142 Resources for Mastering Coding Interviews

Summary

The website provides a comprehensive study guide with resources and practice problems to master coding interviews, covering topics from basic programming to system design and SQL.

Abstract

The webpage titled "142 Resources for Mastering Coding Interviews" offers a structured approach to preparing for software engineering interviews. It includes a checklist of problems, video tutorials on algorithms and data structures, and a variety of post-study questions to test one's understanding. The guide emphasizes the importance of understanding classic problems, algorithms, data structures, Big O notation, dynamic programming, string manipulation, and system design. It also touches on operational programming problems, operating systems, threads, object-oriented programming, design patterns, and SQL. The resources are curated to help candidates study effectively and track their progress, ensuring they are well-prepared for the technical aspects of coding interviews.

Opinions

The guide suggests that mastering classic problems is crucial for success in coding interviews, as these problems are often used as weed-out questions.
There is an emphasis on the importance of understanding algorithms and data structures, with a collection of video tutorials provided to aid visual learners.
The inclusion of Big O notation resources indicates the guide's stance on the necessity of understanding time complexity in algorithm analysis.
The guide opines that practical, operational programming problems are as important as theoretical knowledge, reflecting the need for candidates to demonstrate implementation skills.
The guide advocates for a basic understanding of operating systems and threads, suggesting that interviewers may expect candidates to have this foundational knowledge.
It is implied that familiarity with object-oriented programming principles and design patterns is beneficial, even if not directly asked in interviews.
The guide's section on system design videos suggests that being able to think big picture and understand software engineering concepts beyond coding is important for candidates.
The guide's final section on SQL implies that while not all candidates will face SQL questions, having SQL knowledge can be a valuable asset in interviews.

Warm Up With The Classics

How did you do? Take a moment and rate yourself on these classics. We have been asked most of these at some point in the interview process—and often early on as weed-out style questions. They often have less to do with algorithms and data structures, but still require a good understanding of loops and arrays (yes, an array is a data structure).

Operational Programming Problems

Some companies won’t ask you algorithm problems. Instead, they might focus more on implementation and operational problems. These are usually more niche and involve practical problems, like looping through data and performing a task of some sort. These types of problems don’t usually require as much practice because it is more about taking basic concepts like arrays and HashMaps and keeping track of what you are doing to them.

System Design Videos

System design questions are crucial questions that show you are more than just a coder. You need to be able to think big picture as an engineer. Where do certain services belong, what kind of servers do you need, how would you manage traffic, etc. All of these ideas show that you are able to design software, not just code what people tell you to code.