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Comment by bottled_poe | Hacker News Reader

Also note that a chef does not come up with their recipes in the kitchen, and neither should a good programmer.

This sounds like a statement from the 90's when 'software architects' and UML were still a thing. Thankfully we are over this. "Designing software" away from the code only works in theory. You will only find out whether your design works during coding and testing, or even later when the software is already in the hands of the user. The only way to good software is through constant rewrite. Make a rough plan, but be prepared to throw it away with the first line of code. Making up the recipe while cooking sounds like a perfectly fine strategy to me.

Thank you for saying that. The amoubt of times ive written something down, coded it and realised a better way had me thinking i was missing a lot.

Although dont get me wrong, there is still a truck load i need to learn just to finish my current project! (Although finally i feel like im getting somewhere!)

That's a good sound bite statement but does not really follow from the original post, nor seems to be very accurate. What exactly is the relation between a chef work and a programmer, and what is the equivalent of recipe in programming?

Both professions involve applying techniques, management and processes to ensure that a product is created to a predictable standard. I believe there are numerous significant practical similarities between the two professions. Experienced individuals may be able to take an idea directly to code, but for software projects developed by teams of mere mortals, there are well establishing engineering processes that are shown to give a project the best chance of success.

> what is the equivalent of recipe in programming?

A software design of course.

Probably, chef work is not that similar to programming. Construction would be more prolific analogy. Note using of construction related language in software world, eg "development", "architecture".

That's true when programming for a job or otherwise trying to get serious work done.

But programming can (and also should) be play. For me it's explorative and playful, I'm just trying to make a fun thing happen or see what things I can connect together in what interesting ways. I imagine it's the same for kids taking their first steps by making lights flash with a RPi and Python and then wondering what they can do next (led by imagination).

The latter is very much like being in a kitchen and throwing ingredients together, trying things out to see what tastes good.

I think limiting ones thinking of programming to the former sort devalues it.

I agree. While learning it is (or should be) playing with the code and having the most fun, somwhere along the career path you find yourself being an engineer first and everything else second.

Well, good chefs do, it's called author's cuisine I believe. Someone, somewhere, has to come up with some recipes - and hold on there, I know it sounds like crazy talking, but why wouldn't these people be chefs, who already cook for a living?

My point was that chefs do create recipes, but not while cooking the food.

Haven't you ever done improv-cooking?

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