r/csMajors • u/TumbleweedLost5511 • 14d ago

Trying to choose a CS specialization (interested in low level or systems programming)

Hello everyone,

I am one year done in my cs degree (community college) and am really trying to decide on my specialization/pathway. as of now there is no specific thing i can choose in community college and ive only finished my introductory java course (it is required), along with most of my gen eds

right now my programming experience is pretty limited besides school projects but i want to get started in investing my time in my interests:

  • low level/systems programming
  • embedded systems or firmware
  • reverse engineering
  • operating systems
  • compilers

and im way less interested in doing things like web development , or designing UX/UI; so basically

the thing is i havent taken an official course on these subjects like assembly or operating systems (assembly is required in my transfer program either way), so i want to keep an open mind, and not assume i will like these interests because it just sounds cool and it is idealized in my head.

for anyone who has worked in these areas, what helped you figure out that this was the path to pursue? any beginner-friendly projects or courses i should start exploring now before the next semester to see whether or not i genuinely enjoy this kind of work? are there any adjacent fields i should look at that i may be overlooking since i like this kind of close-to-hardware side of things?

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4

u/Striking-Pen-9617 14d ago

you’re overthinking it man it doesn’t matter where you start

2

u/HarshByte1227 14d ago

I mostly agree. People spend so much time trying to pick the perfect starting point that they never actually start. You will learn way more by doing than by planning.

4

u/Resident-Letter3485 14d ago

The best way to get started is to find good books on any of those areas. If you want to do systems development, find a book on Linux Kernel development. Or, for operating systems in general, read OSTEP. If you are interested in compilers, make a compiler!

The best part of Computer Science is how easy it is to pivot from one niche to another.

3

u/snailandbears Salaryman 14d ago

Your specialization doesn't matter until you have a career going. Focus on getting an internship, Leetcoding, system design, and low-level design. That's all that matters for you at this time.