The Nature of Code

By Daniel Shiffman,

Book cover of The Nature of Code

Book description

How can we capture the unpredictable evolutionary and emergent properties of nature in software?

How can understanding the mathematical principles behind our physical world help us to create digital worlds?

This book focuses on a range of programming strategies and techniques behind computer simulations of natural systems, from elementary concepts…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Nature of Code as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

If you want your interactive graphics to feel like they are real objects—real things moving around on the screen—then you have to learn how to mimic the natural world. For an object to feel like it has weight, you have to mimic gravity. For a flock of birds to feel real, you have to mimic how real birds swarm in the sky. Yes, this does involve little math. But fortunately, Dan is a superstar teacher, and he will gently walk you through (a) the math and (b) how to translate that math into code.

Speaking of code, this book uses…

Want books like The Nature of Code?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 57 books like The Nature of Code.

Browse books like The Nature of Code

Book cover of Getting Started with p5.js: Making Interactive Graphics in JavaScript and Processing
Book cover of Aesthetic Programming: A Handbook of Software Studies
Book cover of Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,593

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in computer programming, python, and algorithms?

Python 30 books
Algorithms 36 books