packtpub

Packt Publishing is considered highly reliable in the field of technical content, especially for those seeking to learn practical technical skills. If you are considering purchasing books from them for learning or career preparation, they are a very good choice. However, if you are looking for deeply academic references (such as university-level research), it is better to complement their materials with academic sources or well-established scholarly publishers.

Foundation and Headquarters

Packt was founded in 2004. Its headquarters are located in Birmingham, United Kingdom, and it also has a branch in Mumbai, India. However, it is not always the best in terms of high academic rigor—some of their books may be superficial or contain errors. Therefore, it is important to select books based on the author and the specific title, not solely on the Packt brand name.

Specialization and Field

Packt specializes in technical (IT) books, including programming, web design, data management, security, artificial intelligence, and more. It offers content in multiple formats: printed books, e-books, and video courses. The company has published more than 9,000 titles.

Operational Model

Packt operates on a print-on-demand model, allowing it to publish highly specialized books that may not be commercially viable for traditional publishers.
It also has an initiative to support open-source projects: when a book about an open-source project is sold, Packt pays royalties to that project.
Its stated mission is: “To help the global technical community use software effectively by sharing practical knowledge from their peers,” according to its website.

Scale and Resources

Packt has a large network of authors (technical experts). Its website states that it has approximately “18,000+ expert authors.” It also maintains global partnerships and provides a wide range of educational content using modern technologies.

Credibility and Evaluation

Packt has extensive experience (over 20 years in the technology field). The diversity of its technical content makes it very useful for those interested in learning modern tools or new frameworks. The print-on-demand model gives it the flexibility to publish highly specialized and uncommon topics that large traditional publishers might avoid.
Its support for open-source projects through royalty contributions gives it a positive reputation from a community perspective. User reviews on Feefo are relatively good: service rating ~ 3.7/5, product rating ~ 4.2/5.

Criticism and Risks

On Trustpilot, Packt has an approximate rating of 3.5/5, with some user complaints about the website interface and subscription renewals.
Some critics (on Reddit) note that the quality of certain books is “highly inconsistent.”