Object-Oriented Design Heuristics

Allow me to add one more point to the excellent 5-star reviews that precede this one. As a long-time senior software developer, many of my peers and more junior engineers have asked me for a book recommendation so they can learn how to do object-oriented design. This is the book.This is the book for UNDERSTANDING object-oriented software development. Whether you're learning OOD or improving your skills, this book makes OOD feel like common sense. As you read, the light clicks on and you think, "Oh. I get it," or, "Exactly!"You won't need any other book on object-oriented design. This one is comprehensive and fun to read. And, it is perfect for a study group.Don't learn OOD by making mistakes. Buy this book and design with confidence.

The author doesnt waste words. He explains all his points well, with good examples, and is always to the point. You have to read the book carefully, and not just skim it, because while its short, its compact with a lot of great information conveyed in just a few paragraphs. He covered almost every OO subject I could think of, and in depth.The book is outstanding and I couldn't put it down. (How many heavy tech books can you say that about?)If you are new to OO programming and starting with Java I'd start with Beginning Java Objects. Then after a little experience I read this one. Don't read it too early in your career because a lot of it will just wash over you. It will be more beneficial if you have some experience before reading. You will learn and retain more. But its not a hard book to read, its very accessaible. The author is talented.

An outstanding book. You could spend years reading OO articles and books and still only find half the information this book contains. Riel has done the hard work for you. He presents the results as loads of practical guidelines on what to do/what not to do in OO development. Writing is clear and understandable, yet every sentence is packed full of information. This book will make you THINK about what you are doing.Excellent. A must read for all serious OO developers.

Wow. I wasn't expecting such an easy yet informative read. About 50 pages through this book, I wanted to hunt down the author's e-mail address and send him a personal thank-you letter. If you're experienced with language-specifics, and ready to get a grasp on the better ways to implement your designs so that they are more maintainable and logical, then grab this text. Riel explains things in a clear way, but the best thing about this book is that it follows the thought patterns of a typical reader. It's not pretentiously high-minded and verbose. Riel explains problems in common language, offers the common solutions, and then tells you in many ways how they can be improved. He covers "god-classes", encapsulation vs. inheritence, message passing, and much more.Overall, this book is a very mind-opening experience, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Arthur Riel provides a concise treatment of the myriad design issues surrounding object-oriented software. His book is organized into sections, each treating one or more of his 68 heuristics, and each one short and informative. The level of experience needed to understand the book is minimal, but those with exposure to the more classical OOA & D authors are sure to get a few chuckles as Mr. Riel takes on design patterns and other tools of the trade, clearly making the point that there are no magic solutions to every problem. I concur with prior reviewers, who compare this book to the famous "Effective C++" books of Scott Meyer. A must-own.