The Art Of Unix Programming

1. Rule of Modularity: Write simple parts connected by clean interfaces.

2. Rule of Clarity: Clarity is better than cleverness.

3. Rule of Composition: Design programs to be connected to other programs.

4. Rule of Separation: Separate policy from mechanism; separate interfaces from engines.

5. Rule of Simplicity: Design for simplicity; add complexity only where you must.

6. Rule of Parsimony: Write a big program only when it is clear by demonstration that nothing else will do.

7. Rule of Transparency: Design for visibility to make inspection and debug easier.

8. Rule of Robustness: Robustness is the child of transparency and simplicity.

9. Rule of Representation: Fold konwledge into data so program logic can be stupid and robust.

10.Rule of Least Surprise: In interface design, always do the least surprising thing.

11.Rule of Silence: When a program has nothing surprising to say, it should say nothing.

12.Rule of Repair: When you must fail, fail noisily and as soon as possible.

13.Rule of Economy: Programmer time is expensive; conserve it in preference to machine time.

14.Rule of Generation: Avoid hand-hacking; write programs to write programs when you can.

15.Rule of Optimization: Prototype before polishing. Get it working before you optimize it.

16.Rule of Diversity: Distrust all claims for "one true way".

17.Rule of Extensibility: Design for the future, because it will be here sooner than you think.