How to read (code)

Max Humber

Beginners Clean Code Documentation Learning Teaching

See in schedule

When you learn a new language, like French or German or even English, you first learn how to read. Then you learn how to write. When you learn a new *programming* language, you first learn how to write. And that’s it.

Imagine that you were never formally taught how to read. And that you were told that you should just figure it out … by writing … a whole bunch. How would that even work? I don’t think it would.

If you can’t read. You can’t write. It’s that simple.

Do you think that Shakespeare would be Shakespeare if he never read a single book in his entire life? No. Nothing is created in a vacuum. Good writers are good writers because they’re good readers.

Just as reading is an invaluable skill so to is reading code. It’s a skill that’s never formally taught. But it’s a skill that is essential nonetheless. In this talk I’ll show you how to effectively read code so that might write better code.

Type: Talk (30 mins); Python level: Beginner; Domain level: Beginner


Max Humber

Max is a Lead Instructor at General Assembly and an Apress Author. He likes climbing, making pottery, and fantasy sports.