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For Him / Her / Kids
Code by Charles Petzold — what happens underneath every line they write
Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold (2nd Edition)
Reviewed by the WhyToBuyThis team · Updated September 2026 · How we choose
Perfect for
- Self-taught developers
- Web and app programmers
- Curious minds
- Under $40
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Price: $33.95
Price may change on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This won't cost you anything extra.
- Great gift ideaChosen for real-world gifting
- Hand-pickedCurated, not scraped
- Honest reviewThe catch, not just the hype
Why this gift works
Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold builds from Morse code, Braille and simple circuits up to logic gates, memory and a working CPU. The 2022 second edition from Microsoft Press runs 480 pages over 28 chapters, adds new chapters on clocks, the ALU, CPU control signals and the internet, and has an interactive companion site, per the publisher. The cover shows the word CODE in Braille, Morse code and ASCII.
For a self-taught or web developer, it fills in everything below the abstraction layer - the rare technical book people describe as a pleasure to read.
Who is this gift for?
Great for
- Self-taught programmers
- Bootcamp graduates
- Anyone curious about computers
Think twice if
- They studied computer engineering
- They want a language tutorial
The catch
It is heavy on circuits and logic diagrams, so someone with a computer-engineering degree will know much of it; it explains hardware rather than teaching a language or tool; and the animations live on the companion website.
Skip for a computer engineer who studied this at university.
Key specs
| Author | Charles Petzold |
|---|---|
| Edition | 2nd, 2022 |
| Pages | 480 |
| Chapters | 28 |
| Publisher | Microsoft Press |
| Extras | Interactive companion website |
Worth knowing before you buy
- The first edition dates from 1999.
- The companion site is CodeHiddenLanguage.com.
Why we like it
- Builds understanding from the ground up
- Clear and readable
- Updated second edition
- Companion website
What to look for in a programming book gift
- Timelessness. Concepts outlast framework tutorials.
- Level. Match the book to their background.
- Edition. Newer editions cover more modern material.
Questions people ask
The 2022 second edition.
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