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A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

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Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#91

Post by TheMblabla »

thewarrior wrote: post #53
logicslave12 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s been really stressful. I know python, but not really any other languages. I’m able to get work done. But I’m really nearly the same as a fresh grad. But really, I was just bumming around, then studied for four months and destroyed their algorithms questions, so much so that expectations for me are really high. But all I know is leetcode, literally nothing else...

Take the same energy and apply it to learning to build testable and understandable code. If you can go from nothing to smoking an algo interview in months you’re a fast learner. You’ll be fine.

I think that's what these leetcode type questions are good at. You're either naturally adept enough to do well, or internally motivated enough to memorize/learn them. Either way, it's a decent signal for a company that needs someone to learn their internal, proprietary techstack

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#92

Post by yodsanklai »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #70
pcestrada wrote: post #20

Can you imagine having to learn all this just to make a connection to a database, process some data, and then persist it somewhere?

The popular sentiment on computer science knowledge has done a complete 180 in the past several years. Not that long ago, it was popular to complain that junior SWEs didn't really understand the algorithms, the data structures, and what was going on behind the scenes. The complaint was that they were just copy and pasting from internet searches until things sort of worked on their machine, but they couldn't recognize…

> I'm sure there's someone out there who knows a guy who knows a guy who can somehow ace Leetcode but can't write an efficient website backend

I don't see what makes you think a person who can ace Leetcode should be able to write an "efficient website backend". These are different sets of skills. You can ace Leetcode and not even know what a backend is.

> knowledge of CS fundamentals

Leetcode is not CS fundamentals. It's a small part of CS fundamentals. Besides, candidates aren't asked to show they know the CS fundamentals. They are asked to show that they spent more time practicing leetcode than the other guys.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#93

Post by zerr »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #65
logicslave12 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was working on a “startup”/kinda just unemployed for two years. I studied leetcode hard, and got hired into a 300k a year job at FAANG. I know nothing about testing, git, software process, roll outs, dev ops, etc. I barely know how to do software engineering. What an idiotic hiring process.

Interviews are only partially about testing your body of experience. They're also supposed to test your aptitude and ability to grow in the future. If you were capable of studying Leetcode so hard that you mastered the interview process at one of the most selective software companies in the world in only a few months, it's not much of a stretch to imagine that you could apply that same aptitude, ambition, and ability…

Err, but why do you have to prove it for every next job?...

In reality, it's a legal way for:

1. Ageism - not many seniors are desperate enough or have a free time for Competitive Programming preps.

2. Making switching jobs harder - for every next job one has to prepare again, because nobody is using Competitive Programming stuff during real work, so you forget.

Keep in mind that CP != CS.

And CP is not everyone's cup of tea. It is a separate discipline/subject with its own trivia knowledge & tricks. CP uses Computer Science the same way as e.g. Physics or Biology use Math.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#94

Post by dbuser99 »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #70
pcestrada wrote: post #20

Can you imagine having to learn all this just to make a connection to a database, process some data, and then persist it somewhere?

The popular sentiment on computer science knowledge has done a complete 180 in the past several years. Not that long ago, it was popular to complain that junior SWEs didn't really understand the algorithms, the data structures, and what was going on behind the scenes. The complaint was that they were just copy and pasting from internet searches until things sort of worked on their machine, but they couldn't recognize…

Leetcode is not a good indicator of quality code by any means. It's basically a filter. If one can't solve these programming questions, there is a higher chance that they are not good at programming compared to one who can.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#95

Post by thewarrior »

TheMblabla wrote: post #91
thewarrior wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Take the same energy and apply it to learning to build testable and understandable code. If you can go from nothing to smoking an algo interview in months you’re a fast learner. You’ll be fine.

I think that's what these leetcode type questions are good at. You're either naturally adept enough to do well, or internally motivated enough to memorize/learn them. Either way, it's a decent signal for a company that needs someone to learn their internal, proprietary techstack

I partially agree but this point of view has become very polarizing and controversial and I get the other side of it too. People who have spent ages getting better at their craft feel undervalued. However the two need not be mutually exclusive. One needs to learn to do their job while also navigating the system. That is part of the job just like selling your work is also work.

But having worked at both FANG and non FANG you can see the rigor of the interview process reflected in the quality of your colleagues. That’s something that is hard to deny having experienced it.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#96

Post by lawn »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #70
pcestrada wrote: post #20

Can you imagine having to learn all this just to make a connection to a database, process some data, and then persist it somewhere?

The popular sentiment on computer science knowledge has done a complete 180 in the past several years. Not that long ago, it was popular to complain that junior SWEs didn't really understand the algorithms, the data structures, and what was going on behind the scenes. The complaint was that they were just copy and pasting from internet searches until things sort of worked on their machine, but they couldn't recognize…

> Personally, I've never met anyone who was good at Leetcode yet produced bad code in production.

I competed with this guy in competitive programming competitions and while he was fantastic at it, he wrote the worst code I've ever seen.

I've also worked with many people who've never even heard of Leetcode or similar and they were fantastic developers.

In my opinion there's no correlation here and it's purely a distraction.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#97

Post by wdb »

sukilot wrote: post #40
logicslave12 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was working on a “startup”/kinda just unemployed for two years. I studied leetcode hard, and got hired into a 300k a year job at FAANG. I know nothing about testing, git, software process, roll outs, dev ops, etc. I barely know how to do software engineering. What an idiotic hiring process.

Do you think it's unlikely for you to learn those skills quickly? People who have all those skills earn over $300K at those companies.

My experience of FAANG interviews outside the US is that the salaries they offer are really disappointing compared to the US. Other industries like finance were a better deal compared those companies. If I can get paid £90-110k in the City why bother working for Facebook were they were offering less than £90k? Note, I don't consider bonuses or equity to part of salary.

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#98

Post by thewarrior »

wdb wrote: post #97
sukilot wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think it's unlikely for you to learn those skills quickly? People who have all those skills earn over $300K at those companies.

My experience of FAANG interviews outside the US is that the salaries they offer are really disappointing compared to the US. Other industries like finance were a better deal compared those companies. If I can get paid £90-110k in the City why bother working for Facebook were they were offering less than £90k? Note, I don't consider bonuses or equity to part of salary.

Why would equity or bonuses not be part of the salary ? You are almost certain to receive it and the stocks perform quite well on average.

They still pay better than finance all things taken together or am I wrong ?

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#99

Post by qppo »

wdb wrote: post #97
sukilot wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think it's unlikely for you to learn those skills quickly? People who have all those skills earn over $300K at those companies.

My experience of FAANG interviews outside the US is that the salaries they offer are really disappointing compared to the US. Other industries like finance were a better deal compared those companies. If I can get paid £90-110k in the City why bother working for Facebook were they were offering less than £90k? Note, I don't consider bonuses or equity to part of salary.

> Note, I don't consider bonuses or equity to part of salary.

Tell that to the tax man

Re: A guide to learning algorithms through LeetCode

#100

Post by thewarrior »

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #73
agentultra wrote: post #68

I find this little sub-industry building up around, “the coding interview,” to be highly strange. Where are the papers that correlate this niche, specialized skill to general job performance and productivity? I get that at certain problem domains the asymptotic complexity becomes a baseline for performance so I’m not against testing people’s knowledge where it’s appropriate. But is it really the dominating skill? Rea…

> Where are the papers that correlate this niche, specialized skill to general job performance and productivity? I would love to read this research if it existed in the public domain. However, much of this comes down to trade secrets and business practices. It's also not very amenable to controlled studies. Practically speaking, these companies have a lot at stake in their hiring process. It's strange that so many pe…

Anonymous google employees have claimed in HN comments that google has data showing that these interviews do “work” whatever that means.

Can any of you post more info here ?

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