TL;DR
- Most people fail at CS not because they're bad at it, but because they started wrong.
- I spent months engineering the correct learning order and built a prerequisite-based curriculum that respects dependencies.
- This post breaks down the entire structure and explains why the order matters more than the topics themselves.
The Problem: Starting Wrong
Most beginners don't fail at computer science because they lack talent. They fail because they skip prerequisites.
Here's what happens when you skip foundational topics:
- Tutorials become confusing
- Concepts don't connect
- You start memorizing instead of understanding
- You think you're the problem (you're not—it's the missing foundations)
I wasted years learning this the hard way. So I engineered the correct order and built a curriculum that fixes this.
The Solution: Respect Prerequisites
When you follow the correct order, the opposite happens:
- Concepts click faster
- You understand why, not just how
- Learning becomes momentum, not a grind
The value isn't in the topics themselves. It's in the order.
The Three Rules
This curriculum follows three core principles:
- Nothing is learned too early
- Nothing is learned too late
- Nothing is learned without a reason
Everything unlocks something else.
Now let me show you how this works.
The Curriculum Breakdown
Phase 1: Starting Line
Topics:
- Basic Algebra →
- Discrete Mathematics (boolean logic first) →
- Programming (in parallel with discrete math)
Why this order?
Programming, logic, and data all rely on the idea of variables and relationships. That's why we start with basic algebra.
Once that's in place, we introduce discrete mathematics—starting with Boolean logic because it's the foundation of how computers make decisions.
Right after finishing Boolean logic, we start learning programming in parallel with other discrete math concepts. This way, you're applying what you learn immediately.
By the middle of the programming timeframe, you'll have completed discrete mathematics and moved on to intermediate algebra.
Phase 2: Core Computer Science
Topics:
- Advanced Algebra + Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) + Computer Architecture
Why this order?
DSA and Computer Architecture are learned together because:
- DSA teaches you how data is stored and accessed to solve problems.
- Computer Architecture teaches you how machines actually represent, store, and process that data.
This combination makes everything that comes next—operating systems, databases, networking—make sense.
By this point, you should also have finished advanced algebra.
Phase 3: Operating Systems
Topics:
- Operating Systems
Why this order?
At this point, you finally have enough context to understand operating systems:
- How programs run together
- How they're managed
- How they communicate with hardware
This is where most self-taught learners hit a wall.
Why? Because they don't have the prerequisites (DSA, Computer Architecture) to understand how operating systems work.
In this curriculum, this is where things finally click into place.
On the math side, all topics following advanced algebra will help you improve your programming skills and advance in your chosen field later (AI, game development, etc.).
Phase 4: Advanced Systems & Design
Topics (in order):
- Databases (after DSA)
- Networking (after OS and databases)
- Security (after all of the above)
- System Software (after OS)
- Language Translation (after System Software)
Why this order?
Each topic depends on what came before:
- Databases require understanding data structures (from DSA)
- Networking requires understanding how systems communicate (from OS)
- Security requires understanding hardware, OS, networks, and databases—without this context, security is just memorizing attacks
- System Software is built on OS concepts
- Language Translation (how programming languages work) requires understanding system software
This strict dependency chain ensures you always have the context you need.
Phase 5: Choosing a Specialty
At this point, you understand the entire stack:
- Hardware
- Operating Systems
- Software
- Language Design
- Math foundations
You can now choose any specialty to focus on with confidence:
- AI / Machine Learning
- Game Development
- Web Development
- Mobile Development
- Systems Programming
- Anything else
In this curriculum, we finish with software engineering as a specialty:
- Software Architecture (how to organize systems)
- System Design (how to build systems at scale)
Projects Are Included
This curriculum includes projects for almost every topic:
- Small projects to practice immediately
- Bigger projects to bring everything together (like building a simple 8-bit CPU from scratch using a simulator)
I didn't include them in this post to keep it focused, but rest assured—projects are part of the plan.
The Gantt Chart
I've created a Gantt chart to show that:
- You don't need to rush
- You don't need to do everything sequentially
- You just need to respect dependencies
And that alone cuts wasted time dramatically.
Time estimates:
The time to finish this curriculum depends on:
- How much time you dedicate to learning
- How fast you grasp concepts
- How consistent you are
The time I provide is just an estimate—use it as a rough guide, not a strict rule.
Everyone learns at their own pace. You can spend more or less time on topics—but never skip the order.
Why This Curriculum?
Yes, other curriculums exist. Some are shorter. Some promise faster results.
That's fine.
But if your goal is to become a well-rounded developer—someone who understands the why behind everything and can solve real problems—then shortcuts won't cut it.
This is the kind of developer AI won't replace.
What I'm Building
I'm teaching this entire curriculum for free on YouTube:
- In the correct order
- With prerequisites made explicit
- As a connected series (every video builds on the last)
You'll always know:
- Why you're learning something
- What it unlocks next
No guessing. No tutorial hopping. No silent gaps.
I'll also provide a downloadable Gantt chart on my YouTube channel, so you can track your progress.
Final Thoughts
A wrong start can derail your entire learning journey.
But it doesn't have to.
If you're tired of:
- Tutorial hell
- Feeling confused
- Thinking you're not smart enough
This curriculum is for you.
It's not about working harder. It's about starting right.
Channel: OccilliuZ
If you found this helpful, feel free to share it with someone who's struggling to learn CS. Sometimes all it takes is the right roadmap.
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