Algorithms in a Nutshell is a practical guide for both newcomers and seasoned engineers, containing just the right amount of information. However, one reviewer pointed out that the book uses a lot of mathematical notation that is never explained, and frequently refers to algorithms that are toward the back of the book, assuming that you already understand them. Additionally, the same reviewer found that some of the explanations were inaccurate and made the process of learning more complicated than it needs to be. Other customers found the book to be an excellent reference, concise, and easy to understand. One reviewer also noted that the book was an update to the original and that it had reasonable discussions of theory, resource utilization, and performance. There was criticism of the way some vendors shipped the book. However, the book does not contain multi-language examples and has limited algorithm coverage.