There are as many ways to boil an egg as there are people boiling them, probably. Some start in cold, some boil for a few minutes and let sit off the heat, some put them straight in boiling water and then into an ice bath, etc.
They all work, because the first rule of life is “There’s More Than One Way To Do It.” Find the way that you’re comfortable with, and stick to that.
You can greatly lessen the chance of cracking the shell while boiling if you poke a little hole in the big end of the egg, using a pushpin or thumbtack. Don’t worry, no egg will come out - there’s a little air pocket in there, between the shell and that little membrane, and if you poke a little hole in the shell, that air can escape and you’ll likely not have that egg crack.
As others have said, though; even if the egg does crack, it’s fine. Besides, what’s a poached egg if nothing but a naked raw egg boiled in some water, right?
Good luck!