crypto101/book

Analysis updated 2026-07-03

★ 3,729PythonAudience · generalComplexity · 1/5Setup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Crypto 101))
    What it is
      Free book
      Introductory level
      No math needed
    Build System
      Sphinx
      Docker setup
      HTML PDF epub
    Contributions
      Translation work
      Open to pull requests
    Audience
      Beginners
      Developers
      PMs and founders

mindmap root((Crypto 101)) What it is Free book Introductory level No math needed Build System Sphinx Docker setup HTML PDF epub Contributions Translation work Open to pull requests Audience Beginners Developers PMs and founders

Click or tap to explore — scroll the page freely

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Read the finished book at crypto101.io to understand how cryptography works without needing a math background.

USE CASE 2

Build the book locally in HTML, PDF, or epub format using the Docker setup included in the repo.

USE CASE 3

Contribute a translation of the book into another language by joining the coordination issue on GitHub.

USE CASE 4

Use the book as a teaching resource for introductory cryptography courses or study groups.

What is it built with?

PythonSphinxDocker

How does it compare?

	crypto101/book	ab77/netflix-proxy	marblexu/pythonplantsvszombies
Stars	3,729	3,729	3,728
Language	Python	Python	Python
Setup difficulty	moderate	moderate	easy
Complexity	1/5	3/5	2/5
Audience	general	ops devops	developer

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Building the book requires Docker due to many Sphinx dependencies, Ubuntu and Fedora Docker configs are included.

License details are in a separate file in the repository, check the repo directly for terms.

In plain English

This repository holds the source files for "Crypto 101," a free introductory book about cryptography written by a developer who goes by lvh. The finished book is available at crypto101.io, and this repo is where the actual text and build process live. Cryptography is the science of keeping information secure, and this book is aimed at people who want to understand the core ideas without needing a math or computer science background first. The README does not describe the book's contents in detail, but the project's description calls it an introductory text, so it is written for readers new to the topic. The source files are written in a format that gets compiled into multiple readable versions (HTML, PDF, and epub). The build process uses a tool called Sphinx, which is a documentation generator. Because the build has many dependencies, the README recommends running it inside Docker rather than installing everything directly on your computer. The repo includes Docker configuration files for Ubuntu and Fedora. Translations into other languages are not yet available but the project is open to contributions for that. The README links to a GitHub issue where translation work is being coordinated. The license is noted in a separate file in the repo.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

Using the Crypto 101 book as context, explain the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption in plain English for someone with no technical background.

Prompt 2

I want to build the Crypto 101 book source locally using Docker. Walk me through the steps from cloning the repo to producing a PDF output.

Prompt 3

Help me translate a short section from the Crypto 101 book into Spanish while keeping the accessible, jargon-free tone of the original.

Prompt 4

What cryptographic concepts from Crypto 101 should I understand before building a login system for my web app?

Frequently asked questions

What is book?

The source repository for Crypto 101, a free introductory book on cryptography aimed at readers with no math or computer science background. Covers core security concepts in plain English and compiles to HTML, PDF, and epub.

What language is book written in?

Mainly Python. The stack also includes Python, Sphinx, Docker.

What license does book use?

License details are in a separate file in the repository, check the repo directly for terms.

How hard is book to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is book for?

Mainly general.

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