K-theory is often considered a complicated `specialist's' theory. This book is an introduction to the basics and provides detailed explanation of the various concepts required for a deeper understanding of the subject. Some familiarity with basic C*algebra theory is assumed and then follows a careful construction and analysis of the operator K-theory groups and proof of the results of K-theory, including Bott periodicity.

Of specific interest to algebraists and geometrists, the book aims to give full instruction. No details are left out in the presentation and many instructive and generously hinted exercises are provided.

Apart from K-theory, this book offers complete and self contained expositions of important advanced C*-algebraic constructions like tensor products, multiplier algebras and Hilbert modules.