My quest to learn Assembly programming ; Introduction

In 2026, amidst the AI era, the question arises: why should anyone delve into Assembly programming? What drives someone to venture so far into the realm of low-level programming, and why would one share a time-consuming endeavor, especially one with limited appeal? My journey began not in the world of development. My previous occupation was sales in the financial markets.

After deciding to leave that life to pursue my passion for tech, programming, and cybersecurity, I enrolled at 42 school in Paris. 42 school is a place where I live and learn to program. Upon admission, students undergo a rigorous selection month, known as the Piscine, to determine who will join the ranks. During this month, participants learn C, complete numerous exercises, collaborate on weekend projects, and pass four exams.

If they succeed, they are accepted; otherwise, they are not. Fortunately, I was accepted into 42 school. The school’s curriculum starts with C, a low-level language. This language brings us close to the machine, requiring us to perform manual tasks to achieve basic operations that languages like Python, JavaScript, or Java handle automatically.

Throughout my time at 42, I have written graphical projects, a shell, a library, and more—all in C. This hands-on experience has given me a profound understanding of how the digital world functions. However, is C truly as low-level as it is often perceived? There exists an even lower level—a world where you directly instruct your CPU using Assembly instructions.

At 42, this concept is typically introduced near the end of the Common Core, the mandatory curriculum required before embarking on a specialization. However, exploring Assembly has provided me with valuable insights into my initial questions. Why learn Assembly? To become a more proficient computer scientist and to achieve a deep understanding of how computers operate and how my code is executed.

My fascination with cybersecurity also led me to engage in reverse engineering and binary exploitation, both of which depend heavily on a thorough comprehension of the lowest levels of computers. In the current AI era, the demand for highly skilled individuals has never been greater. While AI can enhance productivity, human analytical thinking remains indispensable, perhaps even more vital today than ever before.

In a competitive environment, those who adapt best will thrive. There are no shortcuts to excellence; one must invest time, acquire comprehensive knowledge, and commit to efforts that many find daunting. The driving force behind my pursuit is simple: I am curious about how things work and I love learning about captivating subjects.

This quest will take me as close to the machine as possible. I aspire to become a better computer scientist (even if I am uncertain if I will be officially recognized as one). But there's another, more straightforward reason: I simply find it enjoyable. The true pleasure lies in learning and working on this fascinating endeavor.

Why share this journey? I already share numerous articles on dev.to, and I maintain a YouTube channel in French, my native language, where I disseminate content across various platforms. The motivation remains the same: I could not find suitable resources, so I decided to create my own. My desire is to assist others on their own quests or impart new knowledge.

If I can help even a single individual, I have fulfilled my purpose and feel content for providing value. How will I execute this? I will chronicle my journey through a series of articles, sharing every lesson I learn, the resources I utilize, and the exercises I complete. Each post will be concise and easily digestible, similar to this introduction.

I hope this first installment has piqued your interest and encouraged you to continue learning alongside me. Until next time!