I wrote a book for Manning... and it is not about Java - JVM Weekly vol. 156
Finally, I can spill the beans!
I wrote a book. And no, it’s not about Java - can you believe?
Since I’m hijacking an entire newsletter edition for this announcement, you deserve an explanation. But first, the Call-to-Action: If you want to check at the source/buy the book, check the link below 😁
👉 Vibe Engineering: Best Practices, Mistakes and Tradeoffs - Manning MEAP
And now, the story.
What’s this book about?
It’s our guide to the new, messy reality of AI-assisted programming. No “10 prompts that will change your life” nonsense here. Instead, we shatter the illusion of simplicity and focus on the hard choices you’ll inevitably face.
What you get:
A toolkit for critical thinking about AI tools
A map of common traps with recommendations on how to dodge them
Techniques for uncovering hidden costs and risks in AI-generated code
A framework for building processes that protect your team from the illusion of progress
Rather than chasing prompts for one specific model (while we have our favourites), we teach provider-agnostic methodology built on human-readable, executable specifications. Use any LLM as a tool to fulfill a verifiable contract - and your skills stay relevant no matter which model is trending this week.
A note for JVM developers: While the book isn’t Java-specific, you’ll find several chapters with hands-on examples from the JVM ecosystem - because that’s where we spend most of our coding time.
Why the book?
Tomasz Lelek and I know each other for very long time. We see each other as often as two adult men reasonably can (along with a wider crew, we run a Reading Club - monthly beer + book discussions). Tomek also wrote one of Manning’s big bestsellers, Software Mistakes and Tradeoffs. So when he was looking for a co-author for a new book and offered me the spot... well, I’m not exactly the assertive type, so here we are 😅
Why is a Java guy writing about Vibe Engineering?
I’ve never hidden that I work at VirtusLab as a Software Consultant. And in today’s world, believe me, every software consultancy is trying to figure out how to leverage AI. That’s exactly what I do as Head of my department - working on people productivity.
For the past year, my team and I have been testing, tweaking, and battle-testing everything we could find. Every technique in this book is grounded in what we’ve actually validated in the field.
Just take a look on my notes in the form of Mind Map I accumulated over the year 🫠. Sharing them publicly the first time ever. It’s the smallest I can make them, and still just part of the bigger picture (you can download PDF below thou’)
Why not self-publish?
Self-publishing is trendy, but honestly - working with a proper publisher like Manning is fantastic. We have a dedicated editor (Doug ❤️), editorial support, and 17 reviewers went through the manuscript before Early Access even launched.
We live in a world where anyone can publish... and that’s great—my newsletter exists because of it. But AI is a topic where literally everyone is writing, often shallow. Having that extra filter of reviewers and editors gives me confidence that what’s in there actually makes sense.
And I think we did solid work - even the first draft already passed Manning’s high review threshold with genuinely good scores - and we polished it since then!
What’s MEAP and what am I actually buying?
Manning Early Access Program means you read the book as it’s being written. You get access to new chapters as they’re ready - monthly drops until the full release in May. Plus the final version when it ships.
Was AI used to write book about AI?
I’m not a native speaker, so I use AI for editing, corrections, and flow improvements—it’s genuinely perfect for that. All the actual content is human.
My lifestyle (and anyone who’s worked with me can confirm) is waking up at 6 AM and speed-running through RSS feeds, Hacker News, Reddit, and newsletters—been doing it for years. Then I go deep on selected topics. That’s how JVM Weekly was born, how Vived came to be, and how Vibe Engineering was created.
If you’ve got training budgets left before year-end - consider this your sign 😊
👉 Vibe Engineering: Best Practices, Mistakes and Tradeoffs - Manning MEAP
See you in the next (regular) edition!
