IT Dictionary: A survival manual for devs, dreamers, and those still pretending their job has structure.

by Adam Korga

If you’ve ever wondered why “quick fix” became a four-letter word, this is your confession booth.

IT Dictionary is the survival manual for anyone who’s ever shipped code on a Friday, sat through a “quick sync” that lasted two hours, or watched a feature request mutate into a platform migration.

After nearly two decades as a developer, DevOps engineer, consultant, freelancer, and team lead, Adam Korga has seen it all: broken builds, cargo-cult Agile, and meetings that could have been emails. Instead of therapy, he wrote this book — part Dante’s Inferno, part technical glossary, part comedy special.

Across five realms — Core IT, Agile Rituals, Corpoland, Startupistan, and AI — the Dictionary translates what we say versus what we actually mean. Discover why:

“It’s a quick win” → your weekend is gone.

“We’re building for scale” → we’re overengineering a to-do list.

“The model is 94% accurate” → once, in perfect conditions.


You’ll laugh, wince, and find solidarity in tales of sprint planning as séance, legacy code held together with prayers, and “AI-powered” products that are really just three interns and a spreadsheet.

⚠️ Warning: laughter not guaranteed, offense highly probable. And no, you still can’t forward it to your boss.

Praise for IT Dictionary

"This book explains why I drink" — Anonymous Scrum Master

"A funny, subversively venomous look at the vagaries of IT support. - Kirkus Reviews (accolade: GET IT)

"IT Dictionary directly addresses the soul-crushing minutiae within an enraging experience that most workers of the modern world know intimately. No one has created a way for us to decompress from this corporate chokehold until Adam Korga, until right now." — Independent Book Review (Starred Review)

"Adam Korga’s IT DICTIONARY: A Survival Manual for Devs, Dreamers, and Those Still Pretending Their Job Has Structure will raise a laugh with IT professionals who know the grind of keeping a company’s network up and running all too well." — IndieReader

531 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2025

About the author

Adam Korga made his debut with IT Dictionary — a satirical survival manual for tech workers. He describes himself as a walking BS detector with a mission to translate academic, corporate and IT jargon into plain human language (his exact motto is probably not safe for public quoting 😉).

With nearly 20 years of experience in the tech industry — from engineering and release management to leadership — he has seen enough acronyms, rituals, and “game-changing” initiatives to last several lifetimes.

His upcoming projects take a more educational turn: still packed with sarcasm and humor, but focused on what we can actually learn from the mistakes of others.

Reviews

[Mongs · Rating 5 out of 5]

After having read the ARC version, I cannot recommend this enough. A witty take on what is said in the Tech world vs what it actually means. The book leaves behind Lunch and Learn for Laugh and Learn. In between all the giggles and the laugh out loud moments, you wonder .. is this satire or the truth.

[Adam Komisarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got Advance Review Copy for this book.

The book is satiric dictionary of various IT terms from Core IT (covering tools, software delivery lifecycle), through ways of working (agile, planning, tools, "ceremonies"), startups to corporations, and even new kid on the block AI. I laughed many times while reading about various concepts, always describe from humorous (but true) perspective. Somtimes, I was actually not sure whether to laugh or cry, because some concept we all know and "love" are described what they truly mean. I could relate with so many of them. It forced me to reflect, why we sometimes so blindly do the things described there so accurately, there was a lot of hidden truths and gems.

Why the 4-stars only? I found some sections slightly repeated/repetetive, and some concepts/abbreviations/tools could used more footnotes to explained.

Still, I can recommend this book to every professional working in IT, tech or not, Data/backend/testers/all engineers. Everyone will find something for themselves. I will be recommending this to all my IT folks!

I preordered and can't wait my own copy!

Adam is smart, witty author, so I was so pleased about plans for the new book hinted in the text. I hope we won't need to wait more. Mr. Korga please deliver quickly, tests and automation are not needed!!! We need it in prod tomorrow ;)

[Michał Żak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had an access to ARC version of this book and it's absolutely amazing. This is not a dry technical manual, but a hilarious and painfully accurate translation of what IT terms actually mean in the chaotic real world. It perfectly captures the gallows humor of the industry, defining concepts with the kind of sarcastic truth that will make any developer, manager, or dreamer feel truly seen. Every entry feels like a shared inside joke that validates the absurdities we face daily. Ultimately, this book is the essential survival guide and group therapy session the entire tech industry has been waiting for.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in return for a review.

This book is a large collection of IT terms and buzzwords, from the simplest support terms to the latest AI related verbiage. Each term includes what it sounds like it means and what it actually means. The target audience is obviously meant to be IT professionals. As someone who has worked in IT (formerly MIS) for 41 years, this was a hilarious read. However, I can't really say how the average person will perceive this. It's best read in small chunks so as not to be overloaded with all the terminology.

[Fabio Konno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the chance to read the ARC, and it’s sharp, funny, and painfully true.
The balance between jokes and hard-hitting truths is spot on, every chapter felt like group therapy for engineers.
The author manages to be laugh-out-loud funny while capturing the subtle frustrations and joys of tech life in a way that feels deeply relatable. It’s a rare mix of humor and honesty that keeps you turning the pages and nodding in recognition.

[Syed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few books capture the chaos and comedy of the working in the tech world like this one. The IT Dictionary mixes dry humor with uncomfortable accuracy, decoding phrases we’ve all used to dodge deadlines or hide production bugs. It’s both therapy and entertainment for anyone who’s lived through sprint reviews, “temporary workarounds” or endless “quick fixes.”

While reading it, I find myself nodding, chuckling, and selecting lines to quote in my next meeting. XD

[Jonatas Teixeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had access to ARC version and it was a razor-sharp, sarcastic survival manual for anyone who’s lived through the madness of IT. From clueless users and broken deploys to cargo-cult Agile and startup chaos, it turns daily frustrations into comedy gold. Equal parts therapy and roast, this book will make every engineer nod, laugh, and maybe cry a little.

[Sławek Kapłoński · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book, and as a 10-year veteran of the IT industry, I can say it’s spot-on! It’s both hilarious and scarily true. The observations about Agile and AI ("The New Kid in Town") are fantastic. I was laughing so hard while reading it. This is a must-have for anyone working in IT—whether you’re a software developer, Scrum master, product owner, or manager.

[M F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe eine Vorabversion (ARC) gelesen: gnadenlos ehrlich, extrem pointiert und gleichzeitig sehr lustig.
Wer in der IT arbeitet, wird sich sofort wiedererkennen – wer nicht, bekommt einen einzigartigen Einblick hinter die Kulissen.
Ich freue mich schon sehr, die Hardcopy bald in der Hand zu halten!

[Thilina Jayanath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an Advance Review Copy for this book.

I quite enjoyed reading the book and I was like I have been there half the time when I was reading the book. For a book on sarcasm and satire, it felt more like my personal experiences working in IT described in a satirical way. I absolutely loved the book and can’t wait to get the final version once it’s out.

[Victor Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thing is absolutely hilarious!

This book is a must-read for anyone in tech who has already embraced a healthy cynicism about the job. It's a hilarious and cathartic survival manual for navigating the wild world of IT.

My rubber duck's favourite quote: “Who needs Python when you’ve mastered vibe coding — the art of adjective-driven development.”

[Jorge Bo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sharp, sarcastic take on IT life that turns chaos into comedy. Between useless meetings, “visionary” managers, and endless tickets. Overall, this ARC captures the absurd grind of tech work. I can’t wait to see the final version published!

[Sumadinac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read ARC of IT Dictionary, and it felt like taking the red pill — suddenly the Matrix of tech jargon and meetings revealed itself in its true form. It’s sharp, silly, and surprisingly freeing to laugh at the truths we all live with in IT.

[Ovidia Vataman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, mostly because it feels so real. While it focuses on IT, the humor goes far beyond tech — you’ll recognize the same patterns if you’ve ever worked in design (like me) or any client-service job. The daily chaos, the strange requests, the awkward moments — it’s all here, and all too real.

[Achraf Khouadja]

I read the ARC, and it’s witty, funny, and strikingly honest.
The humor and truth balance perfectly, like group therapy for engineers.
It’s a rare mix of comedy and insight that feels both relatable and real.

[Hish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an advance copy and couldn’t stop reading — witty, deeply relatable, and surprisingly comforting.

[Abhishek Saurav · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I had the opportunity to read an advance copy (ARC), and it exceeded my expectations. Sharp, sarcastic, and completely honest. I can't wait to get my hands on the printed edition.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

In operations, I often bridge the gap between tech teams and business. This IT dictionary has been a surprisingly handy resource, making it easy to get on the same page as all stakeholders fast, so we can focus on shared goals - not jargon.