# UNIX Network Programming by Stevens

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/unix-network-programming/

2 people recommended UNIX Network Programming by Stevens in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 12 months, in 2 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

1 of the 2 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “We "solved" C10K years ago yet we keep reinventing it”.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a famous, iconic reference that helped readers understand the many sockets APIs. Critics raised no complaints.

Summary written by Claude from 2 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Helps understand the sockets APIs (1 comment in the sample): "I read UNIX Network Programming to help understand all the different sockets APIs and that's paid dividends too" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48279281))
- Famous, iconic reference for Unix networking (1 comment in the sample): "The internationally famous Unix Network Programming book. An icon, a shibboleth, a cynosure" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46413595))

## Other programming books people recommend

- [Crafting Interpreters by Robert Nystrom](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crafting-interpreters/): 55 recommend, 0 mixed, 4 criticize
- [The Pragmatic Programmer by Hunt and Thomas](https://hackerapproved.com/p/pragmatic-programmer/): 25 recommend, 3 mixed, 1 criticize
- [How to Design Programs by Felleisen, Findler, Flatt and Krishnamurthi](https://hackerapproved.com/p/how-to-design-programs/): 15 recommend, 1 mixed, 2 criticize
- [Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers](https://hackerapproved.com/p/working-effectively-with-legacy-code/): 14 recommend, 1 mixed, 1 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "UNIX Network Programming by Stevens", https://hackerapproved.com/p/unix-network-programming/ (2 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.