Purpose

I have an extensive library of books on the practice of programming ”tomes of information in pristine condition sitting on my bookshelf . These books have influenced the way I program and the style of my programming. They are bibles; books around which programmers shape their whole philosophies.

However, I also have another set of books. These books sit on my desk, my bed, and my living room couch . They are tattered, bent out of shape, and thoroughly coffee-stained. And that is the greatest honor that I can bestow upon them because they are meant for practical use; they are references for problems that I encounter every single day.

This book is meant as such a text. It was crafted with the intention of helping you solve the everyday problems that you encounter as a programmer. The greatest honor you can do this book is to use it ”find a way to make it useful to you, even if it means using the pages to wipe up the occasional coffee spill.