[363849473754]

As Jensson recommended I would learn abstract algebra first to understand concrete examples in category theory.

If abstracts algebra is too difficult then learn introduction to proofs before continuing with abstract algebra.

Try doing problems and posting them online to have them checked. Currently you can use discord, reddit, math stack exchange etc

Don’t worry about rushing it. Everything builds on itself. For instance once you rigorously study introduction to proofs you’ll see the same sort of proofs again when you begin studying abstract algebra and will already be familiar with the concepts.

[anonymousDan]

Any good resources for proofs and/or abstract algebra?

[363849473754]

for proofs i really liked two sources: susanna epps’s discrete math book and also rosen’s discrete math text (though epp’s is friendlier for the beginner)

supplement those books with these lecture videos:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl-gb0E4MII28GykmtuBXNUNo...

they appear to follow rosen but they’re the same topics you’d see in epp

if you’re the complete beginner go with epp and then use rosen as a supplement.

if you are an advanced undergraduate in math but don’t know category theory then:

https://math.jhu.edu/~eriehl/context.pdf

or

Basic Category Theory by Tom Leinster

(even though i’ll list a bunch more resources below i’d probably start with leinster and work up enough math maturity to push through it.)

i also liked this: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.10642.pdf

if you don’t know advanced math then there is an upcoming (not yet released book) called “the joy of abstraction”

i cannot attest for the book as i haven’t read it but may be good for true beginners:

https://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/mathematics/l...

(click “look inside”)

they say “no formal mathematical background needed”

you can read the description and see if that is something that would be of interest to you.

this guy has videos + a book

https://youtu.be/fY02LIW8fvk

there are a lot of books like “category theory for programmers”, “programming in categories” and the “seven sketches” books along with lecture recordings and videos that you may find helpful.

category theory for programmers might be the easiest of those three books. i worked a bit out of the programming with categories (http://brendanfong.com/programmingcats_files/cats4progs-DRAF...) book and ignored all the haskell sections and just focused on the math parts (this is a distinct book from “category theory for programmers”. people confuse the two due to the names and the fact they both use haskell).

if you know category theory and want to learn topology then there is “ Topology A Categorical Approach” by bradley et al.

[xupybd]

This is what makes HN amazing. I now have a much better path to learning something that I've been struggling with for some time.