Reference and Selective Reading

You do not need to read Computer Science Distilled front-to-back for this module. Use the concept and practice pages first. Open these only when you want the source-book explanation, a stronger example, or a deeper sweep of the same topic.

Scope Note

This reference page maps only the Computer Science Distilled material that supports the current Semester 0 breadth-first module.

It does not attempt to exhaust every section of the book. The point here is orientation, not full coverage of discrete math, database administration, compiler construction, or programming-language theory.

Read Only If Stuck

Optional Deep Dive

Source-Role Clarity

Primary teaching source: the concept and practice pages in this module
Selective reference: the linked Computer Science Distilled chunks that reinforce the main path
Exercise source: the drills and practice pages in this module
Official docs: not required here because this module is breadth-first and concept-heavy rather than tool-heavy
Optional deep dive: extra math, strategy, systems, and paradigm chunks for learners who want more texture

Concept-to-Source Map

Concept page	Best source if stuck	Why this source
Computer Science Starts With Models	1.1 Ideas and 1.2 Logic (Part 1)	Best for showing that CS begins with representation, process, and valid reasoning
Feasibility Is About Growth	2.1 Counting Time / The Big-O Notation / Exponentials	Best first explanation of dominant growth and why exponential work is a red flag
Strategy Beats Blind Search	3.3 Brute Force / Backtracking and 3.5 Heuristics	Best for recognizing strategy families and why early pruning matters
Abstractions Hide Memory Details	4.1 Abstract Data Types and 4.3 Structures (Part 1)	Best for separating interface from implementation
Databases Shape What Is Easy	6.1 Relational (Part 1), 6.2 Non-Relational, and 6.5 Serialization Formats	Best for beginner-level storage tradeoffs and data exchange
Your Code Runs Through Layers	7.1 Architecture (Part 1), 7.2 Compilers (Part 1), and 7.3 Memory Hierarchy (Part 1)	Best for understanding the source-to-machine stack
Languages Are Ways of Thinking	8.2 Variables and 8.3 Paradigms	Best for scope, types, and programming-paradigm framing

Direct Chunk Shortcuts By Need

If you need help with...	Best chunk
turning a problem into pseudocode	1.1 Ideas
remembering what Big O is actually for	2.1 Counting Time / The Big-O Notation / Exponentials
understanding brute force vs backtracking	3.3 Brute Force / Backtracking
deciding between a stack, queue, map, or list	4.2 Common Abstractions
arrays vs linked lists	4.3 Structures (Part 1)
schemas, primary keys, and foreign keys	6.1 Relational (Part 1)
document stores or graph databases	6.2 Non-Relational
why cache exists	7.3 Memory Hierarchy (Part 1)
scope, types, and paradigms	8.2 Variables and 8.3 Paradigms

Deliberately Deferred Source Areas

These are real parts of the book, but they are intentionally outside the main Semester 0 path:

Deferred area	Source chunk	Why it is deferred
heavier counting and probability detail	1.3 Counting and 1.4 Probability (Part 1)	useful later, but not required for the first mental map
operations research and deeper optimization sweep	5.4 Operations Research	too specialized for orientation breadth
distributed database detail	6.3 Distributed / Geographical	better after basic database tradeoffs are stable
deeper architecture details	7.1 Architecture (Part 2)	not needed for the first pass from code to machine

If you want more depth on those later, treat this table as a forward map rather than a missing-content list.

Scope Note​

Read Only If Stuck​

Optional Deep Dive​

Source-Role Clarity​

Concept-to-Source Map​

Direct Chunk Shortcuts By Need​

Deliberately Deferred Source Areas​