
ASKING DEVELOPERS
Can you recommend INSPIRING books for software engineers?
Goncalo Marques
"One of my favorite books is "The Phoenix Project". It is not a technical book (so not really a programming book), but it's rather about IT culture and DevOps. I liked it a lot because you can read it as you read any other kind of novel, and it shows you how IT can be compared to traditional processes in manufacturing. It also introduces you to "The Three Ways" of DevOps. On top, I would also include "Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations". For more recommendations, you can check out this reading list: https://octopus.com/blog/devops-reading-list.
"Clean Code. It's a bit older but a classic that shows how you easily write, read, understand, and change code. A lot of times people like to write complex code that only one person understands. Then other members of the team have to spend hours to understand it. In my opinion, it's a mandatory book for any FE or BE developer."
Laureano Ortega
Tiago Santos
"I find "The Programmer's Brain" very interesting. It's basically about how our brain works and how we think about code."
"If you're a fan of "The Phoenix Project", you should also read "The Unicorn Project" and of course "The DevOps Handbook". I can also recommend "The C++ Programming Language" book.
Flavio Moringa
Mike Frey
"It's not a programming book, but the concepts apply to broad system architecture: The 5th Discipline. A good one is also Gayle Laakmann McDowell's "Cracking the Coding Interview", for process it's "Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams" by Tom DeMarco, and if you want to learn about the Liveness in Jira, it's "Java Concurrency in Practice". My favorite chapter about programming is in the "Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship" book. And let's not forget the classics "Thinking in Java" and "Effective C++: 55 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Designs".
Picture from Unsplash by Fang-Wei Lin
Related articles

Catarina Marques, Mariana Pereira
What OFFF Barcelona Taught Us About Design, Emotion, and Creative Risk
Every year, OFFF Barcelona gathers some of the boldest, brightest, and most unapologetically creative minds in the design world. It’s a space where visual artists, designers, and storytellers connect; not just through stunning work, but through the philosophies and emotions behind it.
May 30, 2025

Bernardo Oliveira
How can modern tooling save Mercedes-Benz.io engineering time?
In today's fast-evolving JavaScript ecosystem, modern tooling plays a pivotal role, influencing not just how we code but how much time and money we spend doing it.
May 16, 2025

Porfírio Ribeiro, Thiago Martins
What Vue.js Amsterdam Taught Us About Tech, Community, and Growth
Every year, Vue.js Amsterdam gathers developers from around the world for two days of talks, learning, connection, and lots of fresh energy. It’s a chance to zoom out from day-to-day tasks and dive into what’s shaping one of the most loved JavaScript frameworks — and this year, a few of our MB.ioneers were there to experience it firsthand.
May 9, 2025