This article aims to present an overview of research that uses Didactics manuals as a source and/or object of study. To this end, we sought to undertake a literature review in the following databases: SciELO, CAPES Catalog of Theses and Dissertations, Google Scholar, and the proceedings of the National Meeting on Didactics and Teaching Practices. This is the initial stage of a broader research that has as its object of investigation the historical constitution of the identity of Didactics through the analysis of books intended for the training of aspiring teachers and in-service teachers, with a focus on Didactics manuals produced in Brazil, Portugal, and Spain between 1930 and 1970. The first part presents the methodological procedures and quantitative results of the bibliographic survey on Didactics manuals as an object and/or source of study. In the second part, a descriptive-analytical synthesis of the sixteen works found is carried out, highlighting understandings about the manuals, objectives of the studies, time frame and the main results. Finally, contributions of these studies and gaps that can be the object of investigation in future studies are indicated.