Developers and marketers need to understand each other’s work, no matter where they sit in the org.
Below, we recommend books that help both developers learn marketing and marketers learn about software development.
In no particular order, our developer marketing book recommendations are:
- Developer Relations: How to Build and Grow a Successful Developer Program by Caroline Lewko
- Developer Marketing Does Not Exist by Adam DuVander
- Technical Content Strategy Decoded by Adam DuVander
- Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore
- Developer Experience by Addy Osmani
- The Developer’s Guide to Content Creation by Stephanie Morillo
- Developer Marketing and Relations: The Essential Guide by SlashData
- Ask Your Developer: How to Harness the Power of Software Developers and Win in the 21st Century by Jeff Lawson
- The Business Value of Developer Relations: How and Why Technical Communities Are Key To Your Success by Mary Thengvall
- Developer, Advocate!: Conversations on Turning a Passion for Talking About Tech Into a Career by Geertjan Wielenga
- Working in Public: The Making and Maintenance of Open Source Software by Nadia Eghbal
Let’s get into it.
“Developer Relations: How to Build and Grow a Successful Developer Program” by Caroline Lewko
This DevRel book by experts Caroline Lewko and James Parton is a comprehensive guide to creating and managing developer relations programs.
Lewko has spent close to 30 years in tech and marketing across Canada’s top blue chip companies, while Parton has held management roles at British Telecom, O2, Telefonica, and Twilio. Together, they’re co-founders of DevRel.Agency.
Drawing from their multi-sectoral expertise, Developer Relations covers everything from launching and operating such programs to measuring their success and managing stakeholders.
The book is perfect for executives, marketers, and engineers who are either starting a new developer program or looking to enhance an existing one.
Find out more about the book and purchase it on Amazon.
“Developer Marketing Does Not Exist” by Adam DuVander
With its provocative title, DevRel expert Adam DuVander’s book challenges the conventional approaches to marketing towards developers.
His book advocates for a deeper understanding of developers as a unique audience that is skeptical of traditional marketing tactics.
DuVander emphasizes the need for authenticity and value-driven engagement. He suggest strategies like:
- Creating environments conducive to developer success
- Producing helpful content, and
- Forming long-term partnerships rather than relying on quick growth tactics
The book serves as a comprehensive guide for reaching developers in a way that respects their intelligence and contributes genuinely to their needs.
Learn more about the book and buy it on Amazon.
“Technical Content Strategy Decoded” by Adam DuVander
DuVander’s second book offers insights and strategies for effectively engaging technical audiences through content.
Aimed at marketers, product managers, and anyone working with a technical product, it emphasizes the importance of strategic content creation over sheer volume.
The book provides a framework for developing content that turns visitors into engaged prospects and loyal customers without overwhelming them with constant pitches.
Key points covered in the book include:
- Developing fewer, but more impactful, content pieces that attract significant traffic and engagement.
- Avoiding common pitfalls in technical content marketing.
- Leveraging strategic content to build trust before promoting products.
Find out more about the book and buy it here.
“Crossing the Chasm” by Geoffrey A. Moore
Tech industry legend Geoffrey Moore’s foundational book focuses on the challenges tech companies face when marketing disruptive products to mainstream customers.
Crossing the Chasm uses the Technology Adoption Life Cycle model, which identifies five segments: Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards.
Moore’s key insight is the identification of a significant gap or “chasm” between the Early Adopters and the Early Majority.
Companies must successfully navigate this gap if they hope to transition from a niche market to a broader mainstream market.
Moore suggests that to successfully “cross the chasm,” companies must focus intensively on a niche market, create a product that specifically addresses the needs of that market, and then use that market as a springboard to reach wider segments.
The strategies include understanding the whole product concept, positioning the product appropriately, and building a marketing strategy that can appeal to pragmatic customers in the Early Majority.
The book is highly regarded for its practical insights into the realities of marketing cutting-edge technology and is considered essential reading for anyone involved in marketing innovative products.
However, there’s been some debate as to the interpretation of the chasm, and the counter-points are worth reading.
Add this book to your collection today from Amazon.
“Developer Experience” by Addy Osmani
Addy Osmani is currently the Head of Chrome Developer Experience atGoogle, working on reducing the friction to test, debug and optimize web apps.
In his book, Osmani offers practical advice on creating tools that software developers will find easy and effective to use.
The book aims to teach readers how to improve the usability of developer tools, ensuring they are both intuitive and efficient.
Osmani shares techniques used by leading tech companies like Google and Stripe, focusing on:
- Making workflows quicker and more straightforward, so developers can work faster.
- Creating clear and user-friendly APIs and documentation.
- Building supportive communities that help users learn and get more from the tools.
The book underlines how a positive developer experience can impact happiness, retention, innovation velocity, and overall business performance.
Download the Developer Experience book here.
“The Developer’s Guide to Content Creation” by Stephanie Morillo
In this guide, Stephanie Morillo leverages her experience as a content strategist at DigitalOcean and GitHub to help developers produce quality content.
It guides readers through the entire content creation process, from brainstorming ideas and setting up a content infrastructure to writing, editing, and promoting content on social media.
The book includes practical tools like guided exercises, worksheets, and other resources to help readers build confidence in their content creation abilities.
Find out more details and buy the book at the official book page.
“Developer Marketing and Relations: The Essential Guide” by SlashData
Andreas Constantinou, Nicolas Sauvage, and Caroline Lewko tapped their extensive industry experience to create The Essential Guide, outlining a playbook for engaging with developers within tech-driven companies.
Updated with 9 new chapters, this edition provides insights from industry experts across major companies like Microsoft, Google, and Salesforce.
The SlashData publication covers a broad range of topics from measuring the success of developer strategies and creating inclusive communities to strategic email marketing.
It’s designed to be read in full or used as a reference for specific needs, making it a practical resource for both new and experienced developer relations professionals.
Check out the book on DevRelX or buy it on Amazon.
“Ask Your Developer: How to Harness the Power of Software Developers and Win in the 21st Century” by Jeff Lawson
In this book, Jeff Lawson, co-founder and ex-CEO of Twilio, offers advice for company leaders on using the skills of software developers to improve their businesses and stay competitive.
Lawson, who spent 16 years at the communications API company, believes that developers are more than just coders; they are crucial for solving business challenges and creating new opportunities.
With over 500 reviews averaging 4.6/5 stars, Lawson’s book provides strategies for integrating developers into business planning and decision-making processes.
It reminds us that businesses that work well with their developers can achieve better results in the digital world.
Pick up a copy of Ask Your Developer today on Amazon.
“The Business Value of Developer Relations: How and Why Technical Communities Are Key To Your Success” by Mary Thengvall
Community-building expert Mary Thengvall has advocated for the importance of communities to business growth since her days at O’Reilly and SparkPost over a decade ago.
In her tech-focused book, the seasoned developer relations expert discusses how engaging with developers can lead to better products and services and ultimately drive company growth.
The book covers practical steps on how to create, nurture, and benefit from these communities, making it a useful resource for business leaders, tech evangelists, and anyone involved in developer relations.
Thengvall includes interviews from DevRel pros at Google, Red Hat, and Amazon, providing real-world insights and best practices.
For more insight into how technical communities can propel your business, get The Business Value of Developer Relations on Amazon.
“Developer, Advocate!: Conversations on Turning a Passion for Talking About Tech Into a Career” by Geertjan Wielenga
Geertjan Wielenga is a seasoned technical writer and tech expert who has held roles at Oracle, the Apache Foundation, Coca Cola, and Sun Microsystems.
In his second book, Wielenga explores developer advocacy through interviews with 32 leading developer advocates from top tech companies like Oracle, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
Developer, Advocate! looks into how these professionals use their passion for technology to bridge gaps between developers and companies, influencing product development and business strategies.
Expect to find:
- Firsthand accounts from leading developer advocates about their work and its impact on the tech community.
- Best practices in developer advocacy and insights on navigating careers at major tech firms.
- Exploration of current tech topics such as Java, JavaScript, AI, blockchain, and cloud services.
Developer, Advocate! is designed to inspire and guide new and aspiring developer advocates on how to start and succeed in this dynamic field.
Grab your copy today on Amazon.
“Working in Public: The Making and Maintenance of Open Source Software” by Nadia Eghbal
In her book, writer and researcher Nadia Asparouhova (neé Eghbal) offers a detailed examination of the open source software development world.
Asparouhova explores:
- The changing role of individual contributors versus teams
- How open source software is created and maintained
- The dynamics of open source communities, and
- The challenges of maintaining projects
Asparouhova uses examples from platforms like GitHub to illustrate the structure of open source projects, the roles and relationships within them, and the economic and social incentives that motivate contributors.
Working in Public is particularly valuable for readers interested in the intersection of technology, community building, and the economics of open source software.
Buy Working in Public on Amazon or Stripe Press.
Final thoughts
The above books help developers and marketers communicate better, build and engage tech communities, advocate for technology, and create content that resonates with audiences.
Got a book you’d like to add to the list? Get in touch with the details.
Check out more developer marketing resources below:
- 8 questions to ask around technical thought leadership
- Ronak Ganatra’s list of developer marketing resources
- Our guide to technical writing metrics
