Every Programmer Should Know
A curated collection of essential technical resources and concepts for software developers across all skill levels.
What is Every Programmer Should Know?
Every Programmer Should Know is a curated collection of essential technical resources, concepts, and advice for software developers. It aggregates books, articles, videos, and tutorials across a wide range of topics—from algorithms and data structures to career development and software architecture—to provide a foundational knowledge base for programmers of all levels.
Software developers at any stage of their career, from beginners looking to build a strong foundation to experienced engineers seeking to fill knowledge gaps or explore new areas.
It saves developers time by collecting high-quality, vetted resources in one place, offering an opinionated guide to what matters most in the industry. Unlike generic learning platforms, it provides a broad, holistic view of both technical and professional skills.
Overview
A collection of (mostly) technical things every software developer should know about
Use Cases
Best For
- New developers building a strong computer science foundation
- Experienced engineers exploring new domains like distributed systems or security
- Preparing for technical interviews with curated algorithm and data structure resources
- Career advancement with guides on resumes, negotiations, and remote work
- Understanding core programming concepts like floating-point arithmetic and Unicode
- Finding high-quality books, papers, and tutorials across multiple disciplines
Not Ideal For
- Developers seeking hands-on, interactive tutorials for specific frameworks like React or Python
- Teams needing a structured, sequential curriculum with assessments for employee onboarding
- Individuals who prefer gamified, platform-based learning over static resource aggregation
- Projects requiring the latest academic papers or real-time industry trend updates
Pros & Cons
Pros
Spans from algorithms and data structures to career advice and mental health, providing a holistic foundation for developers of all levels.
Aggregates vetted books, papers, videos, and tutorials from trusted sources like O'Reilly and academic papers, saving research time.
Includes practical guides on resumes, interviews, salary negotiation, and remote work, as seen in the dedicated Career section.
Accepts contributions via GitHub, allowing the collection to evolve and stay relevant with new resources.
Cons
The README admits it 'comes in no particular order,' making it difficult for systematic learning without external guidance.
Explicitly stated as 'highly opinionated' and 'not backed by science,' which may lead to biased or incomplete resource selections.
As a static list reliant on community updates, some links or resources can become outdated without regular monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
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