Error-correcting codes constitute one of the key ingredients in achieving the high degree of reliability required in modern data transmission and storage systems. This book introduces the reader to the theoretical foundations of error-correcting codes, with an emphasis on Reed-Solomon codes and their derivative codes. After reviewing linear codes and finite fields, Ron Roth describes Reed-Solomon codes and various decoding algorithms. Cyclic codes are presented, as are MDS codes, graph codes, and codes in the Lee metric. Concatenated, trellis, and convolutional codes are also discussed in detail.