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title: “HowToCook: 297 Recipes for Programmers - The Open Source…” description: “Technical guide and comparison.” date: 2026-05-15T04:20:25+09:00 lastmod: 2026-05-15T04:20:25+09:00 tech_stack: - Docker

Go
JavaScript application_domain: “Ai Tools” source_version: "" licensing_model: “Open Source” license_type: “MIT” file_size: “455.3 MB” file_md5: "" download_url: “https://github.com/Anduin2017/HowToCook" backup_url: "” last_maintained: “2026-05-15” draft: false aliases:
/posts/howtocook-programmer-open-source-cookbook/ faqs: - q: ‘What is HowToCook?’ a: ‘HowToCook (程序员做饭指南) is an open-source cookbook project created by programmer Anduin2017. It contains 297 recipes written with the precision and clarity that developers expect from documentation.’
q: ‘How does HowToCook differ from traditional recipes?’ a: ‘Instead of vague instructions like “a little salt” or “cook until golden,” every recipe uses exact measurements (e.g., “3g salt”), precise timings (e.g., “fry for 90 seconds per side”), a complete upfront ingredient list, a required equipment list, and a 1-5 star difficulty rating.’
q: ‘How are HowToCook recipes rated by difficulty?’ a: ‘Recipes use a 1-5 star system: 1-star covers simple dishes like tomato scrambled eggs and instant noodles, while 5-star covers advanced dishes like shark fin soup and abalone porridge. The collection has 45 one-star, 78 two-star, 89 three-star, 56 four-star, and 29 five-star recipes.’
q: ‘How do you run HowToCook locally with Docker?’ a: ‘Pull and run the image with: docker pull ghcr.io/anduin2017/how-to-cook:latest then docker run -d -p 5000:5000 ghcr.io/anduin2017/how-to-cook:latest, and access it at http://localhost:5000.’
q: ‘How can you contribute a recipe to HowToCook?’ a: ‘Fork the repository, copy the template recipe, write your recipe following the project’’s structured format, and submit a Pull Request. The project has 200+ contributors and supports Chinese, English, and Japanese.’

{</* resource-info */>}

What is HowToCook?

HowToCook (程序员做饭指南) is an open-source cookbook project created by programmer Anduin2017. It contains 297 recipes written with the precision and clarity that developers expect from documentation.

The project’s philosophy is simple: cooking recipes should be as clear as code. No ambiguous instructions like “a little salt” or “cook until done.” Every recipe uses precise measurements, exact timings, and step-by-step procedures.

GitHub: https://github.com/Anduin2017/HowToCook
Stars: 70K+
Contributors: 200+
License: Unlicense

Why Programmers Need This

The Problem with Traditional Recipes

Features Designed for Developers

Structured format: Like functions with parameters
Difficulty levels: 1-5 stars (from instant noodles to Peking Duck)
Equipment requirements: Listed before ingredients
Exact measurements: Grams, milliliters, not “a pinch”
Time tracking: Prep time, cook time, total time
Error handling: Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Recipe Categories

By Difficulty

| | ⭐ | 45 | Tomato scrambled eggs, instant noodles upgrade | | ⭐⭐ | 78 | Kung Pao chicken, braised pork | | ⭐⭐⭐ | 89 | Sweet and sour pork ribs, mapo tofu | | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 56 | Peking duck, hot pot base | | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 29 | Shark fin soup, abalone porridge |

By Type

Vegetables: 85 recipes (stir-fried, braised, steamed)
Meat: 92 recipes (pork, beef, chicken, lamb)
Seafood: 34 recipes (fish, shrimp, crab)
Soups: 46 recipes (quick soups, slow-cooked broths)
Breakfast: 23 recipes (congee, pancakes, sandwiches)
Desserts: 17 recipes (cakes, puddings, sweet soups)

Sample Recipe: Tomato Scrambled Eggs

# Tomato Scrambled Eggs (西红柿炒鸡蛋) ⭐

## Ingredients
- 2 eggs (100g)
- 2 tomatoes (300g)
- 3g salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- 5g sugar (1 teaspoon)
- 10ml cooking oil
- 2g green onion (optional)

## Equipment
- Frying pan
- Spatula
- Bowl

## Time
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Cook: 5 minutes
- Total: 10 minutes

## Steps
1. Crack eggs into bowl, add 1g salt, beat until uniform
2. Wash tomatoes, cut into 2cm chunks
3. Heat pan to medium-high (180°C)
4. Add oil, wait 10 seconds
5. Pour eggs, stir constantly for 30 seconds
6. Remove eggs when 80% solid (slightly runny)
7. Add tomatoes to same pan, cook 2 minutes
8. Add remaining salt and sugar
9. Return eggs to pan, mix 20 seconds
10. Serve immediately

## Tips
- Don't overcook eggs - they continue cooking after removal
- If tomatoes are too acidic, add 1g more sugar
- For softer texture, add 10ml milk to eggs

Community & Contributions

How to Contribute

Fork the repository
Copy the template recipe
Write your recipe following the format
Submit a Pull Request

Contribution Stats

200+ contributors worldwide
297 recipes and growing
Multiple languages: Chinese, English, Japanese
Docker support: Run locally with one command

Web Deployment

# Deploy locally
docker pull ghcr.io/anduin2017/how-to-cook:latest
docker run -d -p 5000:5000 ghcr.io/anduin2017/how-to-cook:latest

# Access at http://localhost:5000

NPM Package

Install as a Node.js package: `````bash npm install how-to-cook


Use programmatically: `````javascript
const recipes = require('how-to-cook');

// Search recipes
const tomatoRecipes = recipes.search('tomato');

// Get by difficulty
const easyRecipes = recipes.filterByStars(1);

// Get random recipe
const dinner = recipes.random();
````

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## Learning Path

### Beginner (Week 1-2)
- Kitchen preparation
- Basic knife skills
- 1-star recipes
- Rice cooking

### Intermediate (Week 3-4)
- 2-3 star recipes
- Meat preparation
- Stir-fry techniques
- Soup basics

### Advanced (Week 5+)
- 4-5 star recipes
- Multi-dish coordination
- Flavor balancing
- Presentation

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## Why This Matters for SEO

**HowToCook** is a perfect example of: 1. **Community-driven content**: 200+ contributors create authentic content
2. **Structured data**: Recipes follow schema.org format
3. **Long-tail keywords**: "程序员做饭指南", "how to cook for developers"
4. **Evergreen content**: Cooking never goes out of style
5. **Multi-language**: Chinese, English, Japanese versions

* * *

## Related Articles

- [Free Claude Code: Open Source AI Coding Agent](/resources/ai-tools/free-claude-code-open-source-proxy/) - Another developer-focused open source tool
- [Pixelle-Video: AI Short Video Generator](/resources/ai-tools/pixelle-video-ai-short-video-generator/) - AI tools for content creation
- [OpenClaw 42 Use Cases](/resources/llm-frameworks/awesome-openclaw-usecases-ai-agent-daily-life/) - AI agents for daily tasks

* * *

*Disclaimer: This article introduces an open-source project. All recipe content belongs to the HowToCook community. Please follow food safety guidelines when cooking.*

* * *

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## Why This Matters

Understanding howtocook: 297 recipes for programmers - the open source cookbook is crucial for modern AI development. Here's why: ### Key Benefits
- **Efficiency**: Save time on repetitive tasks
- **Quality**: Improve output consistency  
- **Scalability**: Handle larger workloads
- **Cost**: Reduce operational expenses

### Real-World Applications
Organizations are using similar approaches to: 1. Automate code review processes
2. Generate documentation automatically
3. Build internal knowledge bases
4. Streamline deployment pipelines

### Getting Started
To implement this in your workflow: 1. **Assess Your Needs**
   - Identify repetitive tasks
   - Measure current time costs
   - Define success metrics

2. **Choose Your Approach**
   - Start with simple automations
   - Gradually increase complexity
   - Test and iterate

3. **Measure Results**
   - Track time savings
   - Monitor quality improvements
   - Calculate ROI

## Conclusion

HowToCook: 297 Recipes for Programmers - The Open Source Cookbook represents an important step forward in AI-powered development. As the ecosystem matures, we expect to see even more powerful capabilities emerge.

For the latest updates and community discussions, join our Telegram channel: https://t.me/DIBI8_Group

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*Last updated: 2026-09-20*
*Read time: ~5 minutes*

What is HowToCook?#

Why Programmers Need This#

The Problem with Traditional Recipes#

Features Designed for Developers#

Recipe Categories#

By Difficulty#

By Type#

Sample Recipe: Tomato Scrambled Eggs#

Community & Contributions#

How to Contribute#

Contribution Stats#

Web Deployment#

NPM Package#