If you’re looking for the best Scala books, you can get started with the selections available in this article. The best books for Scala developers teach readers how to create concise, elegant, and type-safe code. It has been designed to run on the Java platform and offers a unique combination of expressiveness and performance.
Scala is an attractive language for a wide range of software development tasks, ranging from small scripts to large system programming projects. According to recent salary data from Statista, Scala is the highest-paid programming language in the United States, with the average Scala developer earning $150,000 per year. Below are the 10 best books to learn Scala.
How Can I Choose the Best Books for Scala developers?
You can choose the best Scala books by consulting online research and seeking out peer recommendations. It’s crucial to consider your interests and long-term goals while selecting the best books to learn Scala. Other essential factors to consider when choosing the best books for Scala developers include the level of difficulty and the audience.
Some books may be better suited for beginner programmers, while others may be of a more advanced type. It’s important to find books that match your skill level to get the most out of your learning experience.
Tips for Choosing the Best Scala Books
- Consider your level of expertise. There are introductory books for those with no prior experience with Scala and more advanced concepts for those already familiar with the language. If you’re more experienced, you may wish to read a book covering more advanced topics.
- Decide on a clear goal. Think about what you hope to get out of a Scala book. If you want to learn the language basics, a book that focuses on teaching the language may be a good fit. If you’re looking for a more in-depth exploration of Scala, a book covering more complex concepts may be better.
- Check if a Scala expert wrote the book. If you’re looking to learn Scala, it’s essential to consult with an expert to ensure you’re getting the most accurate and up-to-date information. This will ensure that you’re getting a book written by someone who has knowledge of the language well and can help you learn it effectively.
- Check the online reviews. One reason to check reviews before buying a Scala book is to get an idea of the level of difficulty and the book’s content. Another reason is to see if the book has been updated recently. This can help you understand what other readers thought of the book and whether it’s a good fit for your needs.
- Check the book’s teaching style and target audience. Some books are tutorial-based, while others are more like a reference guide. In addition, some books are meant for people who want to use Scala for business. Additionally, there are books that are meant for research or development purposes.
The 10 Best Scala Books: An Overview
| Name | Publisher | Topics Covered |
|---|---|---|
| A Companion Booklet to “Functional Programming in Scala” | Runar LLC | Syntax-highlighted code examples, various programming skills, functional design patterns |
| Hands-On Data Analysis With Scala: Perform Data Collection, Processing, Manipulation, and Visualization With Scala | Packt Publishing | Data pipelines, Lasso regression analysis method, Apache Spark API, traditional Apache Spark data analysis |
| Hands-On Scala Programming: Learn Scala in a Practical, Project-Based Way | Li Haoyi | Building interactive websites, parallel web crawlers, distributed systems |
| Hello, Scala | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | Introduction to Scala’s two types of variables, Scala control structures, object oriented programming |
| Learning Scala: Practical Functional Programming for the JVM | O’Reilly Media | Immutable data structures, custom infix operators |
| Programming Scala: Scalability = Functional Programming + Objects | O’Reilly Media | Basic and advanced functional programming (FP) techniques, building big data apps, Scala-specific tools for concurrent programming (including Akka) |
| Programming in Scala, 5th Edition | Artima Press | Tutorial of Scala and functional programming concepts |
| Scala for Machine Learning, 2nd Edition: Build Systems for Data Processing, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning | Packt Publishing | Dynamic workflows for scientific computing, advanced techniques such as regularization and kernelization, Akka actors, Apache Spark clusters |
| Scala for the Impatient | Addison-Wesley Professional | Scala’s interpreter, syntax diagrams, unique idioms, object oriented programming in Scala |
| Scala Puzzlers | Artima Press | Practical examples, fundamental insights, an explanation of the code’s actual behavior |
The 10 Best Scala Books: A Closer Look
If you’re looking for the best Scala books, you won’t go wrong with one of these ten. Scala is one of the top-paying technologies, according to Stack Overflow, so it’s no surprise that this powerful language is growing in popularity. These books will teach you everything you need to know about it.
You can find Scala books that are a perfect introduction to the language, as well as more advanced books. If your goal is to build a Scala application, there are books for simple ones and books for more sophisticated ones. These books provide functional programming techniques through concrete examples and practical exercises.
1. A Companion Booklet to “Functional Programming in Scala”
- Author: Runar Bjarnason
- Best for: Readers who want an introductory book about programming paradigms
The book was written by the author Runar Bjarnason. He’s a software engineer and instructor who has been working with Scala for a long time. Bjarnason explains how to use the functional programming language to create efficient and reliable source code. It covers topics such as data structures, higher-order functions, and monads.
2. Hands-On Scala Programming: Learn Scala in a Practical, Project-Based Way
- Author: Li Haoyi
- Best for: A complete beginner of the Scala language
The book was written by Li Haoyi. He has a degree in computer science and engineering and teaches Scala programming in a practical, project-based way. The entire book covers basic concepts such as variables and type classes.
It also introduces more advanced topics such as building production applications like interactive websites and parallel web crawlers. Throughout the book, Haoyi uses real-world use cases to illustrate how Scala can be used in practice.
3. Hands-On Data Analysis With Scala: Perform Data Collection, Processing, Manipulation, and Visualization With Scala
- Author: Rajesh Gupta
- Best for: A data scientist, a data analyst, or a professional programmer
The book provides a step-by-step learning overview of data analysis using Scala. You’ll begin by doing simple tasks such as dataset extraction, staging, validation, cleaning, and shaping. You’ll also use popular Scala libraries and learn how to develop complex applications.
Rajesh Gupta wrote the book. Gupta has a Master’s Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from BITS Pilani and has extensive software development experience. He is a professional programmer with years of experience using Scala.
4. Hello, Scala
- Author: Alvin Alexander
- Best for: Readers looking for an approachable introduction to Scala
Hello, Scala is a book that teaches the Scala programming language. The book has received positive reviews, with readers stating that the book is easy to follow and understand. The book covers the basics, including how to write code, use variables and core data types, and create functions. The book also includes examples that help to illustrate various concepts.
5. Learning Scala: Practical Functional Programming for the JVM
- Author: Jason Swartz
- Best for: Scala practitioners who want a comprehensive step-by-step guide
Jason Swartz is the author of this book and is a software engineer who has been working with Scala for a long time. This book is a practical step-by-step guide to learning Scala, including how to run this functional programming language on the Java virtual machine. It covers the basics of the language as well as advanced features.
The book also includes several exercises and examples to help you practice what you have learned. Overall, the book has received positive reviews from readers. Many have found it an excellent guide to learning Scala and have found the exercises and examples helpful in learning the language.
6. Programming Scala: Scalability = Functional Programming + Objects
- Author: Dean Wampler
- Best for: Beginners and advanced Scala programmers
The book shows you how to program in Scala. It’s written by Dean Wampler, who has a lot of experience in the programming industry. The book has received positive reviews, with many people finding it helpful in learning Scala. It also covers topics related to programming, such as functional programming, object oriented and functional programming, and scalability.
7. Programming in Scala, 5th Edition
- Author: Martin Odersky and Lex Spoon
- Best for: Experienced and seasoned Scala professionals
The book is a comprehensive guide to the language, written by Martin Odersky, the creator of Scala. It’s the first book to cover both the language and the libraries in depth. The other author of this book, Lex Spoon, is a software engineer at Square, Inc.
The book takes a programming-in-Scala approach, with examples illustrating both the language features and the library APIs. It covers a tutorial with the basics of the language, and libraries, as well as a reference that describes the language and the libraries in detail. The book has received positive reviews.
8. Scala for Machine Learning, 2nd Edition: Build Systems for Data Processing, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning
- Author: Patrick Nicolas
- Best for: Experienced programmers who want to learn machine learning techniques
The book is about Scala and machine learning. It’s written by Patrick R. Nicolas, the director of engineering at Agile SDE. He has almost 20 years of experience in software engineering and covers subjects such as data processing, machine learning, and genetic algorithms. The reviews are mostly positive, with readers commenting that the book is well written.
9. Scala for the Impatient
- Author: Cay Horstmann
- Best for: Experienced Java developers, C++ programmers, or C# programmers
This book was written by Cay Horstmann and it covers the basics of the Scala programming language. The book is meant for people already familiar with Java and who want to learn Scala. It covers data types, control structures, functions, and classes. It also includes several exercises and solutions.
Cay Horstmann is a professor of computer science at San Jose State University, and he has been teaching Java and other programming languages for a long time. The book has received mostly positive reviews. It has been praised for its clear and concise writing style and for teaching the reader Scala in a short amount of time.
10. Scala Puzzlers
- Author: Andrew Phillips
- Best for: Beginners to Scala or experienced developers
This book by Andrew Phillips is a collection of programming challenges that helps the reader better understand the Scala programming language. The challenges are presented as puzzles, and the reader is encouraged to try to solve them before reading the solutions.
Andrew Phillips is a software engineer who has been working with the Scala programming language since 2009. The book includes a discussion of the solutions to the puzzles and some of the programming techniques that can be used to solve them.
Alternative Ways to Learn Scala
Other than the best Scala books, are plenty of ways to learn Scala, many of which are free. Online courses, online forums, free coding bootcamps, and Stack Overflow questions can help you improve your knowledge of Scala. A 2021 survey by freeCodeCamp found that, other than books, online resources and workshops were the most popular ways to learn coding.
Is Learning Scala Worth It?
Yes, learning Scala is worth it. Scala is an extremely versatile language that can be used for various purposes. Plus, the job outlook for Scala developers is positive. It’s becoming an increasingly popular programming language among businesses, which means that the best books for Scala developers are a worthwhile investment of your time and money.
Best Scala Books FAQ
There are a few options for learning Scala. One option is to find online courses. Also, you can look around for the best books for learning Scala. You can even attend a Scala bootcamp. Bootcamps are a great way to learn Scala. Experienced Scala developers often teach them, and they cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.
No, Scala is not difficult to learn. It has a relatively simple syntax and a small number of keywords. It also has many features that make it easier to use than other languages, such as type inference and pattern matching. It also has libraries and a proper power tool that makes developing applications easy.
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There are many reasons why Scala is well paid. One of the reasons is that Scala is in high demand, leading to higher salaries. In addition, Scala is a language that can be used for various applications, including big data and web development, making it a valuable skill for developers with backgrounds in STEM education.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for Scala developers is $140,501. However, the salary may vary depending on the location, company, and other factors. Businesses are increasingly looking for programmers who are skilled in the language. As more businesses adopt Scala, the demand for Scala programmers is likely to increase.
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