A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) book is bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth or heavy paper) and a stitched spine.

Hardcover books are much more durable than paperbacks, which have flexible, easily damaged paper covers and glued spines. Hardcover books are also more expensive to manufacture and purchase. Hardcover books frequently come with artistic dust jackets. The hardcover edition of a book is typically released earlier than any paperback editions.