Chapter ZERO
Why did I write this book?
I have been working with AI since 2017. In the summer of 2024, I spent the whole summer going deep and learning about AI. I did 300+ coding POCs, I read several books, I did several courses. On XMAS of 2024 I made my first migration using LLMs from Kotlin to Scala. In 2025, I tested all AI coding agents I could, I wrote MCPs, I did several experiments.
Still in 2025, I wrote my 4th book: Diego Pacheco's Software Architecture Library (SAL) where I used AI to help me with: proofreading, glossary, index and references generation (more details here).
There is so much out there, there are so many tools and people saying many things. This book should be a compass to guide you on your AI journey for engineering.
AI has existed since the 50s, but only in 2017 did we start having major leaps in Gen AI and LLMs. Basically after 2022 AI really took off. From 2024 and 2025 there was massive progress in the field. New models, new architectures, new tools, new ways of working.
This book is a mix of practical and pragmatic philosophy about how to use AI as an engineer. There is a mix of practical advice with theory, knowledge and concepts.
I hope you enjoy it!
Other Publications by Diego Pacheco
If you like my work, you can help me by buying one of my other books here: