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href="https://nostarch.com/sites/default/files/styles/uc_product_full/public/Nature_of_Code_frontcover.png?itok=rcfN9e0O" title="The Nature of Code cover " class="colorbox" rel="uc_image_0"><img class="img-responsive" src="https://nostarch.com/sites/default/files/styles/uc_product/public/Nature_of_Code_frontcover.png?itok=Ec5ya_jt" alt="The Nature of Code cover" title="The Nature of Code cover " /></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-entity-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h1 class="page-header">The Nature of Code</h1></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-subtitle field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Simulating Natural Systems with JavaScript</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">by Daniel Shiffman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-released-date field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">July 2024, 640 pp.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-isbn13 field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix clearfix"><div class="field-label">ISBN-13: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">9781718503700</div></div></div><div class="add-to-cart"><form action="/nature-code" method="post" id="uc-product-add-to-cart-form-776" accept-charset="UTF-8"><div><div id="uc_product_add_to_cart_form-776-attributes" class="attributes"><div class="attribute attribute-1 odd"><div class="form-item form-item-attributes-1 form-type-radios form-group"><div id="edit-attributes-1" class="form-radios"><div class="form-item form-item-attributes-1 form-type-radio radio"> <label class="control-label" for="edit-attributes-1-5"><input type="radio" id="edit-attributes-1-5" name="attributes[1]" value="5" checked="checked" class="form-radio" />Print Book and FREE Ebook (PDF), $39.99</label> </div><div class="form-item form-item-attributes-1 form-type-radio radio"> <label class="control-label" for="edit-attributes-1-2"><input type="radio" id="edit-attributes-1-2" name="attributes[1]" value="2" class="form-radio" />Ebook (PDF, Mobi, and ePub), $31.99</label> </div></div></div></div></div><input type="hidden" name="qty" value="1" /> <input type="hidden" name="form_build_id" value="form-4nK3KHu7NPQDfiayltY-ikrtmSSLGD04HhW1mdKYFhI" /> <input type="hidden" name="form_id" value="uc_product_add_to_cart_form_776" /> <div class="form-actions form-wrapper form-group" id="edit-actions"><button class="node-add-to-cart btn btn-success form-submit icon-before" type="submit" id="edit-submit-776" name="op" value="Add to cart"><span class="icon glyphicon glyphicon-plus" aria-hidden="true"></span> Add to cart</button> </div></div></form></div><div class="field field-name-product-menu field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="menu-wrapper"><ul class="menu nav"><li><a href="#content">Contents</a></li><li><a href="#reviews">Reviews</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a class="btn btn-success downloadbutton" href="/download/NatureofCode_chapter7.pdf" style="font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">Download Chapter 7: Cellular Automata</a></p> <p><strong>Look Inside!</strong></p> <div class="lookinside"><a class="colorbox" href="/images/NatureofCode_p24_25.png"><img alt="Nature of Code pages 24-25" src="/images/NatureofCode_p24_25.png" style="border:1px solid; height:102px; margin:5px" title="Nature of Code pages 24–25" /></a><a class="colorbox" href="/images/NatureofCode_p134_135.png"><img alt="Nature of Code pages 134-135" src="/images/NatureofCode_p134_135.png" style="border:1px solid; height:102px; margin:5px" title="Nature of Code pages 134–135" /></a><a class="colorbox" href="/images/NatureofCode_p524_525.png"><img alt="Nature of Code pages 524-525" src="/images/NatureofCode_p524_525.png" style="border:1px solid; height:102px; margin:5px" title="Nature of Code pages 524–525" /></a></div> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">What if you could re-create the awe-inspiring flocking patterns of birds or the hypnotic dance of fireflies—with code? For over a decade, <em>The Nature of Code</em> has empowered countless readers to do just that, bridging the gap between creative expression and programming. This innovative guide by Daniel Shiffman, creator of the beloved Coding Train, welcomes budding and seasoned programmers alike into a world where code meets playful creativity.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">This JavaScript-based edition of Shiffman’s groundbreaking work gently unfolds the mysteries of the natural world, turning complex topics like genetic algorithms, physics-based simulations, and neural networks into accessible and visually stunning creations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">Embark on this extraordinary adventure with projects involving:</span></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="color:#000000"><strong>A physics engine:</strong> Simulate the push and pull of gravitational attraction.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Flocking birds:</strong> Choreograph the mesmerizing dance of a flock.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Branching trees:</strong> Grow lifelike and organic tree structures.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Neural networks:</strong> Craft intelligent systems that learn and adapt.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Cellular automata:</strong> Uncover the magic of self-organizing patterns.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Evolutionary algorithms:</strong> Play witness to natural selection in your code.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">Shiffman’s work has transformed thousands of curious minds into creators, breaking down barriers between science, art, and technology, and inviting readers to see code not just as a tool for tasks but as a canvas for boundless creativity.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">Whether you’re deciphering the elegant patterns of natural phenomena or crafting your own digital ecosystems, Shiffman’s guidance is sure to inform and inspire. <em>The Nature of Code</em> is not just about coding; it’s about looking at the natural world in a new way and letting its wonders inspire your next creation. Dive in and discover the joy of turning code into art—all while mastering coding fundamentals along the way.</span></span></span><br /> </p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">NOTE: All examples are written with p5.js, a JavaScript library for creative coding, and are available on the book's website. </span></span></span></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author-bio field-type-text-long field-label-abovec"><div class="field-label">Author Bio </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="font-family:Roboto,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:#ffffff"><strong>Daniel Shiffman</strong>, creator of the YouTube channel The Coding Train (</span></span><span style="background-color:#ffffff"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCodingTrain"><span style="color:#2980b9">www.youtube.com/c/TheCodingTrain</span></a></span><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:#ffffff">), spends much of his free time teaching nearly 2 million subscribers how to code through a blend of step-by-step tutorials and project videos. An associate arts professor at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and co-founder of the Processing Foundation, Shiffman is on a mission to empower curious learners and humans everywhere to express themselves through code.</span></span></span></span></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-toc field-type-text-long field-label-abovec" id="content"><div class="field-label">Table of contents </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Acknowledgments<br /> Introduction<br /> <strong>Chapter 0:</strong> Randomness<br /> <strong>Chapter 1:</strong> Vectors<br /> <strong>Chapter 2:</strong> Forces<br /> <strong>Chapter 3:</strong> Oscillation<br /> <strong>Chapter 4:</strong> Particle Systems<br /> <strong>Chapter 5:</strong> Autonomous Agents<br /> <strong>Chapter 6:</strong> Physics Libraries<br /> <strong>Chapter 7:</strong> Cellular Automata<br /> <strong>Chapter 8:</strong> Fractals<br /> <strong>Chapter 9:</strong> Evolutionary Computing<br /> <strong>Chapter 10:</strong> Neural Networks<br /> <strong>Chapter 11:</strong> Neuroevolution</p> <p>Appendix: Creature Design<br /> Image Credits<br /> Index</p> <p><a href="download/NatureofCode_copyright.pdf" style="text-decoration:underline;" target="_blank"><strong>View the Copyright page</strong></a><br /> <a href="/download/NatureofCode_detailedTOC.pdf" style="text-decoration:underline;" target="_blank"><strong>View the detailed Table of Contents</strong></a><br /> <a href="/download/NatureofCode_index.pdf" style="text-decoration:underline;" target="_blank"><strong>View the Index</strong></a></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-reviews field-type-text-long field-label-abovec" id="reviews"><div class="field-label">Reviews </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px">"Fred Rogers, Ted Lasso, Dan Shiffman. These are the people I want to emulate, to learn from, and to look up to. <em>The Nature of Code</em> is an incredibly deep but shockingly accessible overview of the JavaScript Language and the incredible mind of Dan Shiffman. What a joy to explore both!"<br /> <strong>—Scott Hanselman, VP Developer Community, Microsoft</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12px">"What a way to explain the complex! Dan has always had a knack for making the difficult seem easy on his wonderfully successful YouTube channel. Things are equally as wonderful in his book. The hands-on approach he encourages students to take before jumping into detailed analysis builds curiosity in any problem solver."<br /> <strong>—Ania Kubow, @aniakubow, Software Developer and Course Creator on "Code with Ania Kubow"</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:#ffffff">"I learned p5.js from Dan on The Coding Train. I remember the first time this happy bearded guy danced onto the screen… I fell down the rabbithole quickly and was hooked on Dan’s love of teaching, his dedication to making it fun, and his ability to distill complexity into simple concepts. The website for this book is especially impressive, with interactive and editable examples throughout. I can’t recommend this (and Dan!) highly enough."</span></span><br /> <strong>—Josh Sowin, founder at Hypertext Foundation</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12px">"Thanks to <em>The Nature of Code</em>, I've discovered just how creative, experimental, and enjoyable coding can be. This book complements Dan's popular YouTube channel, "The Coding Train," providing a seamless learning experience for those who enjoy visual and interactive content. It is a must-have for anyone looking to dive into the realm of creative coding!"<br /> <strong><strong>—Patt Vira, Creative Coder & Content Creator @pattvira</strong></strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12px">"A wonderful exploration of natural systems using approachable, witty, and smart examples that any programmer can read and implement on their own. Conversational and engaging, Dan has hit another home run with this one!"<br /> <strong>—Rob Conery, author of<em> The Imposter's Handbook</em></strong></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div></div></div> </div> </div> </section> <section id="block-shariff-shariff-block" class="block block-shariff clearfix"> <div class="shariff" data-services="["facebook","print","twitter"]" data-theme="colored" data-orientation="horizontal" data-twitter-via="nostarch" data-lang="en"></div> </section> </div> </section> <aside class="col-sm-3" role="complementary"> <div class="region region-sidebar-second"> <section id="block-system-navigation" class="block block-system block-menu clearfix"> <h2 class="block-title">Navigation</h2> <ul class="menu nav"><li class="first last leaf"><a href="/user" title="">My account</a></li> </ul> </section> <section id="block-block-52" class="block block-block clearfix"> <p><a href="/mailchimp/subscribe">Want sweet deals? <br />Sign up for our newsletter.</a></p> </section> 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