The DEFINITIVE way on how to LeetCode properly. (Hint: You are most likely doing it wrong!)

[hogwarts_dropout]

Found it on Reddit.. Thought might be helpful here...

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Will keep it short and simple.

I'm a new grad, and I received several offers from top companies and well known unicorns / startups.

How did I do it? Leetcode.

That's the name of the game currently. If you can do Leetcode, you WILL get a top offer from a top company. Thats all there is to it.

Here is how to properly leetcode:

DO NOT attempt to solve any questions on your own (YET!). Yes, you heard me right. I know I sound crazy. But solving ANYTHING on your own is a complete and utter waste of time. Don't even spend 5 minutes on a problem. You do not have the base knowledge yet. You will simply be getting frustrated, and spinning your wheels.

So, what do you do? simple.

1. Go to grokking the coding interview (no DONT buy it. Waste of money) and look at their list of patterns.
2. Pick one pattern, and go to leetcode. Search for problems with that pattern.
3. Go through each problem for the pattern, and go STRAIGHT to the solution. Do not even spend 1 second trying to solve the problem. WASTE OF TIME.
4. Understand the solution DEEPLY. Make notes. Google things you don't understand. Watch videos on youtube about the solution. Go to the discussion section on leetcode and see what others came up with. Play around with the solution, modify variables, etc. Basically... UNDERSTAND THE SOLUTION AS DEEPLY AS YOU CAN
5. Move on to the next problem, and repeat.
6. After you have done this for enough problems, you will feel a lightbulb going off in your head. Congrats, now you know how to solve this pattern!
7. Go back and pick a new pattern, and do the same thing.

Because you aren't wasting time spending hours on a problem, in just 1-3 weeks, you will have a deep understanding of all the major patterns and common solutions to these patterns. You will be able to recognize how to break down a problem into specific patterns, etc.

Once you have done 300-400 problems like this (it sounds like a lot, but remember.. you are NOT wasting hours per problem trying to solve it.. so you will go through A LOT of problems in a short amount of time.. the key is NOT to memorize, but to UNDERSTAND THE PATTERNS), you can start going through company specific questions on leetcode by buying premium. You will notice you can solve them now on your own!

Congrats, you just saved yourself months and months of headache and frustration.


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Helpful Links :

Grokking the Coding Interview: Patterns for Coding Questions ​

AlgoExpert + SystemsExpert Videos Collection​

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[encephalitis]

the most quiet opposite advice on leetcode , still will give this a try

 

[CodeVj]

Sounds good like to try it.

 

[renderer]

Finally someone said it. It's kind of like in university where it's how most people I know study maths. You take a picture of the professor's solution on the blackboard and later at home you spend your time trying to "reverse engineer" it, you try to get what steps your maths professor took so you can apply it to solve your homework.

 

[noob_coder]

This technique sounds odd but will give it a try

 

[prince_singh]

thanks bro for sharing this.

 

[kaalia]

I will give this a try, hope this works!

 

[sandman98721]

Thanks for sharing

 

[crxs14]

anoyone have a link for grokking the coding interview ...
thee porvided one has many missing videos .

 

[tutorial96]

Loved this bit.

 

[raj.patil02121989]

+1

 

[seret]

Thanks for sharing this. I will definitely give it a try.

 

[neo42]

What a hidden gem. Hats off to you sir!

 

[podsni]

 

[girajjasamajja]

good need to try.

 

[ghanshyam varma]

password is tutflix

 

[Alpha71]

anyone trying this method at least one week? any good result?

 

[Taskmaster]

Sounds good, I'll give a try. I'll be back here soon to tell if it worked for me