Design for Hackers
by David Kadavy · first published 2011
65% recommend32% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
A design primer for programmers that frames design as learnable rules. It covers color, type, UI patterns and design history, so developers with no design background build taste and see why designers choose what they do.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2007–2023The Non-Designer's Design Book
Robin Williams
Recommended by 75 · mentioned by 8375 recommend · 83 mention75 recommend · 8375 recommend
2012–2016The elements of color
Johannes Itten
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 43 recommend · 4 mention3 recommend · 43 recommend
2011–2019Designed for use
Lukas Mathis
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 66 recommend · 6 mention6 recommend · 66 recommend
2011–2021Visual grammar
Christian Leborg
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 66 recommend · 6 mention6 recommend · 66 recommend
2010–2021Typographie
Emil Ruder
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 64 recommend · 6 mention4 recommend · 64 recommend
2013–2019Notes on graphic design and visual communication
Gregg Berryman
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
Design for Developers
Stephanie Stimac
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 42 recommend · 4 mention2 recommend · 42 recommend
2011–2019Thoughtful Interaction Design
Jonas Löwgren, Erik Stolterman
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 32 recommend · 3 mention2 recommend · 32 recommend
…Donald Norman [1]. It gives you a good sense of design's place in the greater world. The best design principles are as at home in a product development firm as they are in the software world. - I own "Design for Hackers" by David Kadavy and I think it's pretty good. The content may or may not be "obvious" depending on your skill level, but he phrases things in a way that is understandable and reassuring to the engineering…
on “Ask HN: Independently learning design?” ↗…Art (Developer Best Practices)" by Steve McConnell Publisher: Microsoft Press "Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code" by Martin Fowler Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional "Design for Hackers: Reverse Engineering Beauty" by David Kadavy Publisher: Wiley
on “Top Books on Amazon Based on Links in Hacker News Comments” ↗…http://www.woothemes.com/woomember/go?r=48107&i=l16 ThemeForest is cheap and cheerful - http://themeforest.net/ And of course, now there's Twitter Bootstrap - http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap/ Check out David Kadavy's Design for Hackers book too, for more general design learning.
on “Ask HN: Design tools and software. What can I buy?” ↗This forthcoming book ("Design for Hackers") might be helpful: http://www.kadavy.net/blog/posts/d4h-the-book/
on “I'm a designer who learned Django and launched her first webapp in 6 weeks” ↗I'm in the same place you are, and this book is helping me out: Design for Hackers: Reverse Engineering Beauty[1]. I'm mostly interesting in typography and color and this is a great read that covers all that and more. [1] http://www.amazon.com/Design-Hackers-Reverse-Engineering-Bea...
on “Ask HN: A book/guide for hackers about desigining” ↗Then let me recommend you Design for Hackers† by David Kadavy. If you care to take the step it'll be an enlightening journey after which many things cannot be unseen. † ISBN 978-1119998952
on “Show HN: Wey – A fast, open-source Slack desktop app” ↗…syntax already. Then study the selector operators. All of them, there aren't that many. Then read books on design. Info about CSS the language is readily available online. Info about design, not as much. Design for Hackers [2] is targeted at programmers and explains not just the what but also the why certain designs work. The way our brains interpret color and how that causes certain colors to work well together. How people…
on “Ask HN: Is it just me, or is CSS too damn hard?” ↗Get David Kadavy's Design for hackers book. Also see Paul's blog - http://paulstamatiou.com/startup-web-design-ux-crash-course It will take time to get good. Meanwhile, copy what you like.
on “Ask HN: I'm not good at graphics, where should I search for some help?” ↗Design for Hackers by David Kadavy. Besides being informative it was really really interesting to read. Really opened my eyes to a lot of the things designers do deliberately and not just because "its pretty".
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗Check out David Kadavy's "Design for Hackers", this is probably what you're looking for. http://tinyurl.com/8886wpy (affiliate link)
on “How to teach yourself to code in one month” ↗You might also check out "Design for Hackers"[1] by David Kadavy. [1] - http://www.amazon.com/dp/1119998956
on “Ask HN: How does an engineer learn design?” ↗Design for Hackers by David Kadavy is really good - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119998956/ref=as_li_qf_sp_...
on “Ask HN: Design for a non-designer” ↗I really like the book Design for Hackers http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005J578EW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?... by David Kadavy. I read it, and I've told about six of my friends to buy it. They all have, and we've all gone from really no design sense…
on “Interesting Windows Desktop UI Concept” ↗I've gone through Design for Hackers by David Kadavy a few times already, and Part V is fantastic to gather some context and understanding of fonts and typography. PS: the whole book is IMHO a great read for people who want to know more…
on “The Science of Serif vs Sans Serif Type” ↗May I recommend David Kadavy's Design for Hackers, which covers #1, #2, #3, #6, and more.
on “Ask HN: What do you wish you knew about UI/UX design?” ↗