4 Best-Selling Defensive Programming Books Millions Trust

Unlike most defensive programming books that focus on generic coding principles, Alex Kuznetsov zeroes in on SQL Server, offering techniques tailored specifically to T-SQL. Drawing from over a decade’s experience with object-oriented languages and databases, Kuznetsov shares methods that help your SQL code handle concurrency, schema changes, and unexpected inputs without breaking. You’ll learn practical strategies like query optimization and database unit testing, illustrated through detailed examples that make the concepts tangible. If you write SQL Server code and want it to be more robust and maintainable, this book provides the tools to build resilience into your database programming.

What happens when deep expertise in information security meets the urgent need for practical guidance? Lee Brotherston, a Senior Security Advisor with over a decade of experience across diverse industries, co-authored this handbook to address the gap many organizations face when establishing InfoSec programs under tight budgets. You’ll find detailed chapters on incident response, network segmentation, vulnerability scanning, and more, each offering specific tools and techniques to incrementally strengthen your infrastructure’s defenses. This book works well if you’re a network engineer, sysadmin, or security professional aiming to build or improve security systems without costly overhead—though it’s less suited for those seeking advanced cryptography or theoretical security models.

This tailored book explores proven defensive programming techniques designed to help you build resilient software tailored to your unique background and goals. It covers core concepts such as error handling, input validation, and fault tolerance, while delving into advanced patterns that improve code robustness. By focusing on your specific interests, it examines how to anticipate and mitigate common vulnerabilities, ensuring your software gracefully handles unexpected conditions. Combining widely validated knowledge with insights personalized to your experience, this book reveals practical approaches to writing code that withstands failures and attacks. The tailored content allows you to engage deeply with subjects that matter most, making the learning process efficient and relevant.

When Ms. Michèle Delsol first realized how many programmers struggle with C++ in embedded systems, she crafted this book to navigate those treacherous waters. You’ll learn practical insights like how to choose the right IDE—Visual Studio with Visual Micro, for example—and master debugging techniques both in software and hardware contexts. The book dives deep into managing Arduino’s unique constraints, including memory fragmentation and exception handling workarounds, illustrated by 17 ready-to-use C++ frameworks to avoid reinventing the wheel. If you’re wrestling with the complexity of C++ on Arduino and want to streamline your workflow, this book offers clear guidance without fluff.

While working as a software engineer and instructor, Károly Nyisztor noticed how many security flaws persist in C and C++ codebases due to lack of focused defensive programming techniques. This book guides you through identifying common vulnerabilities such as input validation failures and insecure memory management, while offering concrete methods to harden your code. Chapters cover error handling, secure file operations, and real coding challenges that reinforce key concepts. If you want to deepen your understanding of writing robust, attack-resistant C/C++ software, this concise guide offers clear expertise without unnecessary complexity.