16 Best Programming Quotes of All Time

Programming could be a lucrative job that demands hard work, commitment, expertise, and a desire to solve problems.

If you’re a programmer or coder or want to be one then bear in mind that it takes more than just technical knowledge to succeed.

These programming quotes from notable computer scientists to tech innovators.

These quotes provide useful ideas and motivation that may help you overcome even the most difficult programming challenges.

Best Programming Quotes of All Time

“Talk is cheap. Show me the code.” ~ Linus Torvalds.

“It’s harder to read code than to write it.” ~ Joel Spolsky.

“Bad programmers worry about the code. Good programmers worry about data structures and their relationships.” ~ Linus Torvalds.

“Good software, like wine, takes time.” ~ Joel Spolsky.

Top Programming Quotes

“Software is a great combination between artistry and engineering.” ~ Bill Gates.

“This is a software-powered world.” ~ Satya Nadella.

“One of my most productive days was throwing away 1,000 lines of code.” ~ Ken Thompson.

“Nothing works better than just improving your product.” ~ Joel Spolsky.

Famous Programming Quotes

“Something is usable if it behaves exactly as expected.” ~ Joel Spolsky.

“Listen to your customers, not your competitors.” ~ Joel Spolsky.

“Software is eating the world.” ~ Marc Andreessen.

“Writing code is not production, it’s not always craftsmanship though it can be, it’s design.” ~ Joel Spolsky.

“Software is the magic thing whose importance only goes up over time.” ~ Bill Gates.

Inspiring Programming Quotes

“The first 90 percent of the code accounts for the first 90 percent of the development time. The remaining 10 percent of the code accounts for the other 90 percent of the development time.” ~ Tom Cargill.

“Machines take me by surprise with great frequency.” ~ Alan Turing.

“Indeed one of the best ways to deflect attacks is to make it look like they’re succeeding. It’s the software equivalent of playing dead.” ~ Joel Spolsky.