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Ten essential Computer Science books for students

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A few weeks ago, someone asked me for a list of essential Computer Science books for young people studying at university with emphasis on the art of computer programming.

After much thoughts and checking multiple other similar lists, here is my top ten + two = twelve books to really understand Computer Science and to start thinking like a Computer Scientist:

Introductory

  • How to Think Like a Computer Scientist (Free)
  • Structured Computer Organization (Amazon)
  • Modern Operating Systems (Amazon)
  • The C Programming Language (Amazon)

Intermediate

  • Programming Pearls (Amazon)
  • Head First Java (Amazon)
  • The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master (Amazon)
  • Code Complete (Amazon)

Advanced

  • Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Amazon)
  • Effective Java (Amazon)
  • Java Concurrency in Practice (Amazon)
  • Introduction to Algorithms (Amazon)

Notice that there is none of those “Learn X in Y days” books. Those are for those who are not ready to invest enough time and energy to excel. Unlike you, dear reader. Happy programming 🙂

Here are quite similar lists elsewhere: The Top 9½ Books In a Hacker’s Bookshelf and List of Recommended Programming Books (Part II). You’ll notice that a lot of books are the same as the ones I have in my list. We are speaking of top books after all…

How to become a programmer?

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Here are the programming languages I know very well:

  • Java (most popular programming language in the TIOBE index)
  • C (2nd most popular)
  • Python (5th)
  • PHP (6th)
  • Javascript (8th)

Here are those which I know relatively well but, if I had to write something substantial, I would have to read 1-2 good books on the latest features / benefits:

  • C++ (3rd in the TIOBE index)
  • Perl (9th)
  • Ruby (10th)
  • R (16th)

I also know a bit of Assembly (albeit Motorola 68000 assembly instead of x86):

  • Assembly (12th in the TIOBE index)

I do not know anything about programming languages created by Microsoft:

  • C# (4th in the TIOBE index)
  • Visual Basic .NET (7th)

It took me years and years to become competent in Java, C, Python, PHP and Javascript. I started programming when I got my first computer around 1987 i.e. nearly 30 years ago.

Peter Norvig is right: it takes ten years to become a good programmer.

Programmers are problem solvers (like the A-Team)

A good programmer is also someone who knows how to solve a real problem which real people are having by writing a program which, hopefully, will allow the same people not to have to worry with the problem anymore.

To become a problem solver, one needs to adopt a very logical way of thinking which is explained in books such as Polya’s How to Solve It. Once someone is a problem solver, then it is reasonable to learn a software development methodology which has proved its worth over decades namely Object-Oriented Analysis, Design and Programming. There exist many books about OOA, D & P. Classics include Grady Booch’s Object-Oriented Analysis and Design with Applications but a more modern book would be Craig Larman’s Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and Iterative Development.

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On acquiring experience

Nothing beats really trying to solve a problem by writing a software, failing miserably, trying again, failing once more and finally arriving at a solution. Nothing beats real world experience.

And this is not necessarily acquired at work. I know countless exceptional programmers (abroad and world-famous for most of them but a few are in Mauritius) who learned quite a lot by themselves by scratching their own itch (as explained in Eric Raymond’s The Cathedral and the Bazaar). They became good by writing software to solve problems that they themselves were having (and not for money).

The most important thing: have fun

To become an exceptional programmer, it is essential that you have fun in the learning and skills development process.

Programming is not something one learns to get a good job. It is something that someone loves and allows him/her to land his/her dream job later.

We depend a lot on technology

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20160328-google-nexus-products

We all love technology. And we all need technology to live.

But are we becoming over-dependent?

Today, while cleaning the house, I realised that we have been purchasing a lot of technology products over the years. For example, we have the following Google Nexus products:

  • 1 x HTC Nexus One (which does not work anymore — faulty battery) + its charging dock
  • 2 x LG Nexus 4 (which work perfectly with Android Lollipop)
  • 2 x original Asus Nexus 7 (one works great with Lollipop, the other one has failed — faulty Flash memory I guess)
  • 2 x newer Asus Nexus 7 (running flawlessly with Android Marshmallow)
  • 2 x original Chromecast (running flawlessly)

Nexus products are really excellent. We have been using them for years now and we’re very satisfied. Unfortunately, they are not available for purchase in Mauritius and, consequently, we need to ask friends and family from abroad to get them for us.

Lately, I got a used LG G3 in Mauritius and it’s the first smartphone I have which is not a Nexus. And, to be frank, since installing the Google Launcher and customising a few things here and there, I don’t see a lot of difference with my Nexus devices.

Anyway, this was an opportunity for me to brag about my love for anything made by Google (as you rightly deduced) 🙂