7 Object-Oriented Development Books That Shape Software Craftsmanship

Martin Fowler, Chief Scientist at ThoughtWorks, draws on decades of experience shaping enterprise software to explore the art of improving existing code design. This second edition deepens your understanding of refactoring by updating classic techniques with modern examples in JavaScript and functional programming. You’ll learn to identify "bad smells" in code and apply precise transformations that enhance maintainability and readability. Particularly useful are the detailed refactoring catalog and insights on building tests to safeguard changes, making this book invaluable if you work with legacy systems or want to write code that communicates clearly to others.

What if everything you knew about object-oriented design was wrong? Sandi Metz challenges the conventional wisdom by focusing on creating software that’s not just functional but maintainable and adaptable over time. You’ll learn how to decide what belongs in a class, avoid tangled dependencies, and apply techniques like duck typing and composition through clear Ruby examples. This book suits developers who want to build applications that can evolve without costly rewrites, whether you’re new to OO design or experienced but frustrated by brittle code. Chapters like those on flexible interfaces and inheritance offer concrete ways to manage complexity in real projects.

This tailored book explores core concepts and essential practices of object-oriented development, thoughtfully crafted to match your background and learning goals. It examines fundamental principles like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism while addressing your specific interests, making complex ideas approachable and relevant. By blending established expert knowledge with a focus on your unique coding challenges, this personalized guide creates a clear pathway through object-oriented design and implementation. You’ll find explanations and examples that resonate with your experience level, helping you deepen understanding and build stronger, maintainable software.

Erich Gamma and his co-authors challenge the conventional wisdom that object-oriented software design must reinvent solutions for common problems. Drawing from their extensive experience, they catalog 23 design patterns that offer reusable, flexible templates for tackling recurring challenges in object-oriented development. Through real-world examples and code snippets in C++ and Smalltalk, you learn when and how to apply these patterns effectively, including their trade-offs. If you want to deepen your understanding of software design beyond syntax and delve into architectural craftsmanship, this book provides a foundational toolkit, especially useful for developers aiming to write clean, maintainable, and scalable code.

Mark J. Price challenges the conventional wisdom that mastering C# and .NET requires grappling with overwhelming complexity. Drawing on over two decades of Microsoft expertise, he guides you through C# 11 and .NET 7 with clarity, focusing first on core language constructs before moving into building full web applications with ASP.NET Core, Blazor, and Entity Framework Core. You'll learn how to write and debug object-oriented code, work with LINQ, and create cross-platform services, illustrated by practical examples like MVC patterns and minimal APIs. This book suits beginners eager to grasp modern .NET development and intermediate programmers looking to update their skills without getting bogged down in jargon.

The methods Paul and Harvey Deitel developed while leading their internationally recognized programming training organization shine through in this detailed guide to C# 6. You gain practical skills in object-oriented programming from early chapters on classes and objects, progressing to advanced topics like LINQ, asynchronous programming, and parallel processing. The book’s use of over 170 fully coded examples, including a detailed ATM case study, helps you internalize key concepts such as polymorphism and interfaces. Whether you're a programmer with basic language experience or looking to deepen your mastery of Microsoft’s C# and .NET, this book equips you to build robust, high-performance applications.

This tailored book explores a personalized pathway for rapidly enhancing your object-oriented programming skills. It focuses on your existing background, skill level, and specific goals, providing a clear and engaging journey through core OOP principles, design patterns, and practical coding techniques. By addressing topics that match your interests, this book reveals how to build maintainable and scalable software with confidence. It examines common challenges and offers tailored explanations to deepen your understanding and application of object-oriented concepts. The book integrates fundamental and advanced topics such as encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and refactoring, carefully matched to your learning pace and objectives. This personalized approach ensures you gain meaningful progress in OOP development efficiently, turning complex ideas into actionable knowledge that suits your coding style and project needs.

Mark J. Price brings two decades of Microsoft expertise to this detailed guide, designed for both newcomers and seasoned developers adapting to C# 9 and .NET 5. You’ll master core object-oriented programming concepts alongside the latest language features like immutable record types and top-level statements, with concrete examples such as cross-platform app creation using Blazor and ASP.NET Core. The book’s structure guides you from fundamental C# principles through advanced .NET APIs, including data querying with LINQ and asynchronous streams. If you’re aiming to build intelligent apps, websites, or mobile solutions across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, this book equips you with the practical skills and framework fluency to do so.

Irv Kalb's extensive experience as an adjunct professor and software developer shapes this book into a clear, practical guide for mastering object-oriented programming in Python. You’ll start with the essentials — building classes and objects — then move into core principles like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, all illustrated through hands-on projects using the pygame package. The book culminates in creating a fully animated, sound-rich video game, demonstrating how to integrate these concepts into real applications. If you're aiming to deepen your Python skills with a focus on reusable, efficient code and GUI development, this book speaks directly to your goals.