I've noticed that many beginners tend to skip the foundational Computer Science (CS) concepts and dive straight into more complex topics. I'm curious about what the vital fundamentals are—like data structures, networking, etc.—that should be learned first and will help build a solid foundation for tackling more advanced topics later on. Any insights would be appreciated! Thanks!
1 Answer
Opinions on this can definitely vary, but I think the key fundamentals include:
- Introductory programming
- Discrete math
- Data structures and algorithms
From there, it really depends on the program you’re in. Some universities focus more on theoretical courses, like the theory of computation, while others emphasize areas such as operating systems or computer architecture. Overall, you’ll also find various topics under the CS umbrella, including databases, networking, numerical analysis, software engineering, cybersecurity, machine learning, AI, and more!
Great response, thanks for the insights!
That’s pretty much what I was thinking. It’s been a while since my degree—25 years to be exact—but I’d expect that there’s a lot more emphasis on topics like cybersecurity, AI, cloud computing, etc., these days.