# Algorithms for Optimization by Kochenderfer and Wheeler

10 Hacker News commenters recommended Algorithms for Optimization by Kochenderfer and Wheeler and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 1 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a detailed introduction to optimization algorithms, with clear figures, motivation and implementations. Critics say it gives a high-level overview with little practical usage.

## Why people recommend it

- Detailed introduction with motivation and derivations (2 comments): "Alg4Opt covers more topics, providing the motivation behind the algorithm, sometimes a basic derivation, and a concrete implementation." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46112875)) "Gives the right amount of depth to serve as a detailed introduction" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46104494))
- Strong convexity and multiobjective chapters (2 comments): "especially the advanced methods for establishing convexity one" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46110554)) "excellent chapter on multiobjective optimization" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46106395))
- Good depth and useful field overview (2 comments): "Gives the right amount of depth to serve as a detailed introduction" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46104494)) "looks like a useful overview of the field" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46107742))

## What people warn about

- High-level overview with little practical usage (1 comments): "This book provides a high level overview of many methods without really hinting at the practical usage" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46103132))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Mathematics for Computer Science by Lehman, Leighton and Meyer](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mathematics-for-computer-science.md): 8 recommend
- [Numerical Recipes by Press et al.](https://hackerapproved.com/p/numerical-recipes.md): 7 recommend
- [Concrete Mathematics by Graham, Knuth and Patashnik](https://hackerapproved.com/p/concrete-mathematics.md): 7 recommend
- [Start Doing Graph Theory by Sam Burns](https://hackerapproved.com/p/start-doing-graph-theory.md): 7 recommend
- [Visual Complex Analysis by Tristan Needham](https://hackerapproved.com/p/visual-complex-analysis.md): 5 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262039427?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780262039420) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Algorithms for Optimization by Kochenderfer and Wheeler", https://hackerapproved.com/p/algorithms-for-optimization/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).