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Back to Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course)

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course) by Hebrew University of Jerusalem

4.9
stars
3,636 ratings

About the Course

What you’ll achieve: In this project-centered course* you will build a modern computer system, from the ground up. We’ll divide this fascinating journey into six hands-on projects that will take you from constructing elementary logic gates all the way through creating a fully functioning general purpose computer. In the process, you will learn - in the most direct and constructive way - how computers work, and how they are designed. What you’ll need: This is a self-contained course: all the knowledge necessary to succeed in the course and build the computer system will be given as part of the learning experience. Therefore, we assume no previous computer science or engineering knowledge, and all learners are welcome aboard. You will need no physical materials, since you will build the computer on your own PC, using a software-based hardware simulator, just like real computers are designed by computer engineers in the field. The hardware simulator, as well as other software tools, will be supplied freely after you enroll in the course. Course format: The course consists of six modules, each comprising a series of video lectures, and a project. You will need about 2-3 hours to watch each module's lectures, and about 5-10 hours to complete each one of the six projects. The course can be completed in six weeks, but you are welcome to take it at your own pace. You can watch a TED talk about this course by Googling "nand2tetris TED talk". *About Project-Centered Courses: Project-centered courses are designed to help you complete a personally meaningful real-world project, with your instructor and a community of learners with similar goals providing guidance and suggestions along the way. By actively applying new concepts as you learn, you’ll master the course content more efficiently; you’ll also get a head start on using the skills you gain to make positive changes in your life and career. When you complete the course, you’ll have a finished project that you’ll be proud to use and share....

Top reviews

DF

Sep 5, 2022

P​rofs Shimon Schocken and Noam Nisan are amazing instructors. This course was so fun and I have learned a huge deal about how computers work under the hood. Looking forward to taking on Part 2 now!

RD

May 23, 2021

Thanks to the instructors for bringing forth such an amazing course. The way the course is strucured makes it very interesting and easy to learn. Loved and enjoyed the course and learnt a lot from it

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351 - 375 of 1,102 Reviews for Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course)

By Lucas S L d L

Oct 2, 2020

Curso excepcional! Abriu minha mente em vários sentidos. Me sinto privilegiado em ter feito a parte 1. Obrigado a UFRPE que me proporcionou a realização desse curso gratuitamente :)

By Prabhjyot S

Jul 20, 2017

One of the best course.The first step for anyone interested in what computers are.Easy and can be done by anyone whether its a hobbyst or a computer science/electronics enthusiast.

By Arash O

Nov 3, 2016

This course is awesome and fun and very rewarding. I learned so much about how computer memory works! Pointers make sense now that I understand the basics of lower level computing.

By mouna k

Oct 8, 2019

The best course I have ever taken. The projects and lectures are so interesting, that I would sit the whole day finishing it. I have gained a lot of knowledge from this. Thank you.

By Jens G

Jan 28, 2017

Very interesting and well-structured course. Manages to explain something very complex by splitting it into manageable sections. I am enrolling in the second part as soon as I can!

By Marcus V M d S

Mar 16, 2018

Awesome course. I learned a lot! The projects were interesting and forced you to think a little differently: you can almost feels the synapses forming in your head by doing them.

By Daniel S

Sep 4, 2023

Amazing course, very challenging and lots of fun. If you are a programmer, everything you learn about how a computer works translates to your real-life programming environments.

By Kishore B

Feb 23, 2019

one of the best course i have ever done, thank you so much to the both course instructors noam and simon, they are awesome in the way they designed this course, simple and great

By Aishwarya K

May 3, 2016

Very insightful and awesome ....I am enjoying it !! Great work and efforts from both the professors ....respect ! Can't wait for the next course from NAND to Tetris II ...! :)

By 8f5 c

Dec 20, 2022

This is one of the greatest courses I've come across - I rate it on par with SICP. The content, tools, teaching style is world-class and done with loving attention to detail.

By Anders P

Apr 27, 2020

Great course. Building a computer from first principles is an invaluable experience to truly understand how a computer works, and hence what it is capable of doing. Thanks.

By Dan S

Dec 6, 2019

Very nice to be able to create a fully working computer simulation from scratch in just two weeks. A little less in-depth than I would like, but very good content overall.

By Karan P

Oct 21, 2018

Excellent resources with detailed explanation for everything made the course very easy to work on. The structure of the course also helped me understand everything clearly.

By Devadatta G H

Aug 16, 2021

Wonderful Course. You do really learn how a computer works. It is a solid foundation for understanding fundamentals of computer science, particularly things like pointers.

By Liming L

Dec 27, 2020

I have been taking online courses since 2013, and this course I would call the best of the bests. A masterpiece indeed. Thanks to both professors, you are great educators!

By Naveen S N

Aug 21, 2020

A course with a lot of practical exposure to how a computer works. I loved the syllabus a lot. Helped me put my computer architecture theoretical knowledge in to practice

By Satyam S M

Apr 11, 2020

This is a very nice course for everyone who loves computer. I can easily recommend this course. Thanks to both the professors who worked really hard to make this possible.

By Daniel N

Feb 3, 2020

Absolutely fantastic course, quite simply the best one I've ever taken, Highly recommended for anyone who wants to embark on a journey of understanding how computers work.

By Bryan B

Dec 30, 2018

Fantastic depth and pacing. A tremendous amount of effort went into making this course, and I honestly can't think of many ways it could be improved. Very, very well done.

By Zhiming G

Nov 19, 2017

Great course! Really beginner friendly and enjoyable. From my experience, I believe this course is also insightful for advanced learners who already have SE/EE experience.

By Mohammed H

Oct 28, 2020

Thank you for the awesome course. I have enjoyed every single class and learned a lot about building computers. I am looking forward to do the second part of the course.

By Sergio R G

Aug 12, 2019

El curso está claramente explicado y, como promete, va incrementando la complejidad poco a poco. Las tareas son retadoras pero también gratificantes. Lo recomiendo mucho.

By Luis V

Dec 28, 2020

This course was one of the best I have taken. Very well designed and just the right amount of difficulty. Highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about computers.

By Jing C

Jan 24, 2021

Best course I have ever done, I cannot image how much I have achieved with the guidance of these two amazing professors. we have built a computer that can run programs!

By Kevin R

Mar 19, 2020

This is a great course. I have been programming for years, but I really feel that I understand how hardware works now. One of the most valuable class I have ever taken.