Subjects / Category theory
Best books to learn Category theory, in order
Category theory abstracts patterns from across mathematics, so it lands best when you already have examples to abstract from. A good path starts concretely with objects, morphisms, and functors, grounded in familiar structures, then builds toward natural transformations, limits, and adjunctions; the payoff monads, whether in math or programming, comes once those foundations feel routine.
Reading paths for category theory
Learn category theory: the best books to read in order
Beginner10books119 hrs5 stages
Popular category theory books
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
- How should I approach learning category theory?
- Category theory abstracts patterns from across mathematics, so it lands best when you already have examples to abstract from. A good path starts concretely with objects, morphisms, and functors, grounded in familiar structures, then builds toward natural transformations, limits, and adjunctions; the payoff monads, whether in math or programming, comes once those foundations feel routine.
- What's a good book to start category theory with?
- A strong starting point is Sketches of an Elephant by Peter T. Johnstone. The ordered reading paths above show exactly where it fits and what to read next.
- What should I read after category theory?
- Once you have the fundamentals, explore closely related subjects like Set theory, Astrophysics, Classical mechanics.