Davi Vieira is the author of Designing Hexagonal Architecture with Java; we got the chance to sit down with him and find out more about his experience of writing with Packt.
Q: What are your specialist tech areas?
Davi: Java and Software Architecture
Q: How did you become an author for Packt? Tell us about your journey. What was your motivation for writing this book?
Davi: It all started when I sent Packt a proposal to write a book about hexagonal architecture and Java. My motivation was to learn more about the topic.
Q: What kind of research did you do, and how long did you spend researching before beginning the book?
Davi: First, I researched how to write well in English. Then, I studied Hexagonal Architecture, DDD, Clean Architecture, and the Java platform in general (language, specification, and the JVM). I spent six months researching before starting book writing.
Q: Did you face any challenges during the writing process? How did you overcome them?
Davi: Yep. There were moments when I did not know what to write about right in the beginning, and I felt very concerned about that. In order to overcome this difficulty, I started to read more books to find ideas and foster my creativity.
Q: What’s your take on the technologies discussed in the book? Where do you see these technologies heading in the future?
Davi: Java is the building block for developing most of the critical systems used in several different fields. Software architecture is fundamental to building robust and long-lasting systems. Both Java and sound software architecture principles will continue to shape the future of mission-critical server-side applications.
Q: Why should readers choose this book over others already on the market? How would you differentiate your book from its competition?
Davi: It’s the first in-depth analysis of the hexagonal architecture available in the market. Before my book, there were no others committed to covering the subject in the same depth my book did. Also, it presents a blueprint from beginning to end on how to design a system using the hexagonal architecture principles. It differentiates because it blends hexagonal architecture with contemporary development practices and technology such as cloud-native development and the Quarkus framework.
Q: What’s your take on the technologies discussed in the book? Where do you see these technologies heading in the future?
Davi: Java is the building block for developing most of the critical systems used in several different fields. Software architecture is fundamental to building robust and long-lasting systems. Both Java and sound software architecture principles will continue to shape the future of mission-critical server-side applications.
Q: What are the key takeaways you want readers to come away with from the book?
Davi: The first takeaway is that it’s possible to define a code structure that reflects the hexagonal architecture components such as ports, adapters, and use cases. The second takeaway is that the proposed hexagonal architecture can be used to standardize the software development process.
Q. What advice would you give to readers learning tech? Do you have any top tips?
Davi: My advice is to be persistent and not fear complexity. No matter how difficult or complex a topic may be, it’s possible to overcome it with enough persistence.
Q. Do you have a blog that readers can follow?
Davi: I have my website davivieira.dev. It’s not a blog, but I intend to share my thoughts on it in the future.
Q. Can you share any blogs, websites and forums to help readers gain a holistic view of the tech they are learning?
Davi: Internet Archive and Dr. Alistair Cockburn.
Q. How would you describe your author journey with Packt? Would you recommend Packt to aspiring authors?
Davi: It was an incredible learning journey, and I feel that I improved my writing skills with the support provided by the Packt team. Because for this very reason, I’d recommend Packt to any aspiring author.
Q. What are your favorite tech journals? How do you keep yourself up to date on tech?
Davi: I follow YCombinator. Books are my primary source to keep up to date.
Q. How did you organize, plan, and prioritize your work and write the book?
Davi: I start with general ideas, and from them, I extract the details and main points that can comprise a chapter. Then, I research from different sources about a particular subject. After getting acquainted enough with the subject, I create concrete examples to illustrate my ideas. Finally, I start the writing process based on previous research and concrete examples.
Q. What is that one writing tip that you found most crucial and would like to share with aspiring authors?
Davi: Avoid writing lengthy code blocks. It’s better to stick to concise code blocks not to overwhelm the readers and enhance their learning experience.
