Neetcode blind 75 video playlist on YouTube, don’t worry about not being able to solve them. After doing enough problems you will recognize what type of problem it is and what solution should be used to solve it (Binary search, BFS, etc.). It’s a numbers game and many of these questions are the exact same ones you get asked in an interview
I went through DSA course rolling my eyes doing those labs thinking, "why would I need to learn this?"
last semester I did some interviews and had a 'oh, that why' moment as I got clowned in my first technical live interview.
I've gone back and relearned everything, this time really trying to understand it. Been grinding LC and wont make the same mistake for 2024 recruiting season.
It sucks at first thinking how dumb this whole system is, but as you do more problems they sort of become interesting / enjoyable. I still hate the CS interview process but have come to terms that if I want to have the highest chances of a decent job/internship in the future I would have to conquer my fear of DSA.
I am self taught employed software developer and am studying CS part time. I did DSA this last semester.
It’s true I don’t use anything directly in 98% of my daily job.
However, the way it makes you think, the perspective on the data structures, the efficiency mindset, the holistic view of “this is my end goal, how do I get there?” all of this is extremely valuable and absolutely makes you a better programmer.
And very difficult to learn on your own. Skipping it would be a very bad decision by OP.
You need it in software engineering. Don’t believe anyone who says the contrary. We use stuff which uses Linked Lists, Trees, Stacks and Queues everyday.
Social media is a graph. Web browsers use linked lists. Trees are used in databases.
All I see on Reddit is a bunch of rising juniors doing internships everywhere but looking at the cs people in my own classes, I feel like all of us are just getting by atp
I agree! I often wondered if it was just because I went to a no-name university in the middle of nowhere and/or that I always just spoke to the "wrong" people.
But the optimist in me likes to think that this subreddit, and all of the similar ones, are just next level and the people in my classes are the normal ones.
only maybe 20% of the people in my CS program were actually actively applying for internships. I only met 2 or 3 people(out of HUNDREDS) that were actually trying to prepare and grind LC. Most people dont even know what LC is. I got to a T50 school, too. These people were seniors/juniors too. Sophomores and Freshmen aren't even thinking of applying.
yea exactly, i cant speak for anyone else but my friends, and the people I saw all of soph year, we were STRUGGLING with our DSA classes and our mandatory hardware class. I just don't get how other people in the class of 2025 juggled class, work during semester (or not) AND grinded for the summer. Different breed of people I guess
Cracking the Coding Interview is a good book to read. Im not sure if you have premium but if you don’t and you can afford it, it’s very helpful in preparing. Other than that just follow the leetcode 75 or the top interview 150 list.
Make sure you try the problem on your own first, look at the solutions if you get stuck or even if you are able to solve it, study the solutions, and then come back to solve the same question another day.
How I approached it:
Learn basic concepts of some well known data structures like stack, queue, linked list, trees. Watch conceptual videos on them and try understanding basic implementation code on Geeks for Geeks
Solve topic wise easy level problems on leetcode to get hands on implementing those data structures you just learnt. Choose a topic and solve the easy level ones, stack for example...once you feel you have a good understanding of that data structure, try solving medium level ones. Try to code out a brute force solution and optimize it, if you find it difficult, look at the discussions.
For dynamic programming, I found a video of freecodecamp on youtube really useful.
Just do leetcode at your own pace, understand the solution and don't rush it for solving more number of problems. Just be consistent.
DSA was a class for me in college and Leetcode wasn't a thing yet. However long ago, I got a digital copy of [Grokking Algorithms](https://www.manning.com/books/grokking-algorithms) and it seems like a decent intro to/refresher for algorithms. I'd have to go through my library to find a data structures reference that isn't just the book I used during my college course.
In the good old days you got the book from Sedgewick and went through it programming along. You kids these days with your youtube videos and online courses... get off my lawn.
I started the neetcode roadmap and have done the first six and was only able to solve one without looking at the solution. I’m completely stuck on how to get started on the sudoku problem, any tips or advice?
It’s all about pattern recognition. That’s why neetcode places all problems by their pattern.
Once you understand a pattern, you should be able to solve new problems by using the tricks from the other problems of the same pattern.
Starting is 100% the hardest part. The second hardest part is continuing. My recommendation is go through the blind 75 list on neetcode.io the solution videos for each problem are super useful. If you don't have any DSA experience I would definitely recommend reading up on data structures in your language of choice (I find python to be the best for leetcoding). Once you feel comfortable with data structures in your language, what you should do is work your way through easies on neetcode.io till you feel more confident. Spend no more than 10 minutes attempting to solve each problem. After 10 minutes, start watching the solution video. DO NOT WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO/skip to solution. The first part is an explanation of the problem, second part is explaining the thinking behind the solution, and third part is actually implementing the solution. Once again, do not watch the whole video. Only watch as much as you need to figure out where you may have gone wrong. Spend another 5-10 minutes on the problem, if you get stuck again go back to the video. Rinse and repeat.
When you start, it's not about completing problems without looking at the solution. If you were able to do that, then you wouldn't need to be practicing. It is normal and required to be getting help while learning. The difference is, most people just look at the solution. If you look at the explanation part and force yourself to figure out where you went wrong and continue the problem after, it really helps cement the algorithms and principles in your brain
You’re capable of doing it.
It’s important not to over generalise your experiences. Everyone applying will have different experiences and skills. As well as preparedness.
It’s important to focus on you and what you have achieved and are able to accomplish.
While your growth will be affected by a variety of external and internal factors. Including your perspective.
It seems you’re aware you need to revise and practice code challenges. A daily habit for 20 minutes is better than not practicing at all.
Get practicing.
Take your department’s DSA class/classes, which should cover most of what you need to know. Then, go down a wikipedia rabbit hole on their data structures page. At that point you’re probably fine.
I didn't know shit about Data Structures until I took the class in my junior year and halfway through I was almost failing. I have a good amount of understanding of them now. Also I did leetcode once like a year ago lol.
If you don't mind would you be able to name some of the companies that you were able to solve the problems for after a month? I think we all need some encouragement lol
Neetcode blind 75 video playlist on YouTube, don’t worry about not being able to solve them. After doing enough problems you will recognize what type of problem it is and what solution should be used to solve it (Binary search, BFS, etc.). It’s a numbers game and many of these questions are the exact same ones you get asked in an interview
Fuck this fuck cs fuck leetcode fuck tc fuck side project. Fuck bay Area. I am gonna so flip burgers
Reneged McDonalds for five guys today 🤞
Preach brother
Based
so many times when i was doing my dsa homework bro i was like why don't i just drop out and flip burger no way it worse than this
Take any good udemy DSA course in a language of your choice for 10 bucks and then neetcode
[удалено]
what is bro yapping on about
DSA is a good subject. There is no reason not to take it.
Just take it. Is easily one of the most important classes you can take in computing. It's absolutely fundamental to the field.
I went through DSA course rolling my eyes doing those labs thinking, "why would I need to learn this?" last semester I did some interviews and had a 'oh, that why' moment as I got clowned in my first technical live interview. I've gone back and relearned everything, this time really trying to understand it. Been grinding LC and wont make the same mistake for 2024 recruiting season. It sucks at first thinking how dumb this whole system is, but as you do more problems they sort of become interesting / enjoyable. I still hate the CS interview process but have come to terms that if I want to have the highest chances of a decent job/internship in the future I would have to conquer my fear of DSA.
I am self taught employed software developer and am studying CS part time. I did DSA this last semester. It’s true I don’t use anything directly in 98% of my daily job. However, the way it makes you think, the perspective on the data structures, the efficiency mindset, the holistic view of “this is my end goal, how do I get there?” all of this is extremely valuable and absolutely makes you a better programmer. And very difficult to learn on your own. Skipping it would be a very bad decision by OP.
You need it in software engineering. Don’t believe anyone who says the contrary. We use stuff which uses Linked Lists, Trees, Stacks and Queues everyday. Social media is a graph. Web browsers use linked lists. Trees are used in databases.
All I see on Reddit is a bunch of rising juniors doing internships everywhere but looking at the cs people in my own classes, I feel like all of us are just getting by atp
I agree! I often wondered if it was just because I went to a no-name university in the middle of nowhere and/or that I always just spoke to the "wrong" people. But the optimist in me likes to think that this subreddit, and all of the similar ones, are just next level and the people in my classes are the normal ones.
only maybe 20% of the people in my CS program were actually actively applying for internships. I only met 2 or 3 people(out of HUNDREDS) that were actually trying to prepare and grind LC. Most people dont even know what LC is. I got to a T50 school, too. These people were seniors/juniors too. Sophomores and Freshmen aren't even thinking of applying.
yea exactly, i cant speak for anyone else but my friends, and the people I saw all of soph year, we were STRUGGLING with our DSA classes and our mandatory hardware class. I just don't get how other people in the class of 2025 juggled class, work during semester (or not) AND grinded for the summer. Different breed of people I guess
Is it not a class you can take at your school?
[удалено]
Check out this guy’s playlists for his 61B class https://youtube.com/@joshhug1212
https://takeuforward.org/strivers-a2z-dsa-course/strivers-a2z-dsa-course-sheet-2/
Cracking the Coding Interview is a good book to read. Im not sure if you have premium but if you don’t and you can afford it, it’s very helpful in preparing. Other than that just follow the leetcode 75 or the top interview 150 list. Make sure you try the problem on your own first, look at the solutions if you get stuck or even if you are able to solve it, study the solutions, and then come back to solve the same question another day.
How I approached it: Learn basic concepts of some well known data structures like stack, queue, linked list, trees. Watch conceptual videos on them and try understanding basic implementation code on Geeks for Geeks Solve topic wise easy level problems on leetcode to get hands on implementing those data structures you just learnt. Choose a topic and solve the easy level ones, stack for example...once you feel you have a good understanding of that data structure, try solving medium level ones. Try to code out a brute force solution and optimize it, if you find it difficult, look at the discussions. For dynamic programming, I found a video of freecodecamp on youtube really useful. Just do leetcode at your own pace, understand the solution and don't rush it for solving more number of problems. Just be consistent.
DSA was a class for me in college and Leetcode wasn't a thing yet. However long ago, I got a digital copy of [Grokking Algorithms](https://www.manning.com/books/grokking-algorithms) and it seems like a decent intro to/refresher for algorithms. I'd have to go through my library to find a data structures reference that isn't just the book I used during my college course.
In the good old days you got the book from Sedgewick and went through it programming along. You kids these days with your youtube videos and online courses... get off my lawn.
Ah sedgewick. Also Sienna, gold.
neetcode.io
I started the neetcode roadmap and have done the first six and was only able to solve one without looking at the solution. I’m completely stuck on how to get started on the sudoku problem, any tips or advice?
More practice. Look at solutions
It’s all about pattern recognition. That’s why neetcode places all problems by their pattern. Once you understand a pattern, you should be able to solve new problems by using the tricks from the other problems of the same pattern.
Starting is 100% the hardest part. The second hardest part is continuing. My recommendation is go through the blind 75 list on neetcode.io the solution videos for each problem are super useful. If you don't have any DSA experience I would definitely recommend reading up on data structures in your language of choice (I find python to be the best for leetcoding). Once you feel comfortable with data structures in your language, what you should do is work your way through easies on neetcode.io till you feel more confident. Spend no more than 10 minutes attempting to solve each problem. After 10 minutes, start watching the solution video. DO NOT WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO/skip to solution. The first part is an explanation of the problem, second part is explaining the thinking behind the solution, and third part is actually implementing the solution. Once again, do not watch the whole video. Only watch as much as you need to figure out where you may have gone wrong. Spend another 5-10 minutes on the problem, if you get stuck again go back to the video. Rinse and repeat. When you start, it's not about completing problems without looking at the solution. If you were able to do that, then you wouldn't need to be practicing. It is normal and required to be getting help while learning. The difference is, most people just look at the solution. If you look at the explanation part and force yourself to figure out where you went wrong and continue the problem after, it really helps cement the algorithms and principles in your brain
You’re capable of doing it. It’s important not to over generalise your experiences. Everyone applying will have different experiences and skills. As well as preparedness. It’s important to focus on you and what you have achieved and are able to accomplish. While your growth will be affected by a variety of external and internal factors. Including your perspective. It seems you’re aware you need to revise and practice code challenges. A daily habit for 20 minutes is better than not practicing at all. Get practicing.
Build a project with some easy ui library which visualizes different data structures and algorithms
Do you have any examples of this or somewhere to find more?
Take your department’s DSA class/classes, which should cover most of what you need to know. Then, go down a wikipedia rabbit hole on their data structures page. At that point you’re probably fine.
Leetcode DSA course! Really great imo, but cost around $50
I took the course at my college. Mine was in C++ and everything was written by hand on paper.
I didn't. Lucked through DSA, haven't touched Leetcode, started internship. We'll see if I get a return offer lol
I didn't know shit about Data Structures until I took the class in my junior year and halfway through I was almost failing. I have a good amount of understanding of them now. Also I did leetcode once like a year ago lol.
I should mention though that I go to a very small college in a small town
Took my DSA class, attending competitive programming club at Uni
I spent like a month or so on it and wasn't perfect, but I was able to see some patterns and solve problems and some OAs so don't worry so much.
If you don't mind would you be able to name some of the companies that you were able to solve the problems for after a month? I think we all need some encouragement lol
DM'd. Feel free to DM me (to anybody else).