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{{Short description|Computer science textbook}}

{{redirectRedirect|SICP}}

{{refimprove|date=June 2011}}

{{Infobox book

| italic title = force

| name = Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP)

| image = SICP cover.jpg

| caption = Cover of the second edition

| author = [[Harold Abelson]], [[Gerald Jay Sussman]], Julie Sussman

| cover_artist =

| country =

| series =

| subject = [[Computer programmingscience]]

| genre = [[Textbook]]

| publisher = [[MIT Press]]

| pub_date = 19851984 (1st ed.), 1996 (2nd ed.), 2022 ([[Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, JavaScript Edition|JavaScript ed.]])

| media_type =

| pages = 657

| isbn = 0-262-51087-1

| isbn_note = (2nd ed.)

| oclc =

| dewey =

| congress = QA76.6 .A255 1996

| website = {{URL|mitpress.mit.edu/sicp}}

}}

'''''Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs''''' ('''''SICP''''') is a [[computer science]] textbook by [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] professors [[Harold Abelson]] and [[Gerald Jay Sussman]] with Julie Sussman. It is known as the "Wizard Book" in [[hacker culture]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Raymond |first1=Eric S. |url=http://archive.org/details/newhackersdictio00raym |title=The New hacker's dictionary |last2=Steele |first2=Guy |date=1991 |___location=Cambridge, Massachusetts| publisher = MIT Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-262-68069-1}}</ref> It teaches fundamental principles of [[computer programming]], including [[recursion]], [[Abstraction (computer science)|abstraction]], [[Modular programming|modularity]], and [[programming language]] [[Metalinguistic abstraction|design]] and [[Programming language implementation|implementation]].

'''''Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs''''' ('''''SICP''''') is a textbook aiming to teach the principles of computer programming, such as [[abstraction (computer science)|abstraction]] in programming, [[metalinguistic abstraction]], [[recursion]], [[interpreter (computing)|interpreters]], and [[modular programming]]. It is widely considered a classic text in [[computer science]],<ref>{{citation | url = http://grokcode.com/11/the-top-9-in-a-hackers-bookshelf/ |title= Grok code | contribution = The Top 9{{frac |1|2}} Books in a Hacker's Bookshelf |accessdate = 2010-10-23}}</ref> and is colloquially known as the '''wizard book''', due to the wizard on the jacket.<ref>{{Citation | contribution = Wizard Book | title = The New Hacker's Dictionary | edition = 2nd | year = 1993 | contribution-url = http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/}}.</ref> It was first published in 1985 by [[MIT Press]] and written by [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) professors [[Harold Abelson]] and [[Gerald Jay Sussman]], with Julie Sussman. It was formerly used as the textbook of MIT introductory programming class and at other schools. Before SICP, the introductory courses were almost always filled with learning the details of some programming language, while SICP focuses on finding general patterns from specific problems and building software tools that embody each pattern.<ref>{{Citation | last = Harvey | first = B | year = 2011 | contribution-url = http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~bh/sicp.html | contribution = Why SICP matters? | title = The 150th anniversary of MIT | publisher = [[Boston Globe]]}}.</ref>

[[MIT Press]] published the first edition in 1984, and the second edition in 1996. It was used as the textbook for MIT's introductory course in [[computer science]] from 1984 to 2007. SICP focuses on discovering general [[Pattern|patterns]] for solving specific problems, and building [[Software system|software systems]] that make use of those patterns.<ref>{{Citation |last=Harvey |first=B |year=2011 |contribution-url=http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~bh/sicp.html |contribution=Why SICP matters? |title=The 150th anniversary of MIT |publisher=[[Boston Globe]]}}.</ref>

==Content==

Using [[Scheme (programming language)|Scheme]], a dialect of the [[Lisp programming language]], the book explains core computer science concepts.

MIT Press published a [[JavaScript]] version of the book in 2022.<ref>{{Cite book |publisher=MIT Press |year=2022 |url=https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/structure-and-interpretation-computer-programs-1 |title=Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs: JavaScript Edition |isbn=9780262543231}}</ref>

The book also introduces a practical implementation of the [[register machine]] concept, defining and developing an [[Assembly language#Assember|assembler]] for such a construct, which is used as a [[virtual machine]] for the implementation of interpreters and compilers in the book, and as a testbed for illustrating the implementation and effect of modifications to the evaluation mechanism. Working Scheme systems based on the design described in this book are quite common student projects.

== Content ==

The book describes computer science concepts using [[Scheme (programming language)|Scheme]], a dialect of [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]]. It also uses a [[virtual machine|virtual]] [[register machine]] and [[Assembly language#Assembler|assembler]] to implement Lisp [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreters]] and [[compiler]]s.

Topics in the books are:

=== Chapter 1: Building [[Abstraction (computer science)|Abstractions]] with [[Function (computer programming)|Procedures]] ===

# The Elements of Programming

# Procedures and the [[Process (computing)|Processes]] They Generate

# Formulating Abstractions with Higher-Order Procedures

=== Chapter 2: Building Abstractions with [[Data]] ===

# Introduction to Data Abstraction

# Hierarchical Data and the [[Closure (mathematics)|Closure Property]]

# Symbolic Data

# Multiple Representations for Abstract Data

# Systems with Generic Operations

=== Chapter 3: Modularity, [[Object (computer science)|Objects]], and [[State (computer science)|State]] ===

# [[Assignment (computer science)|Assignment]] and [[Local variable|Local State]]

# The Environment Model of Evaluation

# Modeling with Mutable Data

# [[Concurrency (computer science)|Concurrency]]: Time Is of the Essence

# Streams

=== Chapter 4: [[Metalinguistics|Metalinguistic]] Abstraction ===

# The [[Meta-circular evaluator|Metacircular Evaluator]]

# Variations on a Scheme – [[Lazy evaluation|Lazy Evaluation]]

# Variations on a Scheme – [[Nondeterministic algorithm|Nondeterministic Computing]]

# [[Logic programming|Logic Programming]]

=== Chapter 5: Computing with [[Register machine|Register Machines]] ===

# Designing [[Register machine|Register Machines]]

# A Register-Machine Simulator

# [[Register allocation|Storage Allocation]] and [[Garbage collection (computer science)|Garbage Collection]]

# The Explicit-Control Evaluator

# Compilation

== Characters ==

TheSeveral book uses somehumorously-named fictional characters repeatedlyappear in the book:

* Alyssa P. Hacker:, a Lisp [[hacker]]

* Ben Bitdiddle. He considerably predates this class, having been created by Steve Ward for use in problem sets for its predecessor, 6.031, in the 1970s. He has since appeared in a large number of other locations, including other classes at MIT and other institutions.{{Citation needed|date= January 2012}}

* Ben Bitdiddle

* Eva Lu Ator: the evaluator

* [[Side effect (computer science)|Cy D. Fect:]], Aa "reformed C programmer."

* Louis Reasoner: the loose reasoner

* [[Evaluator|Eva Lu Ator]]

* Alyssa P. Hacker: a Lisp hacker

* Lem E. Tweakit

* Cy D. Fect: A "reformed C programmer."

* Louis Reasoner:, thea "loose reasoner"

* Lem E. Tweakit: an irate user of Alyssa's interval arithmetic, enters p.&nbsp;96.

== License ==

The book is licensed under a [[Creative Commons]] Attribution -ShareAlike 4.0 LicenseInternational (CC BY-SA 4.0) license.<ref>{{CitationCite web |url=http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/ |title = SICP | publisher = MIT pressPress |access-date=2007-11-11 url |archive-date=2017-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226134539/http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/ |url-status=dead }}.</ref>

The book is licensed under a [[Creative Commons]] Attribution ShareAlike 4.0 License.<ref>{{Citation | title = SICP | publisher = MIT press | url = http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/}}.</ref>

== Coursework ==

The book was used as the textbook offor MIT's oldformer introductory programming classcourse, 6.001.,<ref>{{cite web | url = httphttps://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWebcourses/Electricalelectrical-Engineeringengineering-and-Computercomputer-Sciencescience/6-001Spring001-structure-and-interpretation-of-computer-programs-spring-2005/CourseHome/ | work = OpenCourseWare | title = Electrical Engineering and Computer Science &#124; 6.001 Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs |date=Spring 2005 |website=OpenCourseWare |publisher = MIT | accessdate access-date=20112020-06-2821}}</ref> Thisfrom classfall has1984 beenthrough replacedits bylast 6.0001semester,<ref>{{Citation|title=Catalog|url=http://student.mit.edu/catalog/search.cgi?search=6.0001|contribution=6.0001|publisher=MIT}}.</ref> whichin usesfall [[Python (programming language)|Python]]2007.<ref>{{Citation | first = Donald | last = Guy | quote = I talked to Professor Sussman on the phone... He said that he'd actually been trying to have 6.001 replaced for the last ten years (and I read somewhere that Professor Abelson was behind the move too). Understanding the principles is not essential for an introduction to the subject matter anymore. He sees 6.001 as obsolete. | url =http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/the_end_of_an_era_1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821202714/http://www.mitadmissions.org/topicsblogs/learning/courseworkentry/the_end_of_an_era_1.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=2018-08-21 |title = MIT Admissions | type = blog comment | contribution = The End of an Era | accessdate access-date= 2008-08-05}}.</ref> Other schools also made use of the book as a course textbook.<ref>{{cite web| first = Edward C | last = Martin | url= httphttps://wwwmitpress.schemersmit.comedu/schoolssites/default/files/sicp/adopt-list.html | title=Universities and Colleges Using SchoolsSICP |publisher=MIT SchemersPress |access-date = 20092022-0703-2030 |accessdatearchive-date= 20112022-0604-28}}</ref> The second edition23 ({{ISBN|0archive-262url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423072605/https://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/sicp/adopt-51087list.html |url-1status=dead }}) appeared in 1996.</ref>

More recently it is used as the textbook of MIT's Large Scale Symbolic Systems class, 6.945.<ref>http://eduapps.mit.edu/textbook/books.html?Term=2016SP&Subject=6.945</ref>

== Reception ==

''[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]'' recommended SICP in 1986 "for professional programmers who are really interested in their profession". The magazine statedsaid that the book was not easy to read, but that it would expose experienced programmers to both old and new topics.<ref name="kilov198611">{{cite news book|url=https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1986-11/page/n83/mode/1up| title=Byte StructureMagazine andVolume Interpretation11 ofNumber Computer12: ProgramsKnowledge Representation| work=Byte | date=November 1986|language=English | accessdatepage=4 November 201370 | last =Kilov | first = Haim | page = 70}}</ref>

A review of SICP as an undergraduate textbook by [[Philip Wadler]] noted the weaknesses of the Scheme language as an introductory language for a computer science course.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wadler |first=P |date=1987-03-01 |title=A critique of Abelson and Sussman or why calculating is better than scheming |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/24697.24706 |journal= ACM SIGPLAN Notices|volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=83–94 |doi=10.1145/24697.24706 |issn=0362-1340}}</ref> Wadler criticized in particular the lack of [[pattern matching]], obscuring [[equational reasoning]] and making the teaching of proofs harder; the lack of [[Algebraic data type|algebraic data types]] in Scheme and the over-reliance on [[cons]] pairs for both code and data representation, which can confuse beginning students; and the choice of [[Strict evaluation|strict]] instead of [[lazy evaluation]] as the standard evaluation strategy.

== Influence ==

SICP has been influential in computer science education, and a number ofseveral later books have been inspired by its style.

* ''[[Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics]] (SICM)'', another book that uses Scheme as an instructional element, by Gerald Jay Sussman thatand usesJack SchemeWisdom

* ''[[Software Design for Flexibility]]'', by Chris Hanson and Gerald Jay Sussman
* ''[[How to Design Programs]] (HtDP)'', which intends to be a more accessible book for introductory Computer Science, and to address perceived incongruitiesdeficiencies in SICP

* ''[[Essentials of Programming Languages]] (EoPL)'', a book for Programming Languages courses

* ''[[Lisp in Small Pieces]] (LiSP)'', a book full of Scheme interpreters and compilers

== See also ==

* ''[[Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools]]''{{snd}} also known as ''The Dragon Book''

== References ==

{{reflist|30emReflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://{{Official website|mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/ Official site] including textbook in HTML}}

* [httphttps://groups.csailocw.mit.edu/mac/classescourses/6.-001/abelson-sussmanstructure-and-interpretation-of-computer-programs-spring-2005/video_galleries/video-lectures/ Video Lectureslectures]

* [https://media.githubusercontent.com/media/sarabander/sicp-pdf/master/sicp.pdf Book compiled from TeX source]

* [https://xuanji.appspot.com/isicp/ Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs. Interactive Version]

{{Lisp programming language}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:19851984 non-fiction books]]

[[Category:1996 non-fiction books]]

[[Category:Computer science books]]

[[Category:Computer programming books]]

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[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]