I'm a high school junior interested in computer science, and I'm curious about what books college seniors in this major are reading. Anyone know some must-reads or books that really help prepare for final years?
Definitely, there are some books that are often widely recommended to computer science students, especially as they approach their final years and start to prepare for their careers.
1. "Introduction to the Theory of Computation" by Michael Sipser is an excellent read when it comes to understanding the theoretical aspects of computer science.
2. "Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship" by Robert C. Martin. This book helps you in understanding how to write high-quality code that is manageable and efficient.
3. "Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software" by Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides (also known as the "Gang of Four"). This book introduces the concept of design patterns in software engineering and is a must for anyone working on larger projects.
4. "Algorithms" by Robert Sedgewick & Kevin Wayne. It's a comprehensive book that offers in-depth knowledge about various types of algorithms.
5. "Cracking the Coding Interview" by Gayle Laakmann McDowell is often read by those preparing for tech job interviews as it provides insight into the kinds of problems you may be asked to solve during interviews.
6. "You Don't Know JS" (series) by Kyle Simpson. This is a series of books diving deep into the core mechanisms of JavaScript, perfect if you want to emphasize web development.
Remember, however, depending on your interests in computer science (like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, or data science), there might be field-specific books that you may find useful.
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