2015
Grokking Algorithms Aditya Bhargava 256 2016
Introduction to Algorithms (CLRS) Thomas Cormen 1312 2022
The Algorithm Design Manual Steven Skiena 800 2020
Eloquent JavaScript Marijn Haverbeke 472 2024
You Don't Know JS Yet: Get Started Kyle Simpson 143 2020
Learning React Alex Banks and Eve Porcello 310 2020
Python Crash Course Eric Matthes 552 2023
Automate the Boring Stuff with Python Al Sweigart 592 2019
Learning Go Jon Bodner 422 2024
Go Programming Language Alan Donovan and Brian Kernighan 380 2015
Rust in Action Tim McNamara 456 2021
Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual John Sonmez 506 2020
The Passionate Programmer Chad Fowler 200 2009
Python for Data Analysis Wes McKinney 579 2022
The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book Andriy Burkov 160 2019
MongoDB: The Definitive Guide Shannon Bradshaw 514 2019
The Linux Command Line William Shotts 504 2019
How Linux Works Brian Ward 392 2021
Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach James Kurose and Keith Ross 800 2020
The C Programming Language Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie 272 1988

1. Clean Code

By Robert C. Martin · 464 pages · 2008

A solid software craft book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

2. The Pragmatic Programmer

By David Thomas and Andrew Hunt · 352 pages · 2019

A solid software craft book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

3. Head First Design Patterns

By Eric Freeman and Elisabeth Robson · 672 pages · 2021

A solid software craft book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

4. Code Complete

By Steve McConnell · 960 pages · 2004

A solid software craft book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

5. The Clean Coder

By Robert C. Martin · 256 pages · 2011

A solid software craft book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

6. Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

By Harold Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman · 657 pages · 1996

A solid software craft book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

7. Cracking the Coding Interview

By Gayle Laakmann McDowell · 687 pages · 2015

A solid interview prep book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

8. Grokking Algorithms

By Aditya Bhargava · 256 pages · 2016

A solid interview prep book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

9. Introduction to Algorithms (CLRS)

By Thomas Cormen, Charles Leiserson, Ronald Rivest, Clifford Stein · 1312 pages · 2022

A solid interview prep book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

10. The Algorithm Design Manual

By Steven Skiena · 800 pages · 2020

A solid interview prep book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

11. Eloquent JavaScript

By Marijn Haverbeke · 472 pages · 2024

A solid javascript book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

12. You Don't Know JS Yet: Get Started

By Kyle Simpson · 143 pages · 2020

A solid javascript book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

13. Learning React

By Alex Banks and Eve Porcello · 310 pages · 2020

A solid javascript book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

14. Python Crash Course

By Eric Matthes · 552 pages · 2023

A solid python book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

15. Automate the Boring Stuff with Python

By Al Sweigart · 592 pages · 2019

A solid python book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

16. Learning Go

By Jon Bodner · 422 pages · 2024

A solid golang book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

17. Go Programming Language

By Alan Donovan and Brian Kernighan · 380 pages · 2015

A solid golang book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

18. Rust in Action

By Tim McNamara · 456 pages · 2021

A solid rust book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

19. Soft Skills: The Software Developer's Life Manual

By John Sonmez · 506 pages · 2020

A solid career book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

20. The Passionate Programmer

By Chad Fowler · 200 pages · 2009

A solid career book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

21. Python for Data Analysis

By Wes McKinney · 579 pages · 2022

A solid data ml book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

22. The Hundred-Page Machine Learning Book

By Andriy Burkov · 160 pages · 2019

A solid data ml book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

23. MongoDB: The Definitive Guide

By Shannon Bradshaw, Eoin Brazil, Kristina Chodorow · 514 pages · 2019

A solid databases book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

24. The Linux Command Line

By William Shotts · 504 pages · 2019

A solid linux book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

25. How Linux Works

By Brian Ward · 392 pages · 2021

A solid linux book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

26. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach

By James Kurose and Keith Ross · 800 pages · 2020

A solid networking book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon

27. The C Programming Language

By Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie · 272 pages · 1988

A solid low level book that every developer should consider.

Get it on Amazon


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