Map of Computer Science

Computer science is the subject that studies what computers can do and investigates the best ways you can solve the problems of the world with them. It is a huge field overlapping pure mathematics, engineering and many other scientific disciplines. In this video I summarise as much of the subject as I can and show how the areas are related to each other.

#computer #science #DomainOfScience

You can buy this poster here:

A couple of notes on this video:
1. Some people have commented that I should have included computer security alongside hacking, and I completely agree, that was an oversight on my part. Apologies to all the computer security professionals, and thanks for all the hard work!
2. I also failed to mention interpreters alongside compilers in the complier section. Again, I’m kicking myself because of course this is an important concept for people to hear about. Also the layers of languages being compiled to other languages is overly convoluted, in practice it is more simple than this. I guess I should have picked one simple example.
3. NP-complete problems are possible to solve, they just become very difficult to solve very quickly as they get bigger. When I said NP-complete and then "impossible to solve", I meant that the large NP-complete problems that industry is interested in solving were thought to be practically impossible to solve.

I also write a series of children’s science books call Professor Astro Cat, these links are to the publisher, but they are available in all good bookshops around the world in 18 languages and counting:

Find me on twitter, Instagram, and my website:

[domainofscience]

Hey thanks for all the comments! Yes I agree that I should have added in computer security alongside hacking. It is a huge and important field so I regret leaving it off. And I should also have mentioned interpreters along with compilers as this is an important concept, especially having coded a fair amount of python I have no excuses. I added a couple of notes in the video description.

Thanks for pointing these omissions out, and thanks for all the words of encouragement as well. I was trying something new with the graphic design on this one, trying to match the look to the subject matter and I think it worked out well.

[thomk]

The more I learn, the more I feel I don't know anything at all

[giantrunt]

This color scheme is the most beautiful ever. Dark blue, Neon blue, neon pink, dark purple.... Just beautiful.

[nilsinilsih]

I started my 'Computer Engineering' course this year, at age 32. Sometimes I feel so bad in the classes, cause I'm "too old", and everyone else there is almost teenagers. Also, at this age, everyone expect me to have childrens and a job, not to be in college. But now, watching this video, this made me so PROUND and happy. All of this is too beatifull, and I'll do whatever it takes. Science is my passion since I was a kid, and this is all that really matter.

[divyanshujain]

I am a final year Computer Science Engineering student and I would like to say, you literally videoed my entire 4 year course work briefly in 10 minutes. Great work.

[ChuppaChuck]

C++ is not compiled to C anymore. It used to be in the early stages of it's development. Now it's compiled straight into assembly.

[markzuckerbread]

I watched this video when it first came out as a high schooler, and I must say, now that I have finished my CS degree, it hits different, its like looking at the top of the mountain from below and looking down from atop the mountain after you've finally conquered it, thanks a lot!

[iimdj_]

I remember watching this videos in 2017, i was 13 at the time, now i'm 18 and studying Computer Science, a mad & special thank you dude, it is really an interesting field to study in. you made me find my passion, thank you again.

-Hamad

[Charlie]

Computer science has to be treated like all the other science based subjects such as physics, chemistry or biology.
It's a shame most schools don't take CS as a serious subject.

[BangMaster]

As a Computer Science student, this was so fun to watch. I got to see a bird's eye view of the vast and ever growing field of Computer Science.
Thank You for making this video.

[julientomezach]

Again, a great job at synthesizing an entire domain without over simplifying the core concepts. I found it useful even if I did study computer science in college and currently working in the field.

[MrAndrewiphone]

This video is a work of art. I´ve watched like 9 times, one for each semester of CS

[justjake]

Me: *just graduated with CS degree*
Friends & Family: So what do you want to do?
Me: Uhhh... let me show you this video

[omarsaif]

The Turing machine reminds me of protein synthesis.

[atwarwithlife]

the way everything syncs — including his voice and the music — is unbelievably good.

[Suzza]

Wow what a good video! After almost 4 and a half years of studying computer science, this pretty much includes everything I've learned. Beautiful visuals as well! Now I know what to show people when they ask what computer science is about.

[abrarmahi]

as a cs student this poured a bucket of passion into me

**Update: I will be a algorithms development intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center summer 2022**

[rivimey]

(Speaking as 35+ year SE) Very, very good summary. Well done.

I think of Computer Science as being what you call Pure CS, and Software Engineering as being the application of CS (and other disciplines) in a problem domain to solve problems. E.g. CS + SE + Genomics => bioinformatics

I love the point you make about SE being an Art: it cannot be anything else given are so many variables, and so much that can never be known. Designing applications (software architecture) is IMO an underrated artform.

One of my favourite comments is that even "simple" computer programs (your web browser, for example) are some of the most complex constructions humans have ever created, and the fact that we can get even most of the way there (moduo bugs) is thanks not to science (truth/knowledge) but to engineering (apply what you know to extend knowledge into what you don't) -- Pure CS lags a long way behind what Software engineers are asked to do routinely.

[ArcE_]

I am a software engineering student, and I feel small seeing this, like I'm just a part of a big universe and I want it all. Especially the machine learning part.

[tiashkaseetal]

First year of computer science, had my heart set on a cyber security major but looking over at this map my eyes have been completely OPENED and beginning to look more over into computational physics and quantum computers.Thank You!