by Rebecca Skinner

Employ powerful techniques and recognize common pitfalls as you solve fiendish Haskell puzzles with Haskell Brain Teasers by Rebecca Skinner, now available in beta from The Pragmatic Bookshelf.

Haskell Brain Teasers

While the book is in beta, please share your thoughts and suggestions on the book’s page on DevTalk. DevTalk community members can save 35 percent on the ebook with an exclusive DevTalk promo code.

About Haskell Brain Teasers

Challenge and exercise your functional programming knowledge by tackling these 20 fun, funky, and functional puzzles on Haskell programming topics such as lazy evaluation, Haskell syntax, type classes, the type system, and popular libraries. Gain new insight into why Haskell is the way it is. Build mind-bending self-referential and circular data structures, unpick the seams of reality with unsafePerformIO, build enhanced DSLs with QualifiedDo, and roll back time with STM. Review or get introduced to Haskell’s common quirks, such as the unary minus and pattern guards, while mastering newer language features up to GHC 9.12, including linear arrows and Or Patterns.

Get the ebook now, only from pragprog.com.

Haskell Brain Teasers was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Marcus Lagré

You can now listen to The Stress Equation: Reduce Burnout, Increase Happiness and Productivity by Marcus Lagré. Available now as an audiobook from pragprog.com:

The Stress Equation

Listen to an excerpt.

About The Stress Equation

The interviewer asks, “How well do you cope with stress?” Your response should be, “Let’s fix your environment so we don’t have to.”

Work-related stress is one of the leading causes of mental illness among white-collar workers. It hurts companies, projects, and (most importantly) people! Stress is a burden that’s created when teams stop working well. The Stress Equation is a model and a tool to help talk about stress as a systemic issue. By exploring how pressure, complexity, and security interact in software teams, we move focus away from the individual, so that we can talk about stress from a team and organizational perspective. By exploring external factors, we discuss how to solve problems rather than cope with the consequences. Whether you’re an individual feeling stressed or a manager who can help, you’ll learn the causes of, fixes for, and how to talk about stress. We regulate pressure by how we decide how much work we have to do and when it needs to be finished. Complexity is decided by how we handle our product and organization design. Our security is less about our pay and benefits and more about the support and trust we feel.

Stress should not be a given. Instead, it’s a symptom of a diseased organization. With this book, you can begin the healing process.

The Stress Equation: Reduce Burnout, Increase Happiness and Productivity was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Ben Greenberg

Ben Greenberg brings you Vector Search with JavaScript, now out of beta and fully released from The Pragmatic Bookshelf.

Vector Search with JavaScript

Share your thoughts and questions on the book’s page on DevTalk.

About Vector Search with JavaScript

Make search results smarter and more useful for everyday users and deliver more relevant results with vector search. Go beyond keyword matching to build search experiences that understand meaning, context, and similarity. Use AI-powered techniques to create recommendation systems, personalized search, and content discovery tools. Implement vector search from the ground up with step-by-step guidance, real-world examples, and hands-on coding. Generate embeddings, construct vector indexes, and optimize search accuracy with practical methods that integrate seamlessly into JavaScript applications. Whether refining an existing project or developing a new one, unlock the power of AI-driven search to create smarter, more intuitive user experiences.

Stop relying on outdated search methods. Deploy vector search and deliver smarter, more intuitive search experiences that keep users engaged. This comprehensive guide takes a deep dive into the world of vector search, offering a hands-on approach for developers looking to bring AI-powered utility and precision into their projects. This book demystifies the core concepts of vector search, making them accessible and practical — and you don’t need a background in math to learn vector search techniques!

Revolutionize search with AI-powered techniques that go beyond simple keyword matching. Implement vector search to build applications that understand intent, meaning, and similarity. Generate embeddings, construct efficient vector indexes, and power recommendation systems, personalized search, and content discovery tools. Master practical techniques to integrate vector search into JavaScript applications with real-world examples and step-by-step tutorials.

Cut through the complexity and apply AI-driven search strategies to create better user experiences. Use vector search to return more relevant results, surface hidden insights, and handle ambiguous queries with greater precision. Build scalable, high-performance search systems that enhance products across industries, from e-commerce and media to finance and healthcare.

Use coupon code “BGVECTORCOMPLETE” for 40% off the ebook at pragprog.com/titles/bgvector. For the paperback edition, please support your local independent bookstore, or preorder on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Vector Search with JavaScript was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Jay Wengrow

The second volume of the Python edition of Jay Wengrow’s best-selling classic is now out of beta and fully released.

A Common-Sense Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms in Python, Volume 2

Share comments and questions on the book’s page on DevTalk:

A Common-Sense Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms in Python, Volume 2 Book Portal | Devtalk

About A Common-Sense Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms, Python Edition, Volume II

The applications you write get more complex by the day. To keep up, you need to ensure your knowledge and techniques grow, too. A mastery of data structures and algorithms lets you write software more quickly; software that works, performs, and scales. Volume 2 of the series takes your knowledge of data structures and algorithms to the next level. With this practical and easy-to-understand guide, you’ll create software that can tackle today’s challenging problems head on. This Python edition uses Python exclusively for all code examples, exercises, and solutions.

Benchmark your Python code to learn its true speed. Design fast and elegant solutions by connecting different data structures together. Use Monte Carlo algorithms to push the limits of your application’s speed and memory savings in surprising ways. Wrangle big data with B-trees and other specialized algorithms. Design efficient algorithms by cleverly sprinkling in a bit of randomization. Cram tons of data into tiny bit vectors and Bloom filters. And leverage caching to make your software blazingly fast.

Learn these sophisticated techniques and create great software that meets today’s challenges.

Use coupon code JWPYTHON2COMPLETE for 40% the ebook: pragprog.com/titles/jwpython2.

For the paperback edition, please support your local independent bookstore, or preorder on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

A Common-Sense Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms, Python Edition, Volume II was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Sam Cooper

Sam Cooper brings you Kotlin Brain Teasers, now out of beta and fully released.

Kotlin Brain Teasers

Please share questions and comments on the book’s page on DevTalk. DevTalk community members can save 35 percent on the ebook with an exclusive DevTalk promo code.

About Kotlin Brain Teasers

Can you outsmart the Kotlin compiler? Detect, deduce, and diagnose your way to clearer code and expert insights. Escape type-system traps and navigate logic labyrinths. Challenge your skills and quiz your friends with fun Kotlin facts, and power up your code with nuanced mastery of data types, functions, and programming techniques. Stay sharp, know your threats, and reason critically to fix bugs before they happen. Laugh at unexpected outcomes and puzzle over awkward edge cases, then ace your next interview with memorable payoffs that simplify key concepts in Kotlin and computer science.

Put the fun in functions and laugh while you learn with programming puzzles that challenge your intuition and sharpen your skills. Guess each simple program’s output — if you can — then run the code or turn the page to find out what’s not as it seems. Deepen your understanding of key data types and put computer science in context as you make deductions and discoveries that will upgrade your apps. Play around and break things to uncover the deliberate design decisions behind Kotlin’s unexpected quirks and reveal the why, not just the what.

Take on the type system and smuggle null values past the compiler’s defenses. Overload operators and turn math on its head as you crack floating-point conundrums. Think like a computer and predict your program’s path when you test the limits of control-flow keywords. Harness the power of iteration and immutability to tame devious data and curate collections with confidence. Unravel ambiguous lambda functions and streamline inscrutable syntax. Dodge destructuring dilemmas, spot sneaky shadowing, and know the dynamic difference between members and extensions.

Prepare for interviews, tests, competitions, real-world projects, and more with powered-up problem-solving proficiency, improved coding confidence, and lasting Kotlin lessons. Most of all, have fun!

Pick up the ebook at pragprog.com.

Support your local, independent bookstore for the print version.

Kotlin Brain Teasers was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Brian P. Hogan

Automate your style guidelines and lint your prose just like you lint code with Write Better with Vale by Brian P. Hogan, now available in beta from The Pragmatic Bookshelf.

Write Better with Vale

While the book is in beta, please share your thoughts and suggestions on the book’s page on DevTalk. DevTalk community members can save 35 percent on the ebook with an exclusive DevTalk promo code.

About Write Better with Vale

When you work on a content project, keeping things consistent can feel impossible. Typos slip through, people don’t follow style rules, and each contributor brings a slightly different voice. Vale helps you ensure consistency across your content.

You’ll start by catching typos as you learn how Vale works through hands-on examples. Then you’ll bring in community rules based on Google’s and Microsoft’s style guides. You’ll combine overlapping styles, adjust the rules to match your needs, and start shaping the experience you want readers to have. Then you’ll build your own rules from scratch and create a custom vocabulary to teach Vale to enforce your team’s voice and jargon. By the end, you’ll have a fully integrated, reusable style package that works in your editor, GitHub Actions, and your build systems. And while this book uses Markdown in its examples, you’ll be ready to apply everything you learned to reStructuredText, AsciiDoc, and even the comments in your source code.

Vale gives you a fast, reliable, and customizable way to keep your content consistent.

Get the ebook now, only from pragprog.com.

Write Better with Vale was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Rob Moffat

Spot risks before they sink your project, so you can make smarter decisions, align your team, and confidently deliver software that thrives in a post-Agile, AI-driven world with Risk-First Software Development, Second Edition by Rob Moffat, now available in beta from The Pragmatic Bookshelf.

Risk-First Software Development, Second Edition

While the book is in beta, please share your thoughts and suggestions on the book’s page on DevTalk. DevTalk community members can save 35 percent on the ebook with an exclusive DevTalk promo code.

About Risk-First Software Development, Second Edition

Software development is awash with methodologies that focus on optimizing process. But process alone doesn’t guarantee success. Projects still miss deadlines, burn out teams, and fail to deliver value. Why? Because most methodologies ignore the underlying force that shapes every decision in a project: risk.

Risk-first software development takes a different approach. It reframes the entire software development process around identifying and managing risk. Through real-world examples and hands-on techniques, you’ll explore not only how risk underscores every software development activity, but how you can turn that to your advantage. You’ll identify and visualize risks with the help of risk diagrams, master techniques such as de-risking, bets, discounting, and risk classification, and build a deep vocabulary for identifying and discussing risks with developers, users, or executives. This shift in perspective will enable you to make smarter decisions, anticipate problems, and adapt confidently to changes, whether to requirements or to new innovations like AI.

Whether you’re a developer, team lead, or CTO, and irrespective of your tech stack or process preference, this book furnishes you with new tools to guide projects to better outcomes. Don’t let risk control you — make it your competitive edge.

Get the ebook now, only from pragprog.com.

Risk-First Software Development, Second Edition was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Rebecca Le and Zach Daniel

Ash Framework by Rebecca Le and Zach Daniel is now out of beta and fully released. This book, co-authored by Zach Daniel, the creator of the framework, is a must-have on your Elixir bookshelf.

Ash Framework

Join the Elixir Book Club for this book, which starts on September 14, 2025.

If you miss the book club, you can still share your thoughts and suggestions on the book’s page on the Elixir forum or DevTalk. DevTalk community members can save 35 percent on the ebook with an exclusive DevTalk promo code.

Unlock the power of declarative programming to build web applications faster and smarter. With Elixir and the Ash framework, you can streamline your workflow, simplify complex data queries, and focus on crafting exceptional features.

Start with a Phoenix LiveView app and expand it into a fully functional system as you master the key principles of the Ash framework. Build a music database to learn how to:

• Define resources effortlessly.
• Connect resources with adaptable relationships.
• Enrich your models with calculated attributes and aggregates for smarter data usage.

Security and scalability come built in. Implement seamless authentication and authorization policies that integrate across APIs and user interfaces. Generate REST and GraphQL APIs directly from your resources, freeing you to focus on the features that matter.

Dive into real-world scenarios like dynamic search, nested forms, pubsub, and real-time updates — all guided by insider tips and best practices from the creator of Ash.

By the end of this book, you’ll not only have a working application but also the expertise to build scalable, maintainable systems that adapt to your evolving needs.

ebook: pragprog.com/titles/ldash

Print book: https://tinyurl.com/ashframeworkbook

Ash Framework: Create Declarative Elixir Web Apps was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Neil Smyth

Android Studio Narwhal Essentials–Java Edition by Neil Smyth is now available from The Pragmatic Bookshelf.

Android Studio Narwhal Essentials-Java Edition

Share comments and suggestions on the author’s book page.

About Android Studio Narwhal Essentials–Java Edition

Whether you’re just getting started with Android app development or returning to Java after a break, this reference will guide you through Android Studio Narwhal’s most powerful features. Start with the basics like setting up your development environment and navigating the code and layout editors, and then move into building full-featured apps using the latest tools and APIs.

You’ll learn to:

• Use Android Architecture Components, including view models and live data
• Build UIs with the Layout Editor, ConstraintLayout, Snackbars, and more
• Handle touch gestures, system intents, and AI integration
• Connect to local databases with Room and inspect with Database Inspector
• Configure builds with Gradle and publish to Google Play

Updated for the Narwhal feature drop, Neil Smyth combines hands-on guidance with deep insights into the Android platform. It’s a go-to reference whether you’re prototyping your first app or scaling a production build.

Neil Smyth has 25 years of experience in the IT industry, including software development, project management, and marketing. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology and holds several certifications, including A+, Security+, Network+, Project+, Java Associate, and Microsoft Certified Professional. Neil is also a CIW Database Design Specialist.

He is the co-founder and CEO of Payload Media, Inc., a technical content publishing company. Neil is also a prolific author who has written several programming and system administration books under the “Essentials” range. Notable titles include Android Studio Development Essentials, Jetpack Compose Essentials, iOS App Development Essentials, and Ubuntu Essentials.

Now available from pragprog.com/titles/d-nsnarwhal.

This work was written and produced entirely by the author. We are proud to be distributing it.

Android Studio Narwhal Essentials–Java Edition was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Take your A/B testing to the next level

Do you know how to start small, build fast, and foster a culture of data-informed decision-making? Leemay Nassery, engineering leader and author of Practical A/B Testing and Next-Level A/B Testing does. Read our interview with Leemay, join the AMA, and grab your chance to walk away with a free ebook.

Leemay Nassery’s notable track record includes evolving Spotify’s A/B testing strategy for their homepage, launching Comcast’s “For You” page, and establishing data warehousing teams at Etsy. So when we say she knows a thing or two about experimentation and personalization, we aren’t kidding.

Dave Thomas sat down with Leemay to discuss A/B testing, platform capacity, product organization culture, identifying and adding value to your code base, adapting to future changes, and much more. They explored what it means to be truly curious and discussed how to develop the courage to act boldly on the results of your experiments.

Check out the full interview on DevTalk, and post a question in the AMA thread. By participating, you’ll have a chance to win an ebook copy of either Practical A/B Testing or Next-Level A/B Testing.

If asking questions isn’t your thing, you’ll also find a promo code in the DevTalk spotlight that will save you 35 percent on Leemay’s books at pragprog.com.

Leemay Nassery was originally published in The Pragmatic Programmers on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.