Kent Beck brings over forty years of pioneering experience in software engineering methodologies, having created Extreme Programming (XP) and co-created Test-Driven Development (TDD)—practices that fundamentally transformed how organizations develop software. Currently authoring the best-selling newsletter tidyfirst.substack.com, he shares insights on software design, refactoring, and development practices with a global audience of engineering leaders and practitioners. As a co-author of the Agile Manifesto and creator of the xUnit testing framework, Kent has established foundational principles for iterative development and automated testing that remain industry standards, while his influential books, including Extreme Programming Explained, continue to shape modern software practices. Throughout his career at leading technology companies including Apple and Facebook, Kent has remained committed to improving developer productivity and software quality through pragmatic engineering practices and empirical approaches to design.
Newest · 2025
A Nose for Elevating New Technology Leaders
This paper addresses one of the most critical challenges facing technology organizations today: identifying and developing the next generation of leaders who can navigate an increasingly AI-driven landscape.
Free · Creative Commons
Track record
Publications, talks, and the roles they came out of — one thread, newest first.
TalkFeatures Versus Futures
Guidance paperA Nose for Elevating New Technology Leaders
TalkKudzu to Garden: Sustainable Augmented Development
RoleChief Scientist
RolePrincipal
RoleFellow
RolePrincipal / Author
RoleTechnical Coach
RoleProgrammer / Proprietor
Kent's papers are free. The books behind them aren't.
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