7 books that taught me how to code

The author says he learned to program mainly from books, first by reading them cover to cover and recreating examples. He presents seven titles that built his base knowledge, ranging from beginner C++ and algorithms to graphics, game programming, software construction, and professional growth.

Reading notes

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• He started with books because they let him learn programming step by step and practice by copying examples.
• C++ in 24 Hours helped him grasp basic C++ concepts, functions, classes, and linked lists, although the edition he used is now outdated.
• Algorithms in C++ gave him a practical introduction to algorithms and data structures because the code is written in C++ and can be run directly.
• The OpenGL Superbible series guided him from fixed pipeline OpenGL to shaders and GPU-side programming.
• Game Programming Gems offered grouped articles on topics like engine subsystems and techniques such as the parallel transport frame.
• Tricks of the 3D Game Programming Gurus taught him the ideas behind rendering details such as texturing, sampling, clipping, triple buffering, and mipmaps.
• Code Complete was useful as a broad handbook on software construction, coding style, debugging, agile ideas, and improvement as a programmer.
• The Passionate Programmer shifted the focus from coding alone to attitude, career, and becoming a better developer.
• In the extra section, he also mentions More OpenGL Game Programming, the ShaderX series, and Soft Skills as books that were helpful for advanced graphics work and career development.