Martin OderskyLex SpoonBill Venners - Programming in Scala

Programming in Scala is probably one of the best programming books I've ever read. I like the writing style, the brevity, and the thorough explanations. The book seems to answer every question as it enters my mindit's always one step ahead of me. The authors don't just give you some code and take things for granted. They give you the meat so you really understand what's going on. I really like that.

- Ken Egervari, Chief Software Architect

Programming in Scala is clearly written, thorough, and easy to follow. It has great examples and useful tips throughout. It has enabled our organization to ramp up on the Scala language quickly and efficiently. This book is great for any programmer who is trying to wrap their head around the flexibility and elegance of the Scala language.

- Larry Morroni, Owner, Morroni Technologies, Inc.

The Programming in Scala book serves as an excellent tutorial to the Scala language. Working through the book, it flows well with each chapter building on concepts and examples described in earlier ones. The book takes care to explain the language constructs in depth, often providing examples of how the language differs from Java. As well as the main language, there is also some coverage of libraries such as containers and actors.

I have found the book really easy to work through, and it is probably one of the better written technical books I have read recently. I really would recommend this book to any programmer wanting to find out more about the Scala language.

- Matthew Todd

I am amazed by the effort undertaken by the authors of Programming in Scala. This book is an invaluable guide to what I like to call Scala the Platform: a vehicle to better coding, a constant inspiration for scalable software design and implementation. If only I had Scala in its present mature state and this book on my desk back in 2003, when co-designing and implementing parts of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Portal infrastructure!

To all readers: No matter what your programming background is, I feel you will find programming in Scala liberating and this book will be a loyal friend in the journey.

- Christos KK Loverdos, Software Consultant, Researcher

Programming in Scala is a superb in-depth introduction to Scala, and it's also an excellent reference. I'd say that it occupies a prominent place on my bookshelf, except that I'm still carrying it around with me nearly everywhere I go.

- Brian Clapper, President, ArdenTex, Inc.

Great book, well written with thoughtful examples. I would recommend it to both seasoned programmers and newbies.

- Howard Lovatt

The book Programming in Scala is not only about how, but more importantly, why to develop programs in this new programming language. The book's pragmatic approach in introducing the power of combining object-oriented and functional programming leaves the reader without any doubts as to what Scala really is.

- Dr. Ervin Varga, CEO/founder, EXPRO I.T. Consulting

This is a great introduction to functional programming for OO programmers. Learning about FP was my main goal, but I also got acquainted with some nice Scala surprises like case classes and pattern matching. Scala is an intriguing language and this book covers it well.

There's always a fine line to walk in a language introduction book between giving too much or not enough information. I find Programming in Scala to achieve a perfect balance.

- Jeff Heon, Programmer Analyst

I bought an early electronic version of the Programming in Scala book, by Odersky, Spoon, and Venners, and I was immediately a fan. In addition to the fact that it contains the most comprehensive information about the language, there are a few key features of the electronic format that impressed me. I have never seen links used as well in a PDF, not just for bookmarks, but also providing active links from the table of contents and index. I don't know why more authors don't use this feature, because it's really a joy for the reader. Another feature which I was impressed with was links to the forums ("Discuss") and a way to send comments ("Suggest") to the authors via email. The comments feature by itself isn't all that uncommon, but the simple inclusion of a page number in what is generated to send to the authors is valuable for both the authors and readers. I contributed more comments than I would have if the process would have been more arduous.

Read Programming in Scala for the content, but if you're reading the electronic version, definitely take advantage of the digital features that the authors took the care to build in!

- Dianne Marsh, Founder/Software Consultant, SRT Solutions

Lucidity and technical completeness are hallmarks of any well-written book, and I congratulate Martin Odersky, Lex Spoon, and Bill Venners on a job indeed very well done! The Programming in Scala book starts by setting a strong foundation with the basic concepts and ramps up the user to an intermediate level & beyond. This book is certainly a must buy for anyone aspiring to learn Scala.

- Jagan Nambi, Enterprise Architecture, GMAC Financial Services

Programming in Scala is a pleasure to read. This is one of those well-written technical books that provide deep and comprehensive coverage of the subject in an exceptionally concise and elegant manner.

The book is organized in a very natural and logical way. It is equally well suited for a curious technologist who just wants to stay on top of the current trends and a professional seeking deep understanding of the language core features and its design rationales. I highly recommend it to all interested in functional programming in general. For Scala developers, this book is unconditionally a must-read.

- Igor Khlystov, Software Architect/Lead Programmer, Greystone Inc.

The book Programming in Scala outright oozes the huge amount of hard work that has gone into it. I've never read a tutorial-style book before that accomplishes to be introductory yet comprehensive: in their (misguided) attempt to be approachable and not "confuse" the reader, most tutorials silently ignore aspects of a subject that are too advanced for the current discussion. This leaves a very bad taste, as one can never be sure as to the understanding one has achieved. There is always some residual "magic" that hasn't been explained and cannot be judged at all by the reader. This book never does that, it never takes anything for granted: every detail is either sufficiently explained or a reference to a later explanation is given. Indeed, the text is extensively cross-referenced and indexed, so that forming a complete picture of a complex topic is relatively easy.

- Gerald Loeffler, Enterprise Java Architect

Programming in Scala by Martin Odersky, Lex Spoon, and Bill Venners: in times where good programming books are rare, this excellent introduction for intermediate programmers really stands out. You'll find everything here you need to learn this promising language.

- Christian Neukirchen

Artima Press
Walnut Creek, California