What are some recommended textbooks for learning QFT?

[accdd]

Which textbook is recommended for a modern introduction to QFT?
What mathematical topics do I need to know to start studying QFT?
From which textbooks can I learn them?
I know calculus, linear algebra, mathematical methods of physics (the necessary topics for quantum mechanics).
I learned basic quantum mechanics and classical electrodynamics from Griffiths' textbooks and I am studying general relativity from the textbooks of Carroll and Schutz.

 

[Demystifier]

- Greiner and Reinhardt, Field Quantization
and
- Ryder, Quantum Field Theory
are excellent introductions, but not particularly modern.
An excellent modern introduction is
- Lancaster and Blundell, Quantum Field Theory for the Gifted Amateur

 

[A. Neumaier]

See the recent discussion on Peter Woit's blog, https://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress/?p=12819

 

[HomogenousCow]

This text by Maggiore is pretty great.

 

[malawi_glenn]

Zee - QFT in a nutshell is great

 

[Vanadium 50]

Which textbook is recommended for a modern introduction to QFT?

Why "modern"? It hasn't changed in 60 years. What's wrong with Bjorken and Drell?

I would argue that Griffiths is marginal for preparation for learning to do QFT. It's probably enough to read about QFT. But that's not usually the goal of a textbook.

 

[Demystifier]

What's wrong with Bjorken and Drell?

No path integrals, renormalization group is poorly understood, ...

 

[vanhees71]

Why "modern"? It hasn't changed in 60 years. What's wrong with Bjorken and Drell?

The treatment of renormalization of QED is famously flawed, i.e., outdated. It lacks the entire treatment of non-Abelian gauge theories. I'd not recommend Bjorken and Drell (except the chapter about LSZ, which is very clearly written). The volume on "relativistic quantum mechanics" is entirely outdated. Nobody uses Dirac's hole-theoretical formulation anymore.

There were so many developments since Bjorken and Drell (BPHZ, non-Abelian gauge theories, path-integral formulation) that it's really better to refer to a more recent textbook. As a first book, I like

M. D. Schwartz, Quantum field theory and the Standard
Model, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York
(2014).

I would argue that Griffiths is marginal for preparation for learning to do QFT. It's probably enough to read about QFT. But that's not usually the goal of a textbook.

 

[malawi_glenn]

As a first book, I like

M. D. Schwartz, Quantum field theory and the Standard
Model, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York
(2014).

It is okay, I read it after I learned QFT so I can not say anything about that. However, I have the second printing and it was filled with errors (more than your average textbook I would say). Make sure to get the 6th printing or newer. There is an errata list on the authors webpage: https://schwartzqft.fas.harvard.edu/

To throw in another book in the list, I can recommend "Quantum field theory" by Mark Srednicki. It covers many topics, some in high detail but some in less detail so it is a quite "uneven" book. But the basic chapters and parts are solid. He even has a draft version etc on his homepage so one can get a feel for what the book is like http://web.physics.ucsb.edu/~mark/qft.html