Is It Okay to Rely on Brute Force Solutions as a Beginner in Python?

Learning is a gradual process, just like coding. Stick with finding brute force solutions for now; you’ll get to the more advanced stuff later. It’s all part of building your skills!

Whether you use brute force or optimal methods can depend on your goals. If you're solving real-world problems, a brute force method might get the job done, while for interviews, demonstrating your ability to solve the problem is essential. The best skill you can develop is the ability to analyze existing code and find ways to refine it for better efficiency.

LeetCode covers content from several CS courses! If you're looking for a solid foundation, starting with something like CS50 could be really helpful for grasping the fundamentals.

There are several things to consider: First, coding is not done in isolation—researching other problems is a key part of improvement. Implement the first solution you think of, then reflect on what you’re trying to achieve. After you’ve done your best, look at others’ solutions for insights, it’s a great way to learn!

Don’t stress too much! After you write some code, take a minute to see if you can make it cleaner or speed it up. If not, it’s fine to move on. With more practice, you’ll start seeing ways to improve your solutions naturally.

If you're focusing primarily on LeetCode, consider a subscription that gives you access to solutions and explanations for optimal approaches. To dive deeper into data structures, check out terms like unordered_map, linked list, and binary trees. Familiarizing yourself with these concepts will really help with your coding journey!