Computer science is a vast and ever-evolving field, and that can make it feel overwhelming.
Where do you start if you want to learn more?
You are reading: Best computer science books
We’ve taken a look at some of the best computer science books and created a list for IT beginners and professionals alike. These books serve as introductions, reviews, and deeper explorations of the philosophies and real-world applications of computer science and programming.
the best computer science books
You are looking for the best computer science books. But first, you need to remember that computer science is a very broad field. the best computer science books, including computer science audiobooks, will generally address a variety of skills, ranging from game development to system administration.
Today, data analysis, cybersecurity and programming are three of the fastest growing disciplines within computer science. but computer science is much more than those three disciplines as well. Therefore, the best computer science books for beginners are usually quite broad in scope; From there, you can search for books in your areas of interest.
the best books for computer science students
computer science students need to learn a little about everything. Maybe you’re still getting your degree, or maybe you’re trying to decide if you want to pursue a computer science degree. These are the best books for computer science majors who are still exploring the basics of computing, coding, and management.
1. the self-taught computer scientist (cory althoff, 2021)
Looking for the best books to learn computer science as an intermediate? an important guide for beginners, the self-taught computer scientist is an excellent choice. it is also a sequel to the self-taught programmer. both are excellent introductions to the discipline from an expert programmer and computer scientist. In this book, he will learn more about not only being a better programmer, but also how to excel at job interview scheduling. This book is perfect for those preparing to apply for jobs in the field, especially those who are moving from college to the workforce.
what you will learn:
- data structures
- algorithms
- technical interviews and interview questions
- principles such as search trees and imported libraries
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2. The Computer Science Book: A Comprehensive Introduction (Thomas Johnson, 2020)
You can find everything you need to know about computing in one book: this one! The Computer Science book is a perfect review for college graduates, a great introduction for those just starting college, and a companion for those starting a career in computer science. This extensive book covers countless computing topics, from databases to operating systems.
what you will learn:
- the theory of computation
- concurrent programming
- programming languages
- distributed systems
- compilers and interpreters
- databases
- operating systems
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3. The Chip: How Two Americans Invented the Microchip and Launched a Revolution (T.R. Reid, 2001)
no discipline is complete without an overview of history. This book tells the story of Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce, and their discovery of the silicon microchip, the culmination of their quest to make computers smaller and faster. on the chip, t.r. reid takes us through the history of the microchip and its consequences. Readers will emerge with a deeper understanding of the computer revolution, the principles and philosophies behind it, and its economic drivers.
what you will learn:
- the story of the nobel prize winning microchip
- how the information industry exploded
- how the numbers barrier was broken
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4. The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in an Age of Brilliant Technologies (erik brynjolfsson and andrew mcafee, 2016)
In this book, the two MIT authors discuss the ramifications of new technologies and the impact they will have on the world. This book is an important overview of how computer science really impacts the world, its importance to society at large, and the possible consequences of reckless use of technology. An optimistic and beautiful look at the true power behind computing, this book is an inspiration for computer science students and those considering the industry.
what you will learn:
- how professions will change in the future.
- how datasets can transform entire industries
- how you can prepare for the “second machine age”
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5. the innovators: how a group of hackers, geniuses and geeks created the digital revolution (walter isaacson, 2014)
In Innovators, Walter Isaacson delves into history to identify the driving forces behind the digital revolution. Walter looks at historical figures from Ada Lovelace to Larry Page, exploring how inventors and entrepreneurs shaped the field of computing. This book not only shows how the computing industry has changed over time, but also how entrepreneurship, innovation, and teamwork have continued to shape the computing industry in the modern age.
what you will learn:
- a history of computing
- how innovation and entrepreneurship fundamentally altered the landscape
- what has separated inventors and entrepreneurs from the rest
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6. everything you need to know to master computer science and coding (workman publishing, 2020)
From kids to teens, Everything You Need to Know to Master Computer Science and Coding is the perfect book series for those who want to start learning early. This is a great gift book for someone heading into a computer science major, particularly those within the first two years of the discipline. This book is nearly 600 pages long and covers the intricacies of what computer science is, what a computer scientist can expect to do, and what specializations you might choose.
what you will learn:
- the basics of computer systems
- binary code and algorithms
- loops, events and procedures
- the basics of python, html and css
- web development
- cybersecurity
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the best computer science books for developers
When many people think of computing, they think of programming and development, but there are also other disciplines such as cybersecurity and system administration. The best books for programmers and developers usually cover general programming theory or the basics of a specific language.
7. A Guide for Computer Programmers (Dr. William Springer, 2019)
Ideal for bootcamp graduates, self-taught programmers, and college students, the Programmer’s Guide to Computer Science distills everything a programmer or developer needs to know about the field. This book covers the basics of computing and talks about what people need to know to decide if this is the right path for them. this book is ideal for those who are still exploring the field or just starting out.
what you will learn:
- the fundamentals of computer science for self-taught programmers
- algorithms, data structures and data management
- problem-solving techniques and complexity theory
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8. code: the hidden language of computer hardware and software (charles petzold, 2000)
Although it is an old book, the code is an excellent introduction to programming and development. the code delves into how programming works, covering its fundamentals and philosophies as well. This book is a must read for those who are just digging deeper into understanding how programming really works, including real-world examples. Since it uses lots of illustrated examples, everyday objects, and real-world scenarios, it’s great for those struggling to bridge the gap between abstract coding and real-world problems.
what you will learn:
- the fundamental logic behind programming problems
- how programming is used to affect our world
- how computers interact with each other
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9. Absolute beginners guide to c programming (greg perry, 2013)
many programmers today started learning with c or java. Although c is a few decades old, it is still an incredibly important language, as it is considered foundational to many disciplines. once you know c, it’s quite easy to learn about other programming languages. The Absolute Beginners Guide to C Programming gives you everything you need to know about C programming, even if you’ve never programmed before.
what you will learn:
- the best free c programming tools
- how to write and design c programs
- how to generate output and read input
- control programs by testing
- using loops and other techniques
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10. full code (steve mcconnell, 2004)
code complete can be seen as a technical programming manual. though it may now be two decades old, it delves deeper into the philosophy and architecture of programming than into any specific language. this is a great book for both beginners and more advanced programmers who want to learn more about the discipline. Ultimately, most of the coding is just logic, and logic problems can be solved logically, without any programming syntax.
what you will learn:
- complexity-based design
- collaborative development
- defensive programming techniques
- problem debugging
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11. the pragmatic programmer (andrew hunt, 1999)
Although it was written a while ago, The Pragmatic Programmer is an important book on the basic analysis and structure of programming. this is a great starting point for those who need to know programming but don’t want to delve into a specific language. the pragmatic programmer will give you more information on how to write clean and elegant code.
what you will learn:
- the core processes of software development
- writing flexible, dynamic and adaptable code
- automating code with greater precision
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12. Algorithms 4th Edition (Robert Sedgewick, 2011)
Using java, this book introduces basic algorithms that analysts and programmers alike should know. Perhaps most importantly, Algorithms is a straightforward manual that only covers algorithms. There is a companion website for the book hosted at Princeton that also includes code tests. this is the perfect primer for those digging deeper into programming and those preparing for interview questions.
what you will learn:
- java implementations
- test data, exercises, and answers
- dynamic visualizations
- programming assignments and checklists
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the best computer science books for data scientists
Data science is one of the fastest growing and developing fields of computing. The best data science books discuss the fundamentals of data science, its evolution, and its philosophies.
13. algorithms for living: the informatics of human decisions (brian christian, 2017)
How can algorithms help us understand people? In Algorithms for Living, author Brian Christian is paired with a cognitive scientist to better understand how technology is used to understand behaviors and decisions. algorithms for living is perfect for those looking to get into data analytics, data science, or even marketing.
what you will learn:
- how data science is used to untangle human questions
- develop algorithms for real-time problems
- when things cannot be analyzed effectively.
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14. search: how google and its rivals rewrote the rules of business and transformed our culture (john battele, 2006)
truly a history book, search talks about how google achieved supremacy within the search engine market. On a deeper level, search covers how search engines work and how they affect business and decision-making processes. The search delves into the history of the Google algorithm and how its analytics radically changed the playing field forever.
what you will learn:
- how the google search engine was developed
- the ramifications of search engines in decision making
- how the algorithms and analysis of the engines work search
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15. programming collective intelligence (toby segaran, 2007)
In this book, python is used to outline methods by which intelligence can be programmed. includes filtering techniques, evolving intelligence, problem solving, search engine algorithms, and much more. this is an ideal book for those who are trying to learn the fundamentals of machine learning, those who want to see real examples of how it is used.
what you will learn:
- how to design databases and web applications
- how data sets can be extracted and analyzed
- how statistics can be analyzed and understood
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16. machine learning for hackers: case studies and algorithms to get you started (drew conway and john myles white, 2012)
In Machine Learning for Hackers, programmers interested in data management, analytics, and machine learning will learn more about how to implement these frameworks. this is designed for those who already have a relatively deep understanding of programming, and for those who are moving into programming from other backgrounds, such as business, government, or academic research.
what you will learn:
- how machine learning is used in the real world
- how to predict things using machine learning
- optimization techniques and ciphers
- analysis statistics and recommendation systems
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the best computer science books for cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is another fast-growing discipline in the world of technology, in part because today’s challenges are greater than ever. Cybersecurity is significantly different from programming, development, and data science, although it does have some crossovers, which means that those who are interested in cybersecurity or network administration will read different books.
17. cybersecurity for beginners (raef meeuwisse, 2017)
Cybersecurity for Beginners covers the essentials of cybersecurity for those just starting out in the field or those without a technical background. Today, cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility and intersects with everyone’s life, from securing your email passwords to your bank accounts. this presents cybersecurity in an easy to understand way, without a lot of jargon or difficult concepts.
what you will learn:
- the basic principles of cybersecurity
- what makes cybersecurity so essential
- why cybersecurity is becoming more and more of a challenge
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18. Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking (Christopher Hadnagy, 2018)
Much of cybersecurity is not about systems, but about people. it is people who represent the most significant vulnerabilities within systems. and they are the most difficult people to defend against. social engineering governs a type of cyber attack that uses people instead of machines; simply convincing someone to give you their password can be much easier than trying to hack a system. this book covers the ins and outs of social engineering and what makes it so dangerous.
what you will learn:
- common social engineering techniques
- defenses against social engineering
- how social engineering is evolving
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19. The Beginners Guide to Hacking: A Step-by-Step Guide (Ramon Nastase, 2018)
Who knows piracy better than hackers? In Introduction to Hacking, also known as The Beginner’s Guide to Hacking, Ramon Nastase reviews the most common hacking methods from a hacker’s perspective. That includes the basics of Kali Linux (a hacker-based and security system), Cyber Security, Google Hacking, and WordPress Hacking. if you want to become a white hat hacker or just protect your own systems, this is a great book for you.
what you will learn:
- hacking basics
- kali linux, wordpress security and google hacking
- cryptography, digital signatures and fingerprinting
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beyond the best computer science books
Above, we’ve covered some of the best books on computing. but even with the best computer science books, you usually need some real-world experience. Quite a few programmers, developers, cybersecurity experts, and network administrators are self-taught people who learned through practice or on the job.
Although a book is a great introduction, it should be combined with the work. If you want to learn more about computing, don’t stop with computer science books. Consider getting a computer science degree online, attending a computer science boot camp, or just starting some beginner lessons. Over time, you’ll get an idea of what you want your career to look like.
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