Additional Resources

cc2e.com/0875

Take a look at the following defensive-programming resources:

Security

Howard, Michael, and David LeBlanc. Writing Secure Code, 2d ed. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press, 2003. Howard and LeBlanc cover the security implications of trusting input. The book is eye-opening in that it illustrates just how many ways a program can be breached some of which have to do with construction practices and many of which don't. The book spans a full range of requirements, design, code, and test issues.

Assertions

Maguire, Steve. Writing Solid Code. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press, 1993. Chapter 2 contains an excellent discussion on the use of assertions, including several interesting examples of assertions in well-known Microsoft products.

Stroustrup, Bjarne. The C++ Programming Language, 3d ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1997. Section 24.3.7.2 describes several variations on the theme of implementing assertions in C++, including the relationship between assertions and preconditions and postconditions.

Meyer, Bertrand. Object-Oriented Software Construction, 2d ed. New York, NY: Prentice Hall PTR, 1997. This book contains the definitive discussion of preconditions and postconditions.

Exceptions

Meyer, Bertrand. Object-Oriented Software Construction, 2d ed. New York, NY: Prentice Hall PTR, 1997. Chapter 12 contains a detailed discussion of exception handling.

Stroustrup, Bjarne. The C++ Programming Language, 3d ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1997. Chapter 14 contains a detailed discussion of exception handling in C++. Section 14.11 contains an excellent summary of 21 tips for handling C++ exceptions.

Meyers, Scott. More Effective C++: 35 New Ways to Improve Your Programs and Designs. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1996. Items 9 15 describe numerous nuances of exception handling in C++.

Arnold, Ken, James Gosling, and David Holmes. The Java Programming Language, 3d ed. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley, 2000. Chapter 8 contains a discussion of exception handling in Java.

Bloch, Joshua. Effective Java Programming Language Guide. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley, 2001. Items 39 47 describe nuances of exception handling in Java.

Foxall, James. Practical Standards for Microsoft Visual Basic .NET. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press, 2003. Chapter 10 describes exception handling in Visual Basic.