This study covers several recurring problematic software-related patterns, the forces that inspire their repeated adoption, and proven-in-practice remedial actions, called refactored solutions.

The authors are William Brown, Raphael Malveau, Skip McCormick, and Tom Mowbray; with Scott Thomas joining in on second and third books.

Sometimes referred to as an "Upstart Gang-Of-Four" the authors were frequently (and often unfavorably) compared to the original Design Patterns by Gang of Four.

This began with a favorable review and 1998 runner-up Jolt Productivity Award given by Software Development magazine.

[2][3] The controversy around this book, and the concept of an anti-pattern has been said to stem from a somewhat common misunderstanding that the authors were somehow opposed to design patterns.