Beautiful code surveys the range of human invention and ingenuity in one area of endeavor: the development of computer systems. The beauty in each chapter comes from the discovery of unique solutions, a discovery springing from the authors' power to look beyond set boundaries, to recognize needs overlooked by others, and to find surprising solutions to troubling problems.
Many of the authors confronted limitations—in the physical environment, in the resources available, or in the very definition of their requirements—that made it hard even to imagine solutions. Others entered domains where solutions already existed, but brought in a new vision and a conviction that something much better could be achieved.
All the authors in this book have drawn lessons from their projects. But we can also draw some broader lessons after making the long and eventful journey through the whole book.
First, there are times when tried and true rules really do work. So, often one encounters difficulties when trying to maintain standards for robustness, readability, or other tenets of good software engineering. In such situations, it is not always necessary to abandon the principles that hold such promise. Sometimes, getting up and taking a walk around the problem can reveal a new facet that allows one to meet the requirements without sacrificing good technique.
On the other hand, some chapters confirm the old cliché that one must know the rules before one can break them. Some of the authors built up decades of experience before taking a different path toward solving one thorny problem—and this experience gave them the confidence to break the rules in a constructive way.
On the other hand, cross-disciplinary studies are also championed by the lessons in this book. Many authors came into new domains and had to fight their way in relative darkness. In these situations, a particularly pure form of creativity and intelligence triumphed.
Finally, we learn from this book that beautiful solutions don't last for all time. New circumstances always require a new look. So, if you read the book and thought, "I can't use these authors' solutions on any of my own projects," don't worry—next time these authors have projects, they will use different solutions, too.
For about two months I worked intensively on this book by helping authors hone their themes and express their points. This immersion in the work of superbly talented inventors proved to be inspiring and even uplifting. It gave me the impulse to try new things, and I hope this book does the same for its readers.