coding.md

Practice

I recommend using LeetCode, but smartly (by filtering which questions and not randomly solving them):

• https://neetcode.io/practice
• https://leetcode.com/discuss/general-discussion/460599/blind-75-leetcode-questions

Ask clarifying questions:

• Ensure that you fully understand the problem and the expected output.
• Verify your understanding by asking questions and repeating back what you understand.
• Be honest if you have seen the problem before.
• Do not hesitate to ask any "dumb" questions; the interviewer prefers that you ask rather than make incorrect assumptions.
• Use examples to illustrate and clarify the problem; these can be useful later when testing.
  • Start thinking about potential corner cases.

Understand the input and output characteristics:

• Determine the size and limit range of inputs and outputs.
  • This helps you estimate time and space complexity.
  • For large inputs, you may need a more efficient algorithm or data structure.
• Understand the significance of size, such as:
  • Length of an array or the size of the expected answer.
• Use limit ranges to identify patterns or constraints that might suggest a simpler solution.

Explore examples and edge cases:

• Begin by considering small, simple examples.
  • Use these to identify potential solutions and verify their correctness.
• Consider large examples to evaluate scalability.
• Identify and test edge cases to assess the robustness of your solution.

Evaluate potential solutions:

• Consider the trade-offs between different solutions, prioritizing:
  • Correctness.
  • Time complexity.
  • Space complexity.
  • Ease of implementation.
  • Code readability.
• Start with a simple, naive solution and evaluate its complexity.
  • Identify repeated operations and think about data structures or algorithms that can optimize them.
• Compare multiple possible solutions using time and space complexity to determine which is the most suitable based on the problem's constraints.

Write clean, readable code:

• Write code that is easy to read and understand.
• Use meaningful variable and function names, or provide comments if necessary.
• Maintain proper indentation and spacing to enhance readability.

Test thoroughly:

• Test your code with a variety of inputs, including:
  • Small inputs for quick checks.
  • Edge cases to ensure robustness.
• Walk through your code step-by-step for different scenarios, explaining what happens at each stage.

Stay calm and focused:

• Remember to breathe and maintain composure.
• Don't rush; take your time to think through the problem and your solution.