Introduction

Before we begin, it’s important to get familiar with the pillars—the foundations—that guide this handbook. My goal isn’t to be the best or most complete guide you can find. My goal is that, if we share the same values, we can find the best way to build high‑quality digital products that people truly love to use.

Why and for whom this handbook

Over the years I’ve realized how many engineers are not happy doing their job. Many don’t realize they are part of one of the most beautiful professions that exist—bringing ideas to life that solve real human problems.

Unfortunately, today (I’m writing this in January 2025) many people are driven only by money and take advantage of a favorable market, jumping from team to team without ever feeling true ownership of a product.

Others, however, want to flip the script and genuinely feel part of what they’re building. Sometimes that means changing products; other times it’s a mindset shift. This handbook is for those people—for those who feel they are on a good product but don’t yet know how to turn their work into a craft that makes them feel fulfilled.

It’s also for those just getting started and looking for an opportunity. Please don’t lose hope. There are companies out there looking for talented, motivated people like you.

Purpose

Purpose is the fundamental intent that drives our actions—the thing that gives meaning and direction to what we do. It’s a transformative force that defines the why and the what for behind every decision, guiding us toward a desired state (personal, organizational, or communal). More than a simple goal, purpose is deep: ambitious, motivating, and often challenging—capable of inspiring meaningful change in those who pursue it.

This concept is key to everything else you’ll read. I understand my work—my craft—as something that goes far beyond earning a monthly salary. It’s not about choosing between living to work or working to live. It’s about finding the place that fits each stage of our lives.

As creators of digital products, our purpose must go beyond moving tickets across a Jira board. We’re building tools with capabilities that were unimaginable only a few years ago. Many will accompany people daily in their work; others will help them unwind and break routine.

We’re not just developers; we’re building the future of an increasingly technological society empowered by useful, beautiful digital products.

Values

Values are the fundamental principles that guide our behavior and decisions. They act as moral compasses that orient our actions toward what we consider right or desirable. Professionally, there are values I believe every Frontend Engineer should have—they’ll help you better understand the rest of this handbook.

• Create products you’d recommend to friends. You’re proud of what you build and believe others should know about it.
• Taste for sophistication and the exquisite. You’re not satisfied unless the product meets a minimum bar of aesthetic and functional quality.
• Go the extra mile. You spot and fix design details that were overlooked but dramatically improve the experience.
• Be one more spoke in the wheel. You want to help define product, contribute in quarterly planning, and partner with design to find the best solution.
• Understand the why and the what for. You don’t just move Jira tickets—you care about the problem you’re solving and the pain you’re easing.
• Learn and teach. You’re curious to grow across areas, you share what you learn, and you spark discussion.

These values aren’t dogma. Depending on the product or its stage, some quality standards may need to be relaxed or processes adapted. That has advantages; acknowledge and accept them.

If these values resonate with you, it’s a good sign—the rest of the chapters likely will too.

The three pillars

Beyond purpose and values, there’s a key concept: the three pillars that hold up your work—engineering, product, and design. Many people try to stand only on the first, but quickly become replaceable, get substituted, or lose motivation because they don’t truly understand what they’re building.

Elevating product and design doesn’t mean losing sight of technical skills. Those remain the most important and valuable. The other two complement them and differentiate you—your versatility and ability to connect dots across these three areas make you indispensable.

This isn’t about taking responsibility away from other roles. We’ll talk about organization and processes, but the engineer’s role is not to collect user research or design solutions—at least not as a primary responsibility most of the time. It’s about finding balance across the three disciplines: being able to contribute to product and design decisions while others can contribute to yours.

Teams must be flexible and adapt to diverse situations, adjusting processes and ways of working to factors like team maturity, project phase, and even the company’s stage.

In the next three chapters we’ll dive into each pillar.

What to expect from this handbook

This isn’t a programming bootcamp, nor is it advanced technical training. It’s an evergreen manual for navigating the day‑to‑day as a Frontend Engineer. The aim is to help you shape your own principles and processes so your work feels uniquely yours—so you can create beyond your job description and feel proud of what you build.