7 Best Scala Books for Beginners & Advanced Programmers

Scala is a programming language which is getting popular in recent times. It combines object-oriented and functional programming into one concise language. In this post, we will look at the 7 best scala books for beginners & advanced programmers to help them get mastery over Scala programming.

Before going into the list of Scala books, first of all, let us know a bit more about the Scala programming language.

Scala is a short form for Scalable Language and it was created by Martin Odersky in the year 2004. Scala programming language is compiled to run on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and is compatible with existing Java programs.

Scala has a simple syntax for defining functions and it allows functions to be nested easily. Scala makes it very easy to leverage the full power of concurrency.

Some more facts about Scala are:

Scala is functional.
Scala is object-oriented.
Scala is statically typed.
Scala can do concurrent & synchronize processing.
Scala runs on the JVM and it can execute Java code.

Some of the most popular Scala web frameworks are the Lift framework, the Play framework, and the Bowler framework.

Now let’s find out the best books on Scala which will be helpful for both beginners and advanced Scala learners.

Best Scala Books for Beginners & Advanced Programmers

1. Programming Scala: Scalability = Functional Programming + Objects

*Programming Scala: Scalability = Functional Programming + Objects by Dean Wampler & Alex Payne*

Programming Scala will help you to learn Scala programming in depth. This book is an excellent resource for learning and working with Scala.

This book is written in a very practical manner and will teach you functional programming concepts through Scala.

You will get plenty of code examples throughout this book to practice what you have learned.

You will learn how to program faster and quickly with Scala’s flexible syntax. If you want to learn how to build big data apps then this book will help you.

Highly recommended book for both beginners and advanced learners.

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2. Scala in Depth

Scala in Depth book is suitable for Java programmers to help them integrate Scala programming language into their existing Java projects.

It is a well-written book that will take you from an intermediate Scala programmer to an advanced Scala programmer.

You will get lots of crisp, practical techniques for coding in Scala. You will learn how to master the Scala type system, functional concepts, and Scala’s object-oriented such as inheritance and composition.

This book is recommended for intermediate and advanced programmers.

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3. Programming in Scala

*Programming in Scala by Martin Odersky, Lex Spoon and Bill Venners*

If you are serious about learning Scala then this is a book you must read. Without a doubt, this is one of the best resources for programmers who want to learn Scala from scratch.

A very well-written and easy-to-read book and has plenty of examples to make you understand Scala.

It extensively covers every concept of Scala language from the basics to advanced techniques. A comprehensive reference for Scala.

A must-have book to learn and master the Scala programming language.

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4. Functional Programming in Scala

*Functional Programming in Scala by Paul Chiusano and Rúnar Bjarnason*

Functional Programming in Scala is a must-have book for you if you want to master functional programming with Scala language.

This book will take you on your journey from basic concepts to advanced concepts in a clear, logical, and concise manner. You will get lots of examples and exercises to explore the world of functional programming (FP).

Definitely a good book for intermediate programmers who want to get better at their craft and programming skills.

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5. Scala Cookbook: Recipes for Object-Oriented and Functional Programming

*Scala Cookbook: Recipes for Object-Oriented and Functional Programming by Alvin Alexander*

Scala Cookbook is a great book for you if you already know a little bit about Scala. This book will provide you with best practices and practical solutions when building an application.

You will get around 700 well-explained code examples to make you learn the Scala language, libraries, and tools.

You will learn about strings, numeric types, and control structures, classes, methods, objects, traits, packaging, functional programming, collections, concurrency, using the Akka Actors library, using the Scala REPL, Simple Build Tool (SBT), interacting with SQL and NoSQL databases, and the best practices in Scala development.

In conclusion, if you are thinking of learning Scala, then put this book on your shopping list quickly as this book could be a great learning tool and reference for you.

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6. Scala for the Impatient

*Scala for the Impatient by Cay S. Horstmann*

Scala for the Impatient is a very good book to start with Scala for Java developers. It is a concise, direct, and to-the-point book and can be a good reference for you.

This book is targeted at experienced Java and C++ programmers who are looking to learn Scala and functional programming.

You will get lots of examples and hands-on activities to make you an expert Scala programmer.

The book will teach you about core language features such as functions, arrays, maps, tuples, packages, imports, exception handling, etc, and many more.

We highly recommend this book to learn Scala.

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7. Introduction to the Art of Programming Using Scala

*Introduction to the Art of Programming Using Scala by Mark C. Lewis*

If you are a programming newbie then this book would certainly be a good choice for you to get started with Scala.

This book assumes no programming knowledge from you and explains things and concepts very clearly. There are many coding examples for you to understand the Scala language.

Highly recommended book for you if you are a complete beginner.

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