If you're looking to add a new technical skill to your portfolio, consider learning to code. After all, the role of software engineer is one of the most highly sought after, and best paying, jobs today.
While there are many free, online courses — offered by the likes of Harvard University and Khan Academy (one of Bill Gates' favorite platforms) — learning to code exclusively online can be challenging. In some cases, there are more in-depth concepts that require extensive reading to understand. That's where textbooks and how-to titles on coding can come in handy.
Vivek Ravisankar, CEO and cofounder of HackerRank, a provider of technical tests and remote interviews for hiring software developers, told Business Insider that before receiving his bachelor's degree in computer science, he taught himself the basics of coding, in part, by using YouTube and books.
In addition to founding HackerRank, which raised over $60 million in funding and has become a go-to platform for many companies hiring software engineers, Ravisankar also worked as a programmer for Amazon.
Here are his top picks on which books to read.