Building Microservices versus Designing Data-Intensive Applications.
Both show up on every "best" list. They're not competitors. They're a sequence. Here's which one to read first, and when.
Reviewed by Ashish Sheth · Updated July 2026
Option B
Designing Data-Intensive Applications
Martin Kleppmann, Chris Riccomini · 2026
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Author
Sam Newman
Martin Kleppmann, Chris Riccomini
Pages
616
720
Published
2021
2026
Publisher
O'Reilly Media
O'Reilly Media
Level
intermediate
intermediate to advanced
Amazon Rating
4.5/5 (820)
4.7/5 (312)
Goodreads Rating
4.22/5 (5,236)
4.55/5 (480)
Building Microservices
Strengths
+ Honest about the costs of microservices rather than a sales pitch
+ The 2nd edition adds real depth on decomposing monoliths
+ Practical patterns backed by years of consulting work
+ Clear diagrams and worked examples throughout
Caveats
− Broad rather than deep; each topic could fill its own book
− Technology-agnostic by design, so light on specific tooling
− Readers new to distributed systems may want DDIA alongside it
Designing Data-Intensive Applications
Strengths
+ Best-in-class explanations of distributed systems fundamentals
+ Vendor-neutral: teaches principles, not specific tools
+ Excellent diagrams that make consensus and replication finally click
+ 2nd edition refreshes every chapter and adds AI/ML data systems coverage
Caveats
− Dense: not a weekend read, expect 3-4 months at one chapter per week
− Light on hands-on code; pair with a database internals book for implementation depth
− Some readers wish the new edition went deeper on cloud-native specifics
The verdict
Read Building Microservices first to build foundations, then move to Designing Data-Intensive Applications for advanced concepts.
Building Microservices
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Designing Data-Intensive Applications
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Frequently asked
Which is better, Building Microservices or Designing Data-Intensive Applications?
Read Building Microservices first to build foundations, then move to Designing Data-Intensive Applications for advanced concepts.
Should I read the 1st or 2nd edition of Building Microservices?
Read the 2nd edition. Sam Newman reworked every chapter for 2021 and added substantial material on decomposing monoliths, service boundaries, and modern delivery. Around 5,200 Goodreads readers rate the book 4.22 on average, and the second edition reflects how the pattern actually matured in practice.
Is the 2nd edition of Designing Data-Intensive Applications worth buying if I already own the first?
If you read the first edition cover to cover already, the upgrade is incremental: every chapter is refreshed and there's new coverage of AI/ML data systems, cloud-native architectures, and modern streaming. If you skimmed the first or read it years ago, the 2nd edition is the better starting point.