Which field of computer science is best to learn

[Ash Champ]

Im 18 and I enjoy learning about computers, I built my first PC around 3 years ago and I am trying to keep up with computing. I know it is not possible to understand all areas of computer science, so I want to get an understanding of which fields ie. networking, data science, AI... will have the biggest influence and which to learn? I am trying to learn python as I think it would be a skill that helps in the future and lay a foundation to better understanding computers.

[Oshino Shinobu]

Honestly, I would go for a broad range now while you can, then you can specialise and focus on an area later on, either during education or in the work place. I'd go for something you find you enjoy or understand better than other areas. 

 

I went into my computing education with the expectation that I'd go into programming but I ended up hating it. I now work in a mixture of security and systems administration and I've found I enjoy scripting and automation, which is now where I'm studying in my downtime. I still hate programming, despite how similar scripting and programming are on the surface. 

[TetraSky]

36 minutes ago, Ash Champ said:

networking, data science, AI... will have the biggest influence and which to learn?

Never know what the future has in store for us.

 

Basic things, like Networking, will always need humans. To wire up the place and what not.

The rest, like programming, data science and what not... I wouldn't be surprised if we were replaced by AI at some point or another.

As such, AI research might be a good place to go if you wanted to.

Personally, I initially wanted to go in Cyber Security, but went for "industrial electronics" instead. It's basically things like electronics (make our own PCB to solder on parts, etc...), electricity, automation, robotics, etc... So much fucking math...

[kelvinhall05]

Learn what interests you, not what you think will be needed in 5-10 years.

[wasab]

Regardless what specialized field, all CS program, from those at Havard to those in community college, will all be teaching common key subjects just like all high schools, regardless what country and curriculum, will at least be teaching algebra, physics, chemistry, and whatnots.

 

 

If you are interested in cs, learn these subjects first because regardless what specialized field you want to go into, you will be learning them regardless and so they are a good trial to see if cs is for you. I will list these subjects below. 

 

1) Intro to programming: which more or less teaches at least one object oriented programming language like java/C++

 

 

2) data structure : which is more or less descrete mathematical structure(trees, map, ect) implemented in computer code and programming constructs. 

 

3) algorithm: cream of computer science, teaches you to optimize your code to min-max computational and space efficiency

 

4) computational theory: another classical and fundamental field of computer science like algorithm. Teaches turing machine and automata. 

 

5) software engineering: wasn't originally part of cs curriculum but now nearly universal because of industry/bussiness demands. Teaches more about engineering diagrams(class, state, activity diagram ect) and team work than actual computer science or programming, based on my experience anyways. My school branched out actual techniques of building large application, techniques of writing code like different programming paradigms/design patterns, and widely used industry grade framework like react and java spring into its own separate course called fundamental of software development.

 

6) discrete math: mathematical theories relevant to cs, see #2, 3 and 4.

 

So it might be good idea to experiment and learn a bit about these first, because they are there regardless what fields you specialize in and your school offers. 

 

Edit: if you are simply intellectually curious about how a computer works under the hood, operating system and assembly language are good areas to explore. 

[Haris Javed]

I am a data scientist so I would say data science, but this is just an umbrella term for many different disciplines. For example you can go into mathematics side of it, you can go into computer vision side of it, you can even go into reinforcement learning. One of my fellow co-workers is a neuroscientist and works as a data scientist to understand learning patterns of students. Many many flavors of it. I got my MS in applied Mathematics with dual undergraduate degree in mathematics and physics. One thing I would suggest is that regardless of your CS path make sure you get the public skills to explain your reasoning and results in simple terms that anyone who is not familiar with CS can understand.