Looking for something late 20th Century or later:
How do the above compare? Others you'd suggest?
This is for a layman trying to understand what's actually allowed/prohibited on Shabbos, based on just that text.
A pretty standard text is Orchot Shabbat which calls itself a Kitzur Hilchot Shabbat even if it is a 4-volume text. It is organized by melacha, and if reading only the top half of each page (i.e., without the copious footnotes) reads relatively easily.
For "advanced cases", Piskei Tshuvot has 2 volumes (3 and 4) covering Hilchot Shabbat, and bringing lots of interesting modern-day issues.
R Yosef Tzvi Rimon also has a very nice 4-volume set called Shabbat (not sure if it is complete yet, I only own the first two) in his series Halacha mi-mekora where he takes each Halacha from its source to modern-day poskim, also organized by melacha. First two volumes have been translated into English.
All of these are somewhat more verbose than Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa, but also much more up-to-date in terms of modern devices.
R. Eliezer Melamed’s Peninei Halachah: Shabbat is, I believe, the text used today in the majority of Dati Leumi homes.
It’s available in two volumes, and also online.
It’s pretty comprehensive and presents R. Melamed’s own rulings, along with some discussion of sources and principles.
The tremendously clear Sefer Zachor VeShamor by the late Rabbi Eliyahu Falk, which is hugely popular in the English-speaking world, is in the process of being translated in Hebrew. I believe the first volume will be ready quite soon. As even in English the 4th (of 7?) volumes has only just been published, it will be several years till the whole set will be out in Hebrew.
Another excellent contender for a clear, all-inclusive Sefer on Hilchos Shabbos is Kovetz Halachos, which are the rulings of R' Shmuel Kamenetzky, written by his student R' Doniel Asher Kleinman, Rabbi of Kahal Nachal Dovid in Brooklyn.
It is formatted by dividing topics into chapters, with each ruling on top, with extensive footnotes providing an extremely clear, broad background on context to each ruling (the sources from Gemara down to practical halachah for most rulings, including providing exact rationale to be lenient or stringent, and analysis of conflicting opinions).
While the actual rulings are ideal for beginners, the footnotes are an attraction even for those with a strong background and proficiency in halacha. I find they provide a sophisticated perspective and clarity on complicated halachos.
For Talmidei ha-Rambam there is:
ספר ילקוט משה הלכות שבת להרמב"ם by R. Itamar Kohen
and
הלכות שבת ויום טוב על פי משנתו ההלכתית של הרב יוסף קאפח by R. Dr. Hananel b. Moshe Sari ha-Lewi
