
Alexander is a writer, traveler, and serial digital entrepreneur. He’s the founder of the Frontend Lists, the Gen X personal growth newsletter Further, and offers small business advice at Unemployable.


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In the ever-evolving world of frontend development and design, it is vital to stay abreast of the latest trends, techniques, and best practices. The true masters of the craft are not only adept at coding, but also possess a deep understanding of design principles and user experience. To help you elevate your frontend development skills, we have compiled a list of 17 essential books that every frontend developer should read.

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3AY28jR" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/html-css.png" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 1. HTML & CSS: Design and Build Web Sites - Jon Duckett

Aimed at beginners, this beautifully designed book by Jon Duckett provides a solid foundation in HTML and CSS. With clear explanations and rich visuals, you'll learn to create stunning web pages from scratch.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3AY28jR" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/42vHP9a" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/javascript-design-patterns.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>
<div>

## 2. JavaScript Design Patterns - Addy Osmani

In Learning JavaScript Design Patterns, Addy Osmani explores various design patterns and their implementation in JavaScript. This book will help you write clean, maintainable, and scalable code for your web applications.

<a href="https://amzn.to/42vHP9a" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3nE50PN" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/eloquent-javascript.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 3. Eloquent JavaScript - Marijn Haverbeke

Eloquent JavaScript is a comprehensive guide to mastering the language. With clear explanations and practical examples, Marijn Haverbeke takes you on a journey from the basics to advanced concepts, such as asynchronous programming and working with the Document Object Model (DOM).

<a href="https://amzn.to/3nE50PN" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3p71o9c" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/css-secrets.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 4. CSS Secrets - Lea Verou

Lea Verou's CSS Secrets is a treasure trove of expert tips, tricks, and techniques for creating stunning web designs. Master the art of CSS and learn how to craft elegant solutions to common web design problems.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3p71o9c" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3pao88p" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/responsive-web-design.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 5. Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS - Ben Frain

Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS deftly guides you in creating modern, adaptable websites for various devices. Uncovering advanced HTML5 and CSS techniques, this book reveals the art of responsive layouts, refined styling, and features like Flexbox and Grid, equipping you with the expertise to craft visually stunning and highly functional responsive sites for an unmatched user experience.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3pao88p" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3HKk3yj" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/mobile-first.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 6. Mobile First - Luke Wroblewski

In Mobile First, Luke Wroblewski emphasizes the importance of designing for mobile devices first and then scaling up to larger screens. This approach ensures that your web applications will deliver an optimal user experience on a wide range of devices.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3HKk3yj" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3HKHTd2" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/atomic-design.svg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 7. Atomic Design - Brad Frost

Atomic Design is a revolutionary approach to web design that focuses on creating modular, reusable components. Brad Frost's book will help you build scalable, maintainable design systems for your projects.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3HKHTd2" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3LZ24qk" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/web-typography.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 8. Web Typography - Richard Rutter

Richard Rutter's Web Typography is a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of typography on the web. Learn how to select the right typefaces, create beautiful layouts, and optimize your text for readability and accessibility.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3LZ24qk" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/44CGBKY" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/you-dont-know-js.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>
<div>

## 9. You Don't Know JS - Kyle Simpson

You Don't Know JS is a series of books that dive deep into the core mechanisms of JavaScript. Kyle Simpson's thorough exploration of the language will help you gain a deeper understanding of JavaScript and improve your coding skills.

<a href="https://amzn.to/44CGBKY" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/428Zt2t" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/javascript-the-good-parts.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 10. JavaScript: The Good Parts - Douglas Crockford

JavaScript is an essential language for frontend developers. In JavaScript: The Good Parts, Douglas Crockford highlights the best aspects of the language, helping you write efficient and maintainable code.

<a href="https://amzn.to/428Zt2t" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/42e1xq8" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/web-performance-in-action.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 11. Web Performance in Action - Jeremy L. Wagner

Web performance is crucial for delivering a great user experience. In Web Performance in Action, Jeremy L. Wagner teaches you the techniques and best practices for optimizing your web applications and making them lightning fast.

<a href="https://amzn.to/42e1xq8" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/42ceDUX" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/smashing-ux-design.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 12. Smashing UX Design - Jesmond Allen & James Chudley

Smashing UX Design provides a comprehensive overview of user experience design principles and best practices. Jesmond Allen and James Chudley share their expertise in creating user-centered designs that deliver delightful experiences.

<a href="https://amzn.to/42ceDUX" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/41bVyAV" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/design-systems.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 13. Design Systems - Alla Kholmatova

In Design Systems, Alla Kholmatova explores the principles and processes of creating effective design systems for digital products. Learn how to build a cohesive, scalable, and maintainable system that will serve as the foundation for your web projects.

<a href="https://amzn.to/41bVyAV" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/44ysq9T" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/the-design-of-everyday-things.jpeg" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 14. The Design of Everyday Things - Don Norman

A classic in the field of design, Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Things offers a profound understanding of how users interact with everyday objects. This book will sharpen your ability to create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for your web applications.

<a href="https://amzn.to/44ysq9T" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>

</div>

<div class="book-row">

<a href="https://www.refactoringui.com/" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/refactoring-ui.png" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 15. Refactoring UI - Adam Wathan & Steve Schoger

Refactoring UI is a comprehensive guide to improving the design of your web applications. With practical tips and real-world examples, this book will help you transform your projects from good to great.

<a href="https://www.refactoringui.com/" target="_blank">Get this book</a>

</div>

</div>

<div class="book-row">
<a href="https://amzn.to/3Mby2Qp" target="_blank"><img src="/images/books/dont-make-me-think.webp" class="no-lightense" /></a>

<div>

## 16. Don't Make Me Think - Steve Krug

Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think is a must-read for anyone interested in creating user-friendly web applications. With humor and insight, Krug simplifies the principles of usability and shares valuable techniques for creating intuitive interfaces.

<a href="https://amzn.to/3Mby2Qp" target="_blank">Get this book on Amazon</a>

</div>
</div>


17 Essential Books Every Frontend Developer Should Read


“I don’t know — maybe put a little less food on your plate.”

That was her advice. She was a doctor, for crying out loud.

She was my doctor, unfortunately.

Most of the physicians I’ve seen in my life made me feel like they didn’t care about me or my problems. They had sicker people to see, and I looked “normal.” They spoke quickly, interrupted me, and showed me the door. They were busy, and I wasn’t a priority.

On the hazy, overcast morning of my doctor’s appointment, rain fell silently from the sky. I remember it vividly because I live in Southern California, where it rarely rains, and the doctor was late for my appointment. No one can drive in the rain out here. But, I’ll tell you about that some other time.

She entered the room awkwardly and apologized for her tardiness, but she was unfriendly and cold. Perhaps she was embarrassed that she was late. Maybe she was dreading confirming my diagnosis. Either way, this appointment was about to go south.

I heard the air conditioner click on. She finally confirmed that my test results revealed that I was in menopause. Then she told me to lose weight.

I was 37 years old.

### The average age

The average age for menopause to start for American women is 51. I arrived there 14 years before I was supposed to.

I was pissed.

After my doctor told me to lose weight, she informed me that losing weight would be more challenging now because I was in menopause.

> I don’t know. You’re fine. See the front desk on your way out.
> <cite>Every last one of them said that.</cite>

### I looked fine, so no biggie

Multiple symptoms ran parallel but felt unrelated at first.

> “Your body just really doesn’t want to have a period, I guess!” — Words of wisdom from one of my doctors

I stared blankly at her, wondering why she wasn’t doing more to help me, but I had no questions to ask. I didn’t know how to help myself. Was it really okay that I had four periods a year?

Sometimes I would get hot flashes followed by nausea. I would play this fun game with myself: Is this a hot flash or food poisoning? It was always a hot flash. This happened daily.

No one seemed worried about my symptoms, and I returned to my regularly-scheduled life without answers.


Something was wrong with me. But what? Most of the physicians I’ve seen in my life made me feel like they didn’t care about me or my problems.

What Do You Do When You Know You’re Not Fine?


It’s no secret that the covid pandemic has had a huge impact on the way that businesses are run - but there’s also been a switch in the way that people, and HR leaders, approach work. Employees have had time and space to reassess their lives and a lot of them have found they much prefer the work-life balance that remote models have created. Some of this attitude is at the core of the ‘Great Resignation’ trend that we’re seeing creeping closer to our shores. 

As we start to see the pandemic in our rear-view mirrors, and return to a version of normalcy looks imminent, it’s time to assess what HR has learned from the last two years - and how we integrate that into leadership moving forward.

“As a business, I don’t think we will ever go back to that traditional model of nine-to-five, five days a week,” Robert Stone, chief people officer at global marketing agency Wunderman Thompson, told HRD. “People have assessed what’s important to them in life, and that’s work-life balance and wellbeing.”

The marketing and advertising industry has a turnover percentage in the mid to high thirties. Wunderman Thompson is tracking significantly lower than the industry standard over the timespan of the pandemic – something Stone is certifiably proud of. 

### Through this situation
“Through this situation, I think employees saw the true colour of businesses, of how they treated their people,” he added. “Employers that may not have handled it the right away are still feeling the repercussions. We had to re-educate our managers to think, it’s all new - how do we work through this? In the beginning, a lot of people tried to remotely replicate culture from what was in an office environment. However, we eventually had to look at things in a different way and redefine what culture is to a workplace.”

The traditional nine-to-five work schedule is becoming increasingly obsolete as more companies adopt flexible, remote work policies. This shift away from the traditional workday has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many companies to adopt remote work as a necessity.

One approach that companies are taking to replace the nine-to-five schedule is the implementation of flexible work arrangements. This can include options such as remote work, flexible hours, and job sharing. These arrangements allow employees to work from anywhere and at times that best suit their needs, which can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Without even reducing the 40-hour work week. Time is money, right?

The nine-to-five Is Dead. Here’s What to Replace It With


Working in cybersecurity means you’re constantly playing a game of catch-up. Every day you learn something new, but your work is also never finished.

Whether you are a security researcher developing threat intelligence to power IDS / IPS systems or someone trying to plug holes in an area like application security, you will constantly be forced to find new solutions for unknown problems.

To Dutch security engineer Ferry (he prefers us not to share his last name), it’s this ever-evolving part of infosec that’s kept him in the field for over a decade. He currently works for Rijks ICT Gilde, a group of tech consultants who work on a variety of Dutch government IT projects. 

> “The thing I love most about my job is that every day comes with new challenges and opportunities. There are always new vulnerabilities to expose, new detection systems to set up, new hackers to catch. This job really is never done.”

Security engineers love working in the field of cybersecurity, also known as infosec or fosec, for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is the constant challenge and ever-evolving nature of the field. With new technologies and threats emerging all the time, security engineers are always learning and adapting to stay ahead of potential attacks.

Another reason security engineers enjoy working in fosec is the sense of purpose and importance of their work. With the increasing reliance on technology in nearly all aspects of our lives, the need for robust and effective cybersecurity measures is more critical than ever. Security engineers play a critical role in protecting sensitive information and ensuring the continuity of vital systems and services.

Additionally, the field of fosec offers many career opportunities and paths. From incident response and penetration testing to risk management and compliance, there are a wide range of specializations and roles to choose from. This variety allows security engineers to find a career that aligns with their interests and skills.

Finally, many security engineers find the field to be intellectually stimulating and rewarding. The field is full of complex problems and puzzles, and when a solution is found, it can be extremely satisfying.

Overall, security engineers appreciate the dynamic and challenging nature of fosec, the sense of purpose and importance of their work, the variety of career paths available, and the intellectual stimulation and rewards of the field.

Working in cybersecurity means you’re constantly playing a game of catch-up. Every day you learn something new, but your work is also never finished.

Why the security engineers loves working in fosec


Here is a fun fact to stick in the back of your mind for trivia night or to use as an interesting ice breaker: the Amazon River has no bridges. None. Zero. Zilch. That is in spite of the fact that the Amazon is 4,345 miles long.

The Amazon has a river basin that covers 2.7 million square miles. It has the highest flow and discharge rates out of any river on Earth. It runs through multiple countries and dumps into the Atlantic Ocean. In all of that there is not a single bridge that crosses the river at any point. You cannot drive over the Amazon River, even if you wanted to.

Why is it that the Amazon has no bridges when other smaller rivers have dozens or even hundreds?

### Geography and Economics
The Amazon River is one of the most remote rivers on Earth. It plunges from a source that is nestle high in the mountains at nearly 18,000 feet and then runs through one of the largest and thickest jungles found anywhere. The result is, there are not very many paved modern roads that run along the Amazon.

In fact, if you take a quick glance at the map, there are only a handful of towns and cities that are even large enough to register that are located on the banks of the Amazon.

So the Amazon is remote, so are a lot of other rivers. Why not just one bridge? A single bridge.

### Current and Future Projects
There are a couple of bridges that span Amazon tributary rivers. One such bridge is located in Manaus, the largest city along the Amazon. But the bridge doesn’t cross the main expanse of the river. There is another bridge crossing a large Amazon tributary in Peru.

President Bolsonaro of Brazil has repeatedly said he wants to build a bridge over the Amazon but detractors say it would be for his legacy and serve no real purpose. No progress has been made on the Brazilian Amazon bridge proposal.

In fact, every bridge proposal targeting the Amazon has stalled and gotten nowhere. No one has even attempted to break ground which shows how stiff the headwinds are to such a project. Many bridges has been dreamed up but so far none have become reality.

It is odd to think that in 2022, over a hundred years since people dug out the Panama and Suez Canals, no one has managed to build a bridge across the Amazon.

### Conclusion
Resistance to bridging the Amazon can be summed up in this way.

* Too remote

* Too expensive

* No public support

And that is it.



Here is a fun fact to stick in the back of your mind for trivia night or to use as an interesting ice breaker: the Amazon River has no bridges. None. Zero. Zilch. That is in spite of the fact that the Amazon is 4,345 miles long.

There Are Zero Bridges Across The Amazon. Here Is Why


About eight or ten years ago, I was excited about smart fabric and connected textiles —  especially about what the next generation could be once the materials evolved. Now, Microsoft’s got me excited again, and, well, skeptical.

Smart fabric refers to textiles that embed technology such as sensors and conductive thread into the structure and function of the material.

In the case of Microsoft, the patent is for fabric in a jeans’ pocket. The fabric is embedded with layers of connected sensors that can recognize an object or gesture.  

And, it’s more than just sewing in a few sensors. The patent also details the development of data processing circuitry. It can receive, process, and transmit data from the smart fabric.

Then, there’s a computing system containing a machine learning module. It receives and processes incoming data and builds prediction models. These can recognize an object placed next to the piece of smart fabric or a touch gesture applied to it. 

The computer system can recognize objects commonly held in a pocket and their absence. For example, your pocket sends a reminder to your phone when it fails to detect coins for parking meters or your hand sanitizer. 

As for gesture recognition, rubbing the phone against your pocket could quickly trigger a command on your phone via NFC. It could also have applications in gaming and various consumer products.

### Not Microsoft’s first rodeo

Microsoft’s been interested in smart fabric and smart clothing since the mid-2010s, filing various patents, such as electronically functional yarn for smart shirts and gloves. 

The current patent is most likely an extension of a 2020 project called Capacitivo, where a smart fabric tablecloth identifies foods, such as specific items of fruit placed on the table, or even liquid inside glasses. It’s a somewhat strange use case. 

<div class="ratio ratio-16x9">
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ITYGILCULPo"></iframe>
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About eight or ten years ago, I was excited about smart fabric and connected textiles —  especially about what the next generation could be once the materials evolved.

Latest Posts

17 Essential Books Every Frontend Developer Should Read

What Do You Do When You Know You’re Not Fine?

The nine-to-five Is Dead. Here’s What to Replace It With

Why the security engineers loves working in fosec

There Are Zero Bridges Across The Amazon. Here Is Why

Msoft's smart fabric that can detect objects and gestures