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Practice regularly
2
Review the basics
3
Learn the tools
4
Read the instructions
5
Plan your approach
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Explain your code
7
Here’s what else to consider
Coding challenges are a common way to test your skills and knowledge in computer science, especially during job interviews. They can range from simple puzzles to complex algorithms, and they usually require you to write, run, and explain your code in a limited time. How do you prepare for coding challenges and ace them with confidence? Here are some tips to help you out.
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- Stephane Gurgenidze Software Development Engineer at Amazon | Previously at Microsoft | Lecturer | Forbes 30 Under 30
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- Aliza Carpio Director, Product Management @JLLT |Change Leader| Inventor | GHC Review Committee | Design Thinking Coach| Community…
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- Dr. Priyanka Singh Ph.D. Engineering Manager - AI @ Universal AI 🧠 Linkedin Top Voice 🎙️ Generative AI Author 📖 Technical Reviewer @Packt…
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1 Practice regularly
The best way to improve your coding skills and speed is to practice regularly. You can use online platforms like HackerRank, LeetCode, or CodeSignal to find and solve coding challenges of various levels and topics. You can also join coding competitions or hackathons to challenge yourself and learn from others. Try to solve at least one coding challenge every day, and review your solutions and feedback.
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- Dr. Priyanka Singh Ph.D. Engineering Manager - AI @ Universal AI 🧠 Linkedin Top Voice 🎙️ Generative AI Author 📖 Technical Reviewer @Packt 🤖 Building Better AI for Tomorrow 🌈
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🎯 Ace those coding challenges! I'd recommend a holistic approach to mastering the art of coding challenges. Begin by reinforcing your foundational knowledge in core computer science areas. Familiarize yourself with requisite tools, ensuring your coding environment aids, not hinders. Always digest the instructions meticulously before diving in. Proactively engage with platforms like Edabit or LeetCode to hone your skills and explore diverse problem types. Finally, leverage the power of collaboration; interacting with peers can offer fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Commit to this regimen, and you'll be better equipped to tackle any coding curveball.
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- Sara Paranuk (she/her) InFace Invest Group Ltd. franchisee💰 | Software Developer 👩💻 @Dotcom d.o.o | Author 📖
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Coding challenges represent smaller parts of code you'll likely need in your future projects. Practicing those examples in these isolated instances helps with internalizing standard solutions to many desired outcomes. Eventually though, I'd strongly recommend you create a larger project where you can use many of the solutions learned with coding challenges to experience them in a more 'real-life' setting.
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2 Review the basics
Coding challenges often test your knowledge of the basics of computer science, such as data structures, algorithms, complexity analysis, and common patterns. Make sure you review these concepts and understand how they work, how to implement them, and how to choose the best ones for different scenarios. You can use books, courses, or blogs to refresh your memory and learn new tricks.
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- Erik K. Java Application Developer | Military Veteran
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1. Revisit the Core Concepts:Prioritize understanding the basics is crucial. Books like "Cracking the Coding Interview" and online courses such as "Algorithms, Part I" on Coursera provide comprehensive insights.2. Targeted Learning Resources:Choose one or two quality resources to deepen your understanding. Leverage platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank for a vast problem set that covers various topics. For a structured approach, use Grind 75 or Leetcode 75.3. Consistent Practice:Regularly hands-on practice. Platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank offer targeted challenges. Leverage the "xxx Days of Code" challenge on HackerRank, Replit, and other platforms for daily, focused practice.*freecodecamp.org has almost everything you need.
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- Sara Paranuk (she/her) InFace Invest Group Ltd. franchisee💰 | Software Developer 👩💻 @Dotcom d.o.o | Author 📖
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I find that best way to review the basics is to read the documentation of your chosen coding language. Each language has its own way of dealing with data, so you should get to know it's basics well, before starting on the coding challenges.Another way is to find a solid tutorial that explains those basics to you.
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3 Learn the tools
Coding challenges usually require you to use a specific programming language, editor, or environment. You should familiarize yourself with the tools you are going to use and learn how to use them efficiently. For example, you should know how to write, compile, run, debug, and test your code in your preferred language and editor. You should also learn how to use shortcuts, snippets, or plugins to speed up your workflow.
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- Muhammad Moradipour Back-End Developer @ Doctoreto
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I prefer to read the important parts of the documentation to be able to remember all features vividly. Sometimes you do not have any idea about some features of the tools you use everyday, because you did not even touch their documentations.
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- Sara Paranuk (she/her) InFace Invest Group Ltd. franchisee💰 | Software Developer 👩💻 @Dotcom d.o.o | Author 📖
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To start with learn the basics, everything else will come with continued use and practice. Don't overwhelm yourself with all the details from the start, discover them as you go.Shortcuts will definitely make you work faster, for example, but if you try to memorize them all from the get-go you won't actually start your project and might loose interest quickly.
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4 Read the instructions
Before you start coding, you should read the instructions carefully and understand what the challenge is asking you to do. You should pay attention to the input and output formats, the constraints, the edge cases, and the examples. You should also clarify any doubts or assumptions with the interviewer or the platform. Reading the instructions can help you avoid wasting time and making mistakes.
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- Sara Paranuk (she/her) InFace Invest Group Ltd. franchisee💰 | Software Developer 👩💻 @Dotcom d.o.o | Author 📖
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Always think of what the desired effect is first. If you don't understand the task, you can't deliver the results.Generally coding challenges have good descriptions of what they want you to do, so once you understand that, you can start thinking and planning the best approach to realize it.This is something that IRL often requires some back and forth with the client to be sure you're on the right track.
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5 Plan your approach
Once you understand the challenge, you should plan your approach before you start coding. You should think of a strategy to solve the problem, break it down into steps, and choose the appropriate data structures and algorithms. You should also estimate the time and space complexity of your solution and check if it meets the requirements. Planning your approach can help you organize your thoughts and code more efficiently.
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- Stephane Gurgenidze Software Development Engineer at Amazon | Previously at Microsoft | Lecturer | Forbes 30 Under 30
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Even interviews aren't about rushing into coding after hearing a problem. What interviewers truly value is your ability to articulate your strategic problem-solving process. It's all about breaking down complex issues into manageable components and presenting a thoughtfully devised plan before the coding begins. Divide the problem into smaller segments, plan your approach for each, and then proceed with coding. This methodical approach not only demonstrates your problem-solving prowess but also showcases your capacity for structured thinking, a highly prized skill in the world of software development.
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6 Explain your code
Coding challenges are not only about writing code, but also about explaining your code. You should communicate your thought process, your assumptions, your choices, and your trade-offs to the interviewer or the platform. You should also comment your code, use meaningful names, and follow coding standards. Explaining your code can help you demonstrate your skills, your logic, and your personality.
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- Sara Paranuk (she/her) InFace Invest Group Ltd. franchisee💰 | Software Developer 👩💻 @Dotcom d.o.o | Author 📖
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Commenting the code and picking meaningful names for variables, classes etc. will make your code more readable, easier to understand and maintain. This is important for whether you're doing a coding challenge, working on a personal project or something you get paid for.
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7 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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- Aliza Carpio Director, Product Management @JLLT |Change Leader| Inventor | GHC Review Committee | Design Thinking Coach| Community Builder| Tech Speaker, Blogger | Linkedin Top Voice
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Sometimes when we just focus on getting the task of solving something, we don't always think of design. Design isn't just about UX but rather, how would you approach the system as a whole. I sometimes start on paper (or on a white board) to design the flow before I code. When you think of the architecture first and the inputs you'll need, you can build something that is more elegant (I have had my share of brute forced code - ha!)...also, the practice of thinking about design before you code will allow you to better explain how you approached the challenge/problem.
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