A hands-on course in which learners build a simple general-purpose computer in simulation, starting from NAND gates: logic gates, an ALU, RAM, a CPU, and then an assembler, virtual machine, and compiler pieces. Based on the book The Elements of Computing Systems, it is offered as a Coursera course (Coursera course materials are linked from the official nand2tetris site).

Commenters praise it for making you build a working computer from logic gates and then program it in assembly, which they say teaches architecture far better than reading about it.

On Reddit (8)

1. Strongly recommendsBisestror/programming2022in “From Nand to Tetris”

   I did it in coursera great course. Very well structured. Great exercises, great explanations. You are made building a computer from logic gates. Cool! Recommended!

2. Strongly recommendsDonnyTheWalrusr/learnprogramming2016in “What's a good source for learning how code works to become a command that the cpu understands.”▲ 3

   Yes, this course is excellent. Rather than just something you read, the profs here have you build a computer (in simulation) from nothing more than Nand gates. It's the best course I've ever taken. I've also read Code: Hidden Language, but building a full adder, RAM, an ALU, a CPU, etc, and…

3. Recommendsnofapnotr/learnprogramming2020in “How do you program a programming language?”▲ 1

   Take the course on Coursera called From NAND to Tetris.

4. RecommendsTuberomixr/learnprogramming2020in “I wrote up every module that I took in my CS degree with a list of searchable terms.”▲ 2

   Not sure what you're asking. This is just the CS syllabus for my university. If you want to start studying a university-level CS course (without actually going to university), I recommend trying out Harvard's CS50x online course. There are many more university-level courses you can take after…

5. Recommendsmmddevr/learnprogramming2020in “Why did you give up on teaching yourself programming?”▲ 1

   This book isn't for you but I would recommend CS50 and the book Elements of Computing Systems. Alternatively, you can take the course 'FROM NAND TO TETRIS'.

6. RecommendsHelpIProcrastinater/learnprogramming2019in “As a self taught developer, i feel like i missed out on a lot of CS theory/basics. Good curriculums to catch up with ?”▲ 9

   Nand2Tetris is great at teaching computer architecture, currently doing in rn. Edit: if anyone wants to take the course, know that there are also free Coursera lectures that go along with the course which is very helpful and sometimes easier to learn from than the supplied papers. I watch them at…

7. Recommendsfb39ca4r/programming2015in “Transistor-level simulation of the Atari 2600”

   Check out From NAND to Tetris. http://nand2tetris.org/ There's an online course on Coursera using these materials, which I am currently taking. You use a hardware simulator with a simplified, but serviceable HDL language, and build a computer system starting from NAND gates. I highly recommend it.

8. Mentionsrby90r/learnprogramming2017in “university-level comprehensive CS course”

   The first sentence from TYCS says, "If you’re a self-taught engineer or bootcamp grad, you owe it to yourself to learn computer science." They do expect some experience prior. Honestly, with CS50 you'll find way more support for when you get stuck. The courses/books in TYCS are truly self study…

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