Customers say
Customers appreciate the book's focus on human cognition and complexity in software engineering, with one customer noting how it relates computer science concepts to a brilliant perspective. Moreover, the book helps readers become better programmers, with one review mentioning how it makes coding feel more approachable. Additionally, customers value its design content, with one review highlighting how it breaks down software design. However, the code quality receives mixed feedback, with several customers noting the lack of code examples.
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7 customers mention value for money, 7 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book offers good value for money, with one customer noting it provides a brilliant perspective on software engineering by relating computer science concepts, while another mentions it covers many different topics.
This book covers many different topics including life lessons design, engineering, and cognition....Read more
...This book is focused on the "why". It clearly explains the theory behind the "why" which you can then use as a guiding light for your engineering...Read more
...Code is for Humans" is a friendly guide to making sense of software without missing the forest for the trees (there are so many trees)....Read more
Jackson has distilled his many years of experience into a very valuable theoretical guide for programmers of all types....Read more
5 customers mention cognitive science, 4 positive, 1 negative
Customers appreciate the book's focus on human cognition and complexity.
Clearly Jackson has thought a lot about the craft of coding. This thoughtful yet lighthearted meditation digs into both the practical and the...Read more
...This book synthesizes ideas from design, engineering, cognitive science, and computer science to relate a brilliant perspective on software...Read more
...different topics including life lessons design, engineering, and cognition....Read more
...Although it's more theoretical and lacks code examples, this grounding prepares you for the more technical sequel....Read more
4 customers mention engineering, 3 positive, 1 negative
Customers appreciate the engineering content of the book.
A new favorite! This book synthesizes ideas from design, engineering, cognitive science, and computer science to relate a brilliant perspective on...Read more
...not just to make you a better coder, but a more thoughtful and effective engineer.Read more
Not your typical Software Engineering book....Read more
...book covers many different topics including life lessons design, engineering, and cognition....Read more
4 customers mention programming skills, 4 positive, 0 negative
Customers appreciate how the book helps improve programming skills, with one mentioning it makes the learning process more approachable.
...coding books and this book belongs among the greats such as The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code, and A Philosophy of Software Design....Read more
...Jackson breaks down software design, not algorithms and focuses on making code work; it's about making it work for living breathing people...Read more
...on human cognition and complexity, making the daunting task of learning to code feel more approachable....Read more
It will make you a better programmer...Read more
3 customers mention design, 3 positive, 0 negative
Customers appreciate the book's design approach, with one customer noting how Jackson breaks down software design, while another mentions how it synthesizes ideas from design.
A new favorite! This book synthesizes ideas from design, engineering, cognitive science, and computer science to relate a brilliant perspective on...Read more
...Jackson breaks down software design, not algorithms and focuses on making code work; it's about making it work for living breathing people...Read more
...greats such as The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code, and A Philosophy of Software Design....Read more
4 customers mention code quality, 2 positive, 2 negative
Customers have mixed opinions about the code quality in the book, with some noting the lack of code examples.
...this book belongs among the greats such as The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code, and A Philosophy of Software Design....Read more
...The only downside of this book is that it does not contain many code examples, those are supposed to come in book II....Read more
...This book doesn't just throw code at you; instead, it delves into the why—why we often fail at engineering projects, struggle with bug-free code, or...Read more
...Although it's more theoretical and lacks code examples, this grounding prepares you for the more technical sequel....Read more
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Much needed human depth in a world of shallow AI
A must-read for anyone stepping into the coding world, like me, with fresh eyes. This book doesn't just throw code at you; instead, it delves into the why—why we often fail at engineering projects, struggle with bug-free code, or create products that miss the mark with users. It's enlightening to see the focus on human cognition and complexity, making the daunting task of learning to code feel more approachable. The human-centric approach it advocates is a game-changer, teaching us to navigate our cognitive biases and simplify complexity. Although it's more theoretical and lacks code examples, this grounding prepares you for the more technical sequel. It's a foundational read that promises not just to make you a better coder, but a more thoughtful and effective engineer.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
A must-read for anyone stepping into the coding world, like me, with fresh eyes. This book doesn't just throw code at you; instead, it delves into the why—why we often fail at engineering projects, struggle with bug-free code, or create products that miss the mark with users. It's enlightening to see the focus on human cognition and complexity, making the daunting task of learning to code feel more approachable. The human-centric approach it advocates is a game-changer, teaching us to navigate our cognitive biases and simplify complexity. Although it's more theoretical and lacks code examples, this grounding prepares you for the more technical sequel. It's a foundational read that promises not just to make you a better coder, but a more thoughtful and effective engineer. 5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
A must-read for anyone stepping into the coding world, like me, with fresh eyes. This book doesn't just throw code at you; instead, it delves into the why—why we often fail at engineering projects, struggle with bug-free code, or create products that miss the mark with users. It's enlightening to see the focus on human cognition and complexity, making the daunting task of learning to code feel more approachable. The human-centric approach it advocates is a game-changer, teaching us to navigate our cognitive biases and simplify complexity. Although it's more theoretical and lacks code examples, this grounding prepares you for the more technical sequel. It's a foundational read that promises not just to make you a better coder, but a more thoughtful and effective engineer.
2 people found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023 A new favorite! This book synthesizes ideas from design, engineering, cognitive science, and computer science to relate a brilliant perspective on software engineering. if you are interested in SWE theory, software design, or software architecture then you will find this book worthwhile. The only downside of this book is that it does not contain many code examples, those are supposed to come in book II. If you like "A philosophy of software design" by john ousterhout then you will like this book. I uploaded that table of contents so you can get an idea of what's in this book.
One person found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023 I've been coding for two decades and worked at a few of the FAANG companies. I've read my fair share of coding books and this book belongs among the greats such as The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code, and A Philosophy of Software Design.
One person found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2023 Whether you're a seasoned professional or just getting started, "Code is for Humans" is a fun read that I wish I had read decades ago. I've worked as an ML researcher at giants like Amazon and Goldman Sachs and maintained large systems with people I wish had read this twice :) "Code is for Humans" is a friendly guide to making sense of software without missing the forest for the trees (there are so many trees). Jackson breaks down software design, not algorithms and focuses on making code work; it's about making it work for living breathing people (your peers who'll have to maintain that monster).
2 people found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024 This book covers many different topics including life lessons design, engineering, and cognition. It's difficult to get a sense of what this book is about merely from the description so I have attached screenshots of the table of contents. 5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024
This book covers many different topics including life lessons design, engineering, and cognition. It's difficult to get a sense of what this book is about merely from the description so I have attached screenshots of the table of contents.
2 people found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2024 Format: Paperback I found it too verbose up to this point (2 chapters in) - I will revise the review if things change. Verbosity is a hindrance! Even if you have bits of invaluable information/advice to communicate, burying them in verbosity puts them beyond the reach of readers (like me). It would be much better to separate the actionable information (TL;DR) from the filler.
One person found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2023 Clearly Jackson has thought a lot about the craft of coding. This thoughtful yet lighthearted meditation digs into both the practical and the philosophical. Read this if you are a wide eyed beginner, a workaday professional, or a disillusioned veteran recluse.
One person found this helpful Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024 Format: Kindle The concepts are spot on. Learning things like don't blame the user, blame the design and the goal of simple rather than complex design. However, the book has many errors, most of them small, like an example of using the five whys, and then mentioning that in his example he only used four, when in fact he used five. That's small. But then when talking about extremism, he lists generally good and time tested practices (test driven development, self-documenting code) s as extreme ideas that should be avoided, when in fact they are very good, powerful ideas, that could be taken to the extreme. Good ideas that should be used, just not taken to the extreme, but ones he apparently disagrees with so uses his power of authority (reasoning with the user as a person with authority on the subject) to avoid proven practices that he disagrees with (which is interesting because he's reasoning on not taking ideologies to an extreme "religious"-like opinion, and then he does just that in his examples.
5 people found this helpful Reviewed in Canada on March 13, 2024
This book is truly remarkable. It is exceptionally well-written, capturing my attention from start to finish. The structure of the book is particularly noteworthy, with chapters dedicated to exploring the intricacies of the human mind and cognitive load, which I found to be invaluable. The emphasis on simplicity throughout the text resonated deeply with me, as it aligns perfectly with my own beliefs. Zohar's adept use of real-world examples to elucidate complex concepts is commendable and greatly enhances the understanding of the material. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking profound insights into these subjects. 5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 13, 2024
This book is truly remarkable. It is exceptionally well-written, capturing my attention from start to finish. The structure of the book is particularly noteworthy, with chapters dedicated to exploring the intricacies of the human mind and cognitive load, which I found to be invaluable. The emphasis on simplicity throughout the text resonated deeply with me, as it aligns perfectly with my own beliefs. Zohar's adept use of real-world examples to elucidate complex concepts is commendable and greatly enhances the understanding of the material. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking profound insights into these subjects. Reviewed in Germany on August 26, 2025 A different but valuable perspective in an age of software projects that are simultaneously over- and underengineered. A Pity that the people most responsible for this kind of projects, are the least likely to get their hands on this gem. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2024 Really good nuggets of wisdom. He talks about developer experience - which is something I didn’t consider before. Super readable - lots of diagrams - small book not heavy to carry with you on your commute. Also like when talks about fighting unnecessary complexity. Have recommended it to my colleagues at work 🥰💜🌸 5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2024
Really good nuggets of wisdom. He talks about developer experience - which is something I didn’t consider before. Super readable - lots of diagrams - small book not heavy to carry with you on your commute. Also like when talks about fighting unnecessary complexity. Have recommended it to my colleagues at work 🥰💜🌸 Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2024 I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend! 📖 It’s a great reminder of how and why we code and who we code for. The explanation of the differences between ‘good’ and ‘quality’ code, and the avoidance of overly-complex and over-architectured systems are particular highlights. Looking forward to book two to see examples of how the theory described in the book can be put into practice. Reviewed in Germany on May 10, 2024 Zohar Jackson bringt vieles auf den Punkt, was ich mir unbewusst in den letzten 30 Jahren erarbeitet habe. Sein Schreibstil lässt zumindest mich das Buch nicht aus der Hand legen, bis es zu Ende gelesen ist. Bei fast alles Ausführungen und Hintergründen stimme ich mit ihm überein. Das Buch wirft ein helles Licht auf Standpunkte die ich mir schon selbst erarbeitet hatte, die ich aber nie so richtig erklären konnte.
Top reviews from the United States
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Much needed human depth in a world of shallow AI
Much needed human depth in a world of shallow AI
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great ideas and tasteful advice
5.0 out of 5 stars
I've read my fair share of coding books
Most coding books explain "what to do" and not "why" to do it. This book is focused on the "why". It clearly explains the theory behind the "why" which you can then use as a guiding light for your engineering decisions. I found myself having a few epiphany moments while reading this book :) If you are interested in engineering theory I highly recommend you read this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Get your co-workers to read this!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not your typical Software Engineering book.
Not your typical Software Engineering book.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
(unnecessarily?) verbose
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful and Entertaining
2.0 out of 5 stars
Generally Good, But Be Careful
Top reviews from other countries
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible book
Incredible book
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really great book on how to think about product design and the process of programming
Really great book on how to think about product design and the process of programming
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend to all software engineers
5.0 out of 5 stars
Endlich mal ein Buch das vieles auf den Punkt bringt auch ganz ohne Code
Das beste Software Engineering Buch, das ich in den letzten Jahren gelesen habe!
Ich warte schon gespannt auf sein zweites Buch.