How Computers Really Work: A Hands-On Guide to the Inner Workings of the Machine

From Amps to Apps: How Computers Work is an approachable, hands-on guide to understanding how computers work, from low-level circuits to modern software.

From Amps to Apps: How Computers Work takes an informal approach to topics often reserved for textbooks. Each chapter covers one foundational aspect of computing. Exercises and hands-on activities throughout are designed to help you learn. Exercises mostly involve mental problem solving, while hands-on activities require you to actually try various aspects of computing: building a circuit, writing software, and so forth.

You will learn about electrical circuits, learn how to read a circuit diagram, and build a working circuit. You'll learn how computer hardware like processors, memory, and input/output work and fit together; how low-level machine code runs on a processor; and how to examine the machine code of software running on a computer. You'll gain an understanding of the differences between programming languages like C and Python; examine operating systems; use tools to explore your local network and the Internet; and build a simple web page. The book's primary goal is to give you a broad understanding of how computers work and to offer a big-picture view of computing and the foundational information needed to dig deeper into topics that interest you.

Matthew Justice, a software engineer, spent 17 years at Microsoft where his work included debugging the Windows kernel, developing automated fixes, and leading a team of engineers building diagnostic tools and services. He has worked on everything from low-level software to high-level web applications.