# Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and Sussman

12 Hacker News commenters recommended Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and Sussman and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 9 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a classic programming text that teaches computer science concepts through Scheme, with free online and PDF versions. Caveat: problems are mostly toy examples.

## Why people recommend it

- Taught through Scheme (3 comments): "I wouldn't be half the computer programmer, that I am today, without going the SICP and Scheme way." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46028349)) "it's worth at least trying to go through SICP in Scheme" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48853964)) "the SICP it's cool to do with Chicken Scheme" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49257839))
- Shaped how people program and think (2 comments): "I wouldn't be half the computer programmer, that I am today, without going the SICP and Scheme way." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46028349)) "All of this had a lasting effect on how I program and think." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48380489))
- Accessible online and as PDF (2 comments): "Online, interactive SICP in the browser, you don't need to install anything" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49308409)) "Get the SICP PDF and start doing SICP." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47824012))
- Elegant, inspiring examples (2 comments): "I always found the beginning of SICP (the wizard-programmer analogy) quite inspiring and fun" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46174241)) "the problems are mostly toys - useful elegant examples" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48751115))

## What people warn about

- Problems are mostly toy examples (1 comments): "the problems are mostly toys - useful elegant examples" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48751115))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and Sussman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/structure-and-interpretation-of-computer-programs.md): 55 recommend
- [The Art of Computer Programming by Donald E. Knuth](https://hackerapproved.com/p/art-of-computer-programming.md): 28 recommend
- [Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Nielsen and Chuang](https://hackerapproved.com/p/quantum-computation-and-quantum-information.md): 12 recommend
- [Digital Design and Computer Architecture by Harris and Harris](https://hackerapproved.com/p/digital-design-and-computer-architecture.md): 8 recommend
- [Types and Programming Languages by Benjamin C. Pierce](https://hackerapproved.com/p/types-and-programming-languages.md): 7 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=SICP+by+Abelson+and+Sussman&tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and Sussman", https://hackerapproved.com/p/sicp/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).