Brian Kernighan quotes

Brian Kernighan is a Canadian computer scientist best known for his contributions to programming languages and software engineering. His work on developing Unix and co-authoring the book "The C Programming Language" has had a lasting impact on the field. He continues to inspire and educate generations of programmers worldwide. Here are 8 of his quotes:

Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.

Brian Kernighan

Do what you think is interesting, do something that you think is fun and worthwhile, because otherwise you won't do it well anyway.

Brian Kernighan

The most effective debugging tool is still careful thought, coupled with judiciously placed print statements.

Brian Kernighan

Each new user of a new system uncovers a new class of bugs.

Brian Kernighan

Everyone knows that debugging is twice as hard as writing a program in the first place. So if you're as clever as you can be when you write it, how will you ever debug it?

Brian Kernighan

Advice to students: Leap in and try things. If you succeed, you can have enormous influence. If you fail, you have still learned something, and your next attempt is sure to be better for it. Advice to graduates: Do something you really enjoy doing. If it isn't fun to get up in the morning and do your job or your school program, you're in the wrong field.

Brian Kernighan

C is a razor-sharp tool, with which one can create an elegant and efficient program or a bloody mess.

Brian Kernighan