多年以来，当程序员们推选出最心爱的计算机图书时，《编程珠玑》总是位于前列。正如自然界里珍珠出自细沙对牡蛎的磨砺，计算机科学大师Jon Bentley以其独有的洞察力和创造力，从磨砺程序员的实际问题中凝结出一篇篇不朽的编程“珠玑”。这些文章是《ACM通讯》最受欢迎的专栏文章，最终结集为两部书出版。本书为第一卷，主要讨论计算机科学中最本质的问题：如何正确选择和高效地实现算法。

在书中，作者选取许多具有典型意义的复杂编程和算法问题，生动描绘了历史上众多大师们在探索解决方案中发生的轶事、走过的弯路和不断精益求精的历程，引导读者开展创新性的思考。书中透彻阐述和总结了许多独特而精妙的设计原则、思考和解决问题的方法以及实用程序设计技巧。解决方案的代码均以C／C++语言编写，不仅有趣，而且有很大的实战示范意义。每章后所附习题极具挑战性和启发性，书末给出了简洁的解答。

本书是计算机科学方面的经典名著。书的内容围绕程序设计人员面对的一系列实际问题展开。作者Jon Bentley以其独有的洞察力和创造力，引导读者理解这些问题并学会解决方法，而这些正是程序员实际编程生涯中至关重要的。本书的特色是通过一些精心设计的有趣而又颇具指导意义的程序，对实用程序设计技巧及基本设计原则进行了透彻而睿智的描述，为复杂的编程问题提供了清晰而完备的解决思路。本书对各个层次的程序员都具有很高的阅读价值。

Part I: PRELIMINARIES

Column 1: Cracking the Oyster

A Friendly Conversation·Precise Problem Statement·Program Design·

Implementation Sketch·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 2: Aha! Algorithms

Three Problems·Ubiquitous Binary Search·The Power of Primitives·

Getting It Together: Sorting·Principles·Problems·Further Reading·Implementing an Anagram Program

Column 3: Data Structures Programs

A Survey Program·Form-Letter Programming·An Array of Examples·

Structuring Data·Powerful Tools for Specialized Data·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 4: Writing Correct Programs

The Challenge of Binary Search·Writing the Program·Understanding the Program·

Principles·The Roles of Program Verification·Problems·Further Reading

Column 5: A Small Matter of Programming

From Pseudocode to C·A Test Harness·The Art of Assertion·

Automated Testing·Timing·The Complete Program·Principles·Problems·Further Reading·Debugging

Part II: PERFORMANCE

Column 6: Perspective on Performance

A Case Study·Design Levels·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 7: The Back of the Envelope

Basic Skills·Performance Estimates·Safety Factors·Little's Law·

Principles·Problems·Further Reading·Quick Calculations in Everyday Life

Column 8: Algorithm Design Techniques

The Problem and a Simple Algorithm·Two Quadratic Algorithms·

A Divide-and-Conquer Algorithm·A Scanning Algorithm·What Does It Matter?·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 9: Code Tuning 7

A Typical Story·A First Aid Sampler·Major Surgery——Binary Search·

Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 10: Squeezing Space

The KeySimplicity·An Illustrative Problem·Techniques for Data Space·

Techniques for Code Space·Principles·Problems·Further Reading·A Big Squeeze

Part III: THE PRODUCT

Column 11: Sorting 115

Insertion Sort·A Simple Quicksort·Better Quicksorts·

Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 12: A Sample Problem

The Problem·One Solution·The Design Space·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 13: Searching

The Interface·Linear Structures·Binary Search Trees·

Structures for Integers·Principles·Problems·Further Reading·A Real Searching Problem

Column 14: Heaps

The Data Structure·Two Critical Functions·Priority Queues·

A Sorting Algorithm·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Column 15: Strings of Pearls

Words·Phrases·Generating Text·Principles·Problems·Further Reading

Epilog to the First Edition

Epilog to the Second Edition

Appendix 1: A Catalog of Algorithms

Appendix 2: An Estimation Quiz

Appendix 3: Cost Models for Time and Space

Appendix 4: Rules for Code Tuning

Appendix 5: C++ Classes for Searching

Hints for Selected Problems

Solutions to Selected Problems

Index