Introduction

This textbook will introduce you to the exciting and complex world of computer science. In this chapter, you’ll review the history of computer science, learn about its use in different fields, and explore how computer science will impact the future of society. Computer science is a powerful tool, and computer scientists have used their vast knowledge of technology to create and implement technology that has transformed societies around the world.

This book will also introduce the computational thinking aspects of problem-solving and analytical thinking that enable the study of algorithms, which are step-by-step instructions for solving specific problems or carrying out computations. Therefore, this book also covers algorithms and their realization via programming languages, computer systems architectures, networks, and operating systems. The book subsequently delves into computer science areas that enable the design and development of software solutions using high-level programming languages (i.e., coding languages designed to be more intuitive for humans), architectural styles and related models, data management systems, and software engineering. Finally, the book demonstrates how to leverage computer science realizations and areas to build modern end-to-end solutions to business and social problems. In particular, the book focuses on modern web applications development, cloud-native applications development, and hybrid Cloud/on-premise digital solutions. The various chapters emphasize how to achieve software solution qualities such as performance and scalability. The last chapter explains how to secure software applications and their applications in the context of various cyber threats. It also explains how to make the right decisions about using computers and information in society to navigate social, ethical, economic, and political issues that could result from the misuse of technology. To conclude this textbook, we’ll introduce you to cybersecurity and help you understand why responsible computing is essential to promote ethical behavior in computer science. The book is designed to help students grasp the full meaning of computer science as a tool that can help them think, build meaningful solutions to complex problems, and motivate their careers in information technology (IT).

You’re already familiar with computer science. Whenever you use a laptop, tablet, cell phone, credit card reader, and other technology, you interact with items made possible by computer science. Computer science is a challenging field, and the outputs of computer science offer many benefits for society. At the same time, we have to be cautious about how we use computer science to ensure it impacts society in ethical ways. To help you understand this, the next section will explain how computer science came to be and discuss the field’s potential.