Data Structures And Algorithms Q&A and Videos

I've been working as a software engineer for 9+ years. Even though graduated in CSE, I never put a great effort in learning DSA into deep. Nor did I found interest in solving problems in leetcode.

I mostly worked in startup jobs. The expectations are kind of clear here. Build apis and features and deploy.

I believe I know moderate amount of system design and build product from scratch using js tech.

Have hands on experience in Node, React and AWS. Lead ~4-5 members for a short time. Never had the opportunity to build product which needed a great scale. DB sharding, working in a system that had 100s of micrsoervices is something I have never experienced.

I'm making around $75k in UAE. How can I give myself a learning path which would lead me to a better paying job. Ideally ~120k+. Spending 2-3 hrs daily would be difficult because of personal commitment. Maybe 6-8hrs total in a week I can manage.

Thanks

Wanted to know if anyone here has purchased and was it worth the $90?

Hi Everyone,

Hope you're doing well! I'm reaching out to you today because I'm currently trying to wrap my head around recursion, but I'm struggling to grasp the concept fully. I've tried learning it before, but it just never clicked for me. Now, after taking a few weeks to refresh my mind, I'm diving back in and hoping to find some top-notch resources that will help me succeed.

Recursion is a prerequisite for many data structures and algorithms, including trees, dynamic programming, graphs, sorting, searching, and traversal algorithms. Understanding recursion is essential for working with these structures and implementing efficient algorithms that operate in them.

Please offer some guidance or advice on how to approach this problem. I would be incredibly grateful for any help you can provide.

Hey,

I had bought a course from interview kickstart that expires on 20 days (post extension) and they are not able to extend it further.

I have 11 interviews left with them, which is really amazing given the talented interviewers they have.

I am applying for L6 (maybe L5) at Roblox, Google, Netflix and Uber.

Given the constraints, how do I best utilize the interviews:

• Is it better utilized for systems design or DSA?
• For folks who successfully clear DSA at FAANG+, how did you practice "talking" through the problems? What other resources did you use for mock interviews?

I was thinking of using ChatGPT for talking my mock interviews, is that a good idea? And using 10 / 11 for systems design and 1 for behavioral.

Hi, I have a Meta new grad interview coming up and I got LC premium for the first time. I wanted to ask what filters you recommend using.

I am thinking of this - Filter the list by past 30 days, sort by frequency and then do the top 30 from there.

What do you think? You can also filter by past 3 months, 6 months, all time. Thanks!

I was going through Alex's DSA course however I don't quite understand a few of the concepts he mentions. For example, Alex mentions that the difference between a yes and a strong yes is that a candidate asks more clarifying questions and edge cases. Aren't these pretty much the same thing? Shouldn't we clarify all of the edge cases in the beginning? Also, shouldn't we discuss alternative solutions before we start coding? Also, time/space complexity as well?

I don't think this is the case however because Alex says not to do the happy flow + edge cases all at once but first to code the happy flow -> account for edge cases (after).

I think what Alex is trying to mention from this course is when given a DSA problem we should do basic edge case clarification and verbalization of our solution to very quickly get a solution out and then try to come up with more edge cases/solutions to see if we missed anything (as this is how software is built in real life. I wanted to confirm this point. Sorry if this is a ramble.

I have about 10 years of experience and currently working as a Staff Engineer. Have worked only in small startup companies.

I consistently get above expectations in appraisals as I always display ownership and have been open to pick new skills and have understanding of the product.

Now coming to the issue, I get stuck with DSA questions and somehow not able to come up with intuitions and don't have the practice to solve any algorithmic problem in 40 minutes.

I seemed to have survived in tech with basic curiosity and common sense till this point LOL!

What about me the best way to pick the skills to crack interviews at big tech spending time to cover topics of DSA, LLD, system design and other rounds?

• For early stage startups (< series A)
• Medium stage startups (B-D)
• Unicorns (pre-IPO - IPO'ed in < 2yrs ago)
• F500s
• Public Companies (e.g. adobe, wayfair, quora)
• FAANG

This is for strictly DSA not something like pair programming. This is also for Jr/Mid level interviews

Hello! I'm watching Alex's DSA course and I'm very eager to start my DSA prep journey!

Now, I know we have a great here on Taro. But how do we consume a 10h long course effectively? I'm following NeetCode 150 list, as I find it to be carefully curated and allows me to (similar in college), focus on one subject per week or two, before moving on to the next topic. In my experience, if you spend time reading up on a subject, it is lost time if you don't apply it immediately. Should I first watch it once end-to-end so I learn how to navigate the course? And then I just use the course as a dictionary when I need to brush up on a concept? Everyone consumes information differently of course, but do anyone have any suggestions on how to get the most out of longer content?

Hi,

As a mid-level software engineer, I've been serving a prominent semiconductor industry as a contractor for almost two years. I was initially promised a permanent position, but I was recently informed by my Team Lead that they wouldn't be able to convert my contract into a full-time role.

Given the recent upheavals in our Software Department, this doesn't come as a complete surprise. Anticipating this situation, I have been honing my Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) skills since the start of the year. Now, I'm in the process of exploring full-time opportunities in fields like Embedded Software Development and Robotics Software Development.

However, as an immigrant without a green card, I'm facing certain visa restrictions, which I understand could complicate the job search process. At this point, I am feeling slightly overwhelmed and could use some assistance in navigating this transition. I greatly appreciate any advice you can provide.

Hello everyone,

I'm preparing for a potential career transition as I join the MS CS program at Georgia Tech this fall, while also working full-time. Given the uncertain job security at my current company, I am proactively looking to strengthen my position in the job market in the United States. Here is a brief overview of my background:

1. Current Role: 2 years in a distributed systems role utilizing TypeScript and Rust.
2. Education: Joining Georgia Tech for an MS in Computer Science; previous non-CS engineering degree in a tier 1 university in India.
3. Internships: Completed two internships with local town US companies ( didn't learn much there).
4. Publications: Co-authored an Android Dev (Kotlin) + AI/ML-based paper published in an ACM journal and presented at a conference.
5. Research: Collaborated with professors on projects related to security, networking, and HCI.
6. Side Projects:
   • Pet Marketplace and Grocery eCommerce Android App - Java
   • Multi-threaded mathematical solver and Sudoku helper in C/C++
   • DDQN-based AI game for an RL course project - Python
7. Programming Proficiency: TypeScript (Node.js), Rust (p2p Networking), C/C++ (Operating Systems & DSA), Java (Android Development)

I had earlier applied to lots of companies in 2022 & 2023 when I was looking for jobs in the States. I had applied to around 300 companies each for internships and jobs. Only 10 reached out, I could only convert one then which is my current job. I had a really poor profile then with a non-CS degree outside of the United States. I had cold applied then. I do not want to end up in that same situation again. I have tried my best to improve my profile since then.

I'm seeking advice on how best to approach internship applications now with an improved profile. Specifically, I am wondering:

• Is it more effective to reach out directly to hiring managers rather than recruiters, especially for internships?
• What strategies can I employ to increase my visibility and chances of getting hired, beyond cold-applying and asking for referrals on LinkedIn?
• What can I do beyond brushing up my DSA skills and Dev skills in the tech stack I am proficient in? [ My degree will also help me catch up on my basic CS foundation. ]

Any insights or advice beyond the scope of the questions would be greatly appreciated too!

I have been trying to get back to studying DSA and Leetcode.

What's a good study plan and order?

I'm currently studying for software engineering interviews, but I'm having a hard time deciding how to divide up my time between doing LC problems and going over system design concepts. It can feel overwhelming since both categories have so much to cover. I also have a family, so most of my studying gets done after my kid goes to sleep at around 7 PM. Since my team is in the west coast and I'm in the east coast, I do get some extra time in the morning to work out at the gym and go through some LC problems. I'm currently going through Neetcode's course as a refresher. For those of you who have aced your interviews, how did you divide up your time on different topics? Did you mostly spend your time on LeetCode? I'd be happy to hear any recommendations.

My main goal: I want to be interview-ready no matter what. I currently work at a big tech company and I've been there for 4 years now, but I haven't seen much growth and now I'm seeing that I could have negotiated more when I first got my offer. I was asked 2 LC-type problems, and I feel I got lucky with them because I hadn't extensively gone through all the different patterns and data structures. It was my first time getting RSUs and I wish I had known more about negotiation tactics as well. I feel that if I be ready for interviews, I can apply and definitely increase my comp by a lot. The motivation is for me to overcome the fear of DS&A problems and not stop myself from applying to positions just because I'd be asked LC-type questions. I also know that I can double my comp with the right negotiation tactics and with my years of experience.

How common is it that folks self-sabotage their interviews? I think I might have during one of them unintentionally. I had interviewed at a FAANGMULA company and mentioned a competitor. The pay was low compared to my level, but also, I felt like it was more junior and I tended to go very long winded (lack of practice) for various questions. It seems I am a bit out of practice for soft skill interview screens, though usually I kick butt on these and spend way more time on DSA than anything (my weakest area since I'm rusty and system design and behavioral interviews don't scare me at all).

Thoughts?

Hi Taro staff,

I wanted to know if there are any other study groups running? The ones I have seen with system design seemed more passive as of late and prior had some really good ones for DSA/technical interview prep. Wondering who will run the next round of events, has this just rotated with volunteer members organizing this?

I've noticed that many people can secure Google L4 interviews and solve complex data structure and algorithms problems. For example:

Despite my efforts, I often struggle to recognize patterns and solve these problems effectively. I realize that my preparation might be insufficient, or perhaps I'm not practicing enough every day. Sometimes, I learn topics in a shallow way and quickly move on to the next one. For example, I recently revisited an easy array problem and couldn't solve it.

In response, I've started deeply engaging with the basics, but I’m unsure if I can handle easy, medium, to hard problems consistently. I don't want to pay for a subscription course, but I aim to be diligent because mastering DSA is crucial for securing a good package.

I'm considering several strategies to improve: attempting to solve problems on my own before looking at solutions, reading explanations aloud and drawing diagrams to reinforce my understanding, or creating YouTube videos where I explain solutions. This approach could not only help me learn but also potentially generate income if the videos gain traction.

What is the best learning method to make reasonable progress and develop a habit that will be effective in interviews?

I know from the course it says they give hards if you bomb the first question to "save" the candidate

But assuming you dont bomb the question is it common to get LC hards?

If I'm able to crack most mediums in under 30 minutes is that a decent place to be?

In my 11 years in tech I have never needed to learn algorithms or data structures to the extreme for these interviews. I also have never needed to know off hand the time and space complexity.

Does anyone have any tips for a father of 3 ( little ones ) with limited time can prep for this thing? Context I am trying to fill the role of Senior Android Engineer.

Interviews typically comprise two main elements: DSA and behavioral assessments. Both demand practice to excel. Reflecting on my own journey, I vividly recall struggling with initial DSA rounds during college (lol I failed to reverse a linked list). However, through some practice through the years, I've significantly improved (one recent interviewer said something like I used up their followups and that didn't happen so often). Nevertheless, I still notice a disparity in my head when solving technical problems in live coding scenarios compared to when I'm quietly practicing on leetcode. The pressure of performing in real-time often induces anxiety, brain fog and being stuck when there's a bug. I believe additional practice could mitigate these challenges.

Needless to say, behavior & system design need practice as well. I also tried to sign up to be a interviewer of my company to practice from the other side, but there's not a lot of hiring happening.

I think currently the biggest efforts is to find the companies that are giving interviews.

Which companies are hiring / best for practice? I also heard you can interview with multiple teams in TikTok, which make it a perfect practice land.

What thoughts do you have?

I found monotonic stacks and queues to be quite difficult at first, but I felt like it would be worth the effort to become more familiar with them (seems like it would be virtually impossible to come up with them in the context of a DSA interview). My efforts led to me writing an about the monotonic stack/deque data structure.

The post linked above is all text-based, but I realize others sometime learn more effectively through other mediums (e.g., video-based instruction). Curious to know what other resources people have found to be of use!

Question: This may seem like a dumb question but, doesn't a technical person administer technical interviews (coding / whiteboarding and systems design)?

So I had a behavioral screen with Meta some time ago and the in-house non-technical recruiter to my surprise oddly asked me a systems design question (I was expected to answer in like 5-15 minutes max which made no sense), I get that they want to get an idea of the candidate's 'product sense,' but I found it quite odd.

Recently, I came across another software engineering coaching platform I joined and went to their practice of DSA and system design interview prep sessions which they run weekly, which oddly I found that non-technical admins (executive assistants) ran, I think it was helpful for offloading administrative scheduling, but they didn't seem to help much since they're actually non-technical.