Algorithms + data structures=programs

What Hacker News says

1. ignoramousMar 2026
   > This kind of exploration can be a really positive use case for AI I think

   Not sure if SoTA codegen models are capable of navigating design space and coming up with optimal solutions. Like for cybersecurity, may be specialized models (like DeepMind's Sec-Gemini), if there are any, might?

   I reckon, a programmer who already has learnt about / explored the design space, will be able to prompt more pointedly and evaluate the output qualitatively.

   > sometimes a barrier to getting started for me

   Plenty great books on the topic (:

   Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs (1976), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithms_%2B_Data_Structures...

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2. munificentJul 2024
   > This is the smallest and simplest exposition that i know of on how to write a compiler.

   I haven't read Kernighan and Pike's book but another really small compiler exposition I like is Wirth's PL/0 in "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs". A little outdated at this point, but still a very pleasant read.

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3. munificentFeb 2024
   I love old books too. One I really really enjoyed is Wirth's "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs". It's so well written, and beautifully typeset and bound. Just a lovely little artifact.
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4. munificentJan 2024
   I haven't read that one yet, but "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs" is just an absolutely beautiful gem of a book. It embodies his principles of simplicity and clarity. Even though it's outdated in many places, I adored reading it.
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5. squarefootJan 2024
   This is a huge loss in computer science. Everyone interested in computing, no matter if using other languages than Pascal or derivatives, should read his "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs" book. R.I.P.
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6. HumblyTossedJan 2024
   A great loss. I cherish my copy of "Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs". I re-read it every couple of years.
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