Robert C. Martin, more often known as Uncle Bob, has been programming since 1970 and has served as a mentor to generations of software engineers. He’s one of the original authors of the Agile Manifesto and played a foundational role in forming the Agile Alliance, where he served as its first chairman. But beyond titles and organizations, Bob’s lasting impact comes through his writing, his lectures, and his philosophy of software craftsmanship. He has spoken at conferences around the world — QCon, Agile 20XX, IT Days, and countless other industry gatherings — always advocating for clarity, discipline, and ethical responsibility in code. And if you’ve ever read Clean Code, The Clean Coder, or Clean Architecture, you know that he doesn’t just teach how to build systems — he challenges us to become better professionals in the process. His most recent work, Functional Design, continues this legacy, distilling decades of experience into patterns and principles that are just as relevant today as they were when he first put finger to keyboard.
Topics of Discussion:
[2:22] Uncle Bob’s advice for young programmers entering the field: Be cautious with AI tools, learn fundamental programming skills, and understand that AI won’t replace programmers.
[4:42] Get to the basics first, and then you can move on: Master core programming skills and fundamentals before relying too heavily on AI or advanced tools.
[8:19] The impact of AI on experienced developers.
[15:44] Highlighting the role of programmers in managing low-level details that managers and customers don’t want to think about.
[18:43] Programmers as language learners.
[27:19] The state of Agile methodologies.
[29:33] The original Agile goal of making small teams work efficiently together, which remains a crucial challenge.
[35:37] Discussing the limitations of university computer science programs and the potential of trade school or apprenticeship models.
[36:07] What’s next for Uncle Bob?
Mentioned in this Episode:
Clear Measure Way
Architect Forum
Software Engineer Forum
Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net.
Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)
Clean Agile: Back to Basics
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
We, Programmers: A Chronicle of Coders from Ada to AI
“Uncle Bob Martin: Clean Code and How to Do Software Well - Episode 283”
Functional Design: Principles, Patterns, and Practices
UncleBob on GitHub
The Clean Code Blog
Agile Principles, Patterns, Practices
Clean Coders
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