Reading List 2023

Kent Beck's guide tackles the issue of messy code, advocating a strategic approach to "tidying" by breaking it into manageable sections and considering overall system structure. The book covers software design theories and how to make large changes in small, safe steps.

Luca Mezzalira's guide advocates for the use of micro-frontends as a solution to the complexity of modern web applications. Drawing inspiration from the microservices model, the book demonstrates how breaking interfaces into separate features managed by different developer teams enables atomic artifact delivery, technical flexibility, and efficient collaboration for both distributed and co-located teams.

Building Micro Frontends with React 18 by Vinci Rufus explores the challenges of scaling React and single-page applications (SPAs) for larger projects, introducing the concept of micro frontends as a solution. The book delves into two patterns—multi-SPA and micro apps—providing insights into when to apply each, along with guidance on deployment using cloud-native technologies, ultimately equipping readers to design and deploy efficient React-based micro frontend applications.

Sarah Drasner writes a practical guide for individuals transitioning from engineering to management. She shares insights on navigating people processes, emphasizing continuous self-improvement for fostering healthy working relationships and effectively supporting teams in leadership roles.

This guide examines the career decision at the Senior Software Engineer level, exploring the choice between staying, moving into management, or pursuing technical excellence as a Staff Engineer. Authored by Will Larson, the book offers practical insights and advice based on the experiences of professionals who have successfully navigated this critical career juncture.

How do you detangle a monolithic system and migrate it to a microservices architecture? How do you do it while maintaining business-as-usual? As a companion to Building Microservices, this new book details multiple approaches for helping you transition from existing monolthic systems to microservice architectures. This book is ideal if you're looking to evolve your current systems, rather than just rewriting everything from scratch.

AI researchers Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis, prominent figures in the field, critically assess the current state of artificial intelligence, debunking the notion that recent achievements signal imminent superintelligent machines. In "Rebooting AI" they highlight the complexity of bridging the gap to true intelligence, offering insights into the necessary steps to create trustworthy AI for real-world applications, from homes and cars to doctor's offices, providing a clear-eyed assessment and an inspiring vision for the future of AI.