Steve McConnell

“A good programmer is someone who looks both ways before crossing a one-way street.”

“The longer a bug exists, the more expensive it is to fix.”

“Writing solid code is a craft. It’s a series of small, careful steps.”

“The only way to go fast is to go well.”

“Good code is its own best documentation. As you’re about to add a comment, ask yourself, 'How can I improve the code so that this comment isn’t needed?'”

“The most effective debugging tool is still careful thought, coupled with judiciously placed print statements.”

“The problem with code-and-fix development is that the fixing part is the most expensive part.”

“The primary purpose of software estimation is not to predict a project’s outcome; it is to determine whether a project is worth starting in the first place.”

“It's better to wait for a productive programmer to become available than it is to wait for the first available programmer to become productive.”

“The most common mistake in estimating is to be optimistic.”

“One of the biggest causes of project failure is optimistic scheduling.”

“Don't comment bad code—rewrite it.”

“You can't have a good product without a good process.”

“Trying to improve software quality by increasing the amount of testing is like trying to lose weight by weighing yourself more often.”

“An ounce of design is worth a pound of refactoring.”

“Complexity is the enemy of quality.”

“The purpose of software development is to create value for its users.”

“A key to teamwork is to create a work environment that is psychologically safe.”