Targeted at developers, it documents the advanced features of the Atari 8-bit computers and includes ideas for how to use them in applications.

The content of De Re Atari was serialized in BYTE beginning in 1981, prior to the book's publication.

The release of Atari 8-bit technical details through the magazine and book quickly resulted in other sources being published, such as COMPUTE!

Lead author Chris Crawford used many of these features in the computer wargame Eastern Front (1941) released in 1981.

De Re Atari was successful; the manager of APX later said that it and Eastern Front "paid the bills, i.e. were our biggest sellers".