Hi everyone! I'm a self-taught developer with a few years of professional experience under my belt. Despite this, I've always struggled with data structures and algorithms (DSA) and haven't been great at platforms like LeetCode. Surprisingly, this hasn't caused any real issues in my job, and I've even taken on senior roles in smaller teams. However, when it comes to DSA and coding challenges, I find myself struggling to grasp new concepts. I'll get the hang of something one day, only to forget it a few days later and end up coding something that doesn't work when I try again. My latest hurdle has been sorting algorithms, particularly merge sort and insertion sort. I have a basic understanding, but if I had to code one from scratch after a few days, I'd really struggle. I'm moving soon to a place where interview questions will heavily focus on LeetCode-style problems, and it's making me anxious. Any advice? Is it normal to feel this way about abstract concepts?
3 Answers
You’re definitely not alone in feeling this way! Remember, DSA is about recognizing patterns rather than memorizing specific lines of code. If you find yourself forgetting, try coming back to the same problem after a couple of days. Write it out from scratch and focus on understanding why it works instead of just how to do it. Coding gets easier over time as those concepts solidify.
Learning algorithms and doing well on LeetCode are actually pretty separate skills. You can get by with memorizing solutions for the exam-like questions. Just keep practicing. But if you truly want to understand algorithms, it takes more time. I’d recommend reading something like Stepanov’s 'From Mathematics to Generic Programming.' It lays down the basic principles step by step and will help you build a solid foundation.
One of the best ways to get better is to practice those common patterns—treat it like a workout routine! Focus on 10-15 key algorithms like sorting, two pointers, and DFS/BFS. Write them out by hand until you can do them almost without thinking. It's all about repetition, especially with the job market being as challenging as it is.
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