Smalltalk Best Practices
by Kent Beck
Mentioned once across 1 show · first heard Mar 2026 on My First Million.
The general take
David Heinemeier Hansson calls Smalltalk Best Practices his most influential book on writing software, praising it as a short read from the 90s that has held up remarkably well despite Smalltalk being largely obsolete. He credits it with shaping how he approaches programming fundamentals and considers it essential reading on the nitty-gritties of the craft.
About
This classic book is the definitive real-world style guide for better Smalltalk programming. This author presents a set of patterns that organize all the informal experience successful Smalltalk programmers have learned the hard way. When programmers understand these patterns, they can write much more effective code. The concept of Smalltalk patterns is introduced, and the book explains why they work. Next, the book introduces proven patterns for working with methods, messages, state, collections, classes and formatting. Finally, the book walks through a development example utilizing patterns. For programmers, project managers, teachers and students -- both new and experienced. This book presents a set of patterns that organize all the informal experience of successful Smalltalk programmers. This book will help you understand these patterns, and empower you to write more effective code.
Who said what
David Heinemeier Hansson👍 Recommends
…highlighting influential programming books and their lasting impact on coding style
“My favorite book on the nitty-gritties of programming is a small book he wrote in the 90s called Smalltalk Best Practices. It's a quite short book and it is the most influential book on how I write software that I've ever read. It still totally holds up in this day and age from a language most people are not programming in Smalltalk.”
My First Million — DHH: $100M+ Advice That'll Piss Off Every Business Guruat 57:49
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