---
title: String Theory
description: String theory is a theoretical framework where point-like particles are replaced by one-dimensional vibrating strings. Learners will understand how this model attempts to unify quantum mechanics with general relativity into a single theory.
category: mathematics
subcategory: mathematical-physics
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/string-theory
---

# String Theory

String theory is a theoretical framework where point-like particles are replaced by one-dimensional vibrating strings. Learners will understand how this model attempts to unify quantum mechanics with general relativity into a single theory.

## Available Resources

3 Books • 1 Courses • 2 Websites

## Websites

### 1. nLab - String Theory

Wiki entry treating string theory through higher category theory and differential cohomology, with formal definitions and extensive cross-links to related mathematical structures. Best used as a precise reference after you already know the physics vocabulary.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/string+theory

**Tags:** string-theory, category-theory, mathematical-physics, reference, differential-cohomology

### 2. Wolfram MathWorld

**Author:** Eric W. Weisstein

MathWorld is an online mathematics encyclopedia from Wolfram Research offering detailed, browsable articles on topics across the math spectrum, including algebra, geometry, calculus, and number theory. Each entry includes definitions, theorems, formulas, diagrams, worked examples, and links to further reading.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://mathworld.wolfram.com

**Tags:** mathematics-reference, encyclopedia, abstract-algebra, number-theory, geometry

## Courses

### 1. String Theory and Holographic Duality (MIT 8.821)

**Author:** Hong Liu

Holographic duality (gauge/gravity duality, AdS/CFT) as a tool connecting quantum gravity and black holes, QCD at extreme conditions, exotic condensed matter and quantum information. 24 lecture videos, lecture notes, and problem sets with solutions for graduate students of theoretical physics.

**Difficulty:** Advanced | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-821-string-theory-and-holographic-duality-fall-2014/

**Tags:** string-theory, ads-cft, holographic-duality, black-holes, quantum-gravity

## Books

### 1. String Theory, Volume 1

**Author:** Joseph Polchinski

Graduate textbook developing the bosonic string from the worldsheet: Polyakov path integral, conformal field theory, BRST quantization, tree and one-loop amplitudes, and D-branes. Prepares readers to follow current research literature and the superstring volume.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521633036?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, science-research, mathematical-physics

### 2. A First Course in String Theory

**Author:** Barton Zwiebach

Undergraduate-level introduction assuming only mechanics, special relativity and basic quantum mechanics. Builds relativistic strings, D-branes, T-duality and light-cone quantization step by step, so readers can attempt real calculations before meeting the graduate formalism.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/052128354X?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, science-research, mathematical-physics

### 3. String Theory and M-Theory

**Author:** Katrin Becker, Melanie Becker, John H. Schwarz

Graduate text covering the superstring, all five string theories and their dualities, M-theory, D-branes, black hole entropy counting, flux compactification and string cosmology. Gives readers the modern vocabulary used in current phenomenology and duality research.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521860695?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, science-research, mathematical-physics

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