A Friendly Guide to Software Development: What You Should Know Without Being a Developer

by Leticia Portella

Software is everywhere, but despite being so common and useful, it remains magical and mysterious to many. Still, more and more people are finding themselves working for tech companies, or with an array of software products, services, and tools. This can segregate those who understand tech from those that don’t. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

This book aims to bring these two worlds closer together, allowing people to learn basic concepts of software development in a casual and straight-forward way. Assuming no previous technical knowledge, you’ll embark on a journey where you can understand and build a new software project from scratch until it is an advanced product with multiple users.

Imagine moving from a “traditional” company and suddenly finding yourself in one where software is the main product or is a foundational component to it. One is often left to wade through the infinite concepts while still doing their actual jobs. This book closes that gap, improving communication between technical and non-technical parties.

A Friendly Guide to Software Development makes technical concepts broadly available and easy to understand. In doing so, you'll be able to achieve better communication, which will undoubtedly lead to better working relationships, a better working environment, and ultimately better software.

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2022

Reviews

[Xuan Quynh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive guide to software development. Author uses intuitive words to describe things. It's really good for someone who is new to the industry, even if for someone who works for years in software area.

[Arsen Kowalski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been fascinated by how software goes from just an idea to something we can actually use every day—whether it's a productivity tool, a game, or even just an app to order food. What most people don’t see is the teamwork and planning behind the scenes. It's not just about writing code; it’s about understanding problems, building solutions that work, and making sure they scale over time. That’s where strong development partnerships really shine. For me, working with a dedicated and skilled team has made all the difference. If you're looking to bring your own idea to life or need to extend your in-house team with developers who truly get it, you might want to explore what https://ncube.com/ offers. Their model gives you access to experienced developers who become part of your team, helping you focus on product vision while they handle the heavy lifting behind the code.

[Felix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and comprehensive guide on software development. Author did an incredible job on highlighting major aspects of a software development project. Examples are clear. Additional information provided in footnotes and links to deeper research into each particular topic are very valuable.
The best book I’ve came across to get introduced into software development!