I Solved 1583 Leetcode Questions Here's What I Learned

Summary

The video discusses common mistakes made while preparing for coding interviews using LeetCode. Key takeaways: understand fundamentals before solving problems; utilize LeetCode discussions to learn optimal solutions; stay organized with tools to track progress; practice mock interviews and contests to simulate real interview constraints. It's not the number of problems solved but the ability to tackle new problems that matters. Supplement LeetCode with real-world skills like open source contributions to stand out.

Takeaways

• 😵‍💫 Don't just copy code from Stack Overflow - understand the fundamentals and fix your skill issues
• 😊 Practice mock interviews and get comfortable with whiteboard coding - it's very different from Leetcode
• 📝 Use paper and talk out loud when solving problems - visualize and verbalize your thought process
• ✏️ Focus on understanding problems, not rushing to code a solution - think it through first
• ⏱ Use a timer to simulate real interview conditions when practicing
• 📈 Gradually increase problem difficulty as your skills improve - start easy and work up to hard
• 🏆 Doing contests helps prepare you for performing under time constraints
• 📊 Track your progress and keep notes on each problem for future review
• 🔍 Read solutions and discuss posts to improve your own approaches
• ❓ Measure readiness by your ability to consistently solve mediums in 25 minutes

Q & A

What mistakes does the speaker say he made when starting with LeetCode?

The speaker says his first mistake was not understanding fundamentals and jumping straight into solving problems. His second mistake was not utilizing the LeetCode discuss section to read optimal solutions. His third mistake was not doing LeetCode contests to practice in a timed environment.

What is the speaker's recommended easy/medium/hard problem distribution?

The speaker recommends solving 50% medium problems, 30% easy problems and 20% hard problems.

What is the recommended number of quality problems to solve according to the speaker?

The speaker recommends solving around 300 high quality problems.

What does the speaker say is key to getting the most out of LeetCode?

The speaker says staying organized is key for getting the most out of LeetCode. He recommends creating a list of attempted problems with status and notes.

What criteria does the speaker give for knowing if you are ready for coding interviews?

The speaker says if you can consistently solve LeetCode medium problems within 25 minutes and solve 3/4 problems in contests, you are likely ready for most coding interviews.

Does the speaker recommend using other platforms besides LeetCode?

No, the speaker says LeetCode is enough for practicing coding interview questions. He does not recommend rushing to get LeetCode Premium.

What is an alternative way to prepare for interviews besides LeetCode grinding?

The speaker does not mention this, but contributing to open source projects is an excellent way to prepare that demonstrates teamwork abilities.

Is the speaker's LeetCode advice applicable for experienced engineers?

The LeetCode practicing advice likely does not apply as strongly for experienced engineers. However, timed practice can still be useful.

What resources does the speaker recommend for learning data structures and algorithms?

The speaker recommends Geeks for Geeks, YouTube tutorials, and his own free algorithms course to learn fundamentals.

What is most important according to the speaker - number of problems solved or problem-solving abilities?

The speaker says the number of problems solved matters much less than how well you can solve new problems, which is why contests are very useful.