Hi everyone,

I’m a 3rd-year BTech CSE student preparing for placements. I’ve made this handwritten roadmap to track my DSA and Web Development preparation.

DSA: Recursion → Sorting → OOP → Linked List → Stack → Queue → Trees → BST → Maps & Sets → Heaps → Greedy → DP → Graphs → Backtracking → Segment Tree

Web Development: CSS → JavaScript → DOM → React → Backend

I’m planning to complete these topics with regular revision and problem-solving rather than just watching lectures.

My target is campus placement around 2027, so I want to know:

1.Is this roadmap realistic?

2.Am I missing any important DSA topics?

3.What should I prioritize for placement coding rounds?

4.Should I focus more on DSA or Web Development at this stage?

Any suggestions from people who have already gone through placement preparation would be really helpful.

Thanks!

Hey everyone.

I've been learning DSA for a while now, mainly following Striver's A2Z Sheet on takeUforward.

I've completed around 43% of the sheet so far, and I genuinely feel confident with most of the topics I've covered. I'm able to solve quite a few problems on my own now, which wasn't the case when I started.

One thing I like about the sheet is how structured it is. I don't have to worry much about what to study next, and Striver's explanations have been helpful whenever I get stuck.

But there's something I've been thinking about lately.

Am I actually getting better at problem-solving, or am I just getting comfortable with the types of questions I've already practised?

I wanted some advice from people who've been through this phase.

1. How do you know when you've actually mastered a topic?

2. How frequently should I revise previously covered topics?

3. Is completing the A2Z Sheet enough to build a strong DSA foundation for SDE-1 interviews?

4. How do you develop the ability to solve completely unfamiliar problems?

I'm not trying to rush through the sheet just to reach 100%. I genuinely want to improve my problem-solving skills and become interview-ready.

Would love to hear from people who've completed the sheet or are currently preparing.

Hey everyone!

I've learned all the topics using Python, but when I try to solve LeetCode problems, I struggle to come up with a solution on my own.

I understand the concepts theoretically, but applying them to actual problems is where I get stuck.

Is this normal for beginners? Should I keep practicing easy problems, follow a structured problem sheet, or learn problem-solving patterns first?

Also, is learning DSA with Python worth it for placements and coding interviews in 2026, or should I switch to C++ or Java?

I built a debugger specialised for learning data structures and algorithms.

It draws the state of the program at each line. It's an actual debugger that runs with the code, so the results are deterministic and show the real state.

Like a normal debugger, it lets you inspect stack frames, pointers, and objects. But instead of showing them as raw values, it draws every data structure in its own way. It knows how to draw all the common data structures like trees, graphs, queues, stacks, linked lists, etc.

This should be helpful for understanding, debugging, and verifying your code.

You can try it on popular interview problems (write your code or paste from the "Solutions" tab). Python, JavaScript and Java are supported today. More are coming, but I'm sharing it now to get some feedback.

Everything is free. Feedback would be really appreciated. Let me know what you think.

https://ntree.ai/problems/lowest-common-ancestor

As a beginner who wants to start learning DSA, which is the best free resource available? I'm seeing lots of suggestions for Striver's TakeUForward, Kunal Kushwaha, DestinationFaang, Learn code with Durgesh, etc. If anyone can suggest which one is best to begin for someone with basic knowledge of Java, it would be really helpful. Pls Pls Pls do reply.

Hey peeps,

I wasted whole 1st year of college and didn't even learned a single skill that can place me higher from consistent students to get a better placement.

Ik I've done a hell lot of mistake by not starting dsa in my first year and neither doing web dev or aiml in this AI era.

I want to be consistent with DSA & AIML from now and don't want to lose my remaining hope of getting a better placement at F/MAANG.

My target for one year is:

1.) Complete DSA & give weekly contest both in leetcode and codeforces and secure a high ranking in both of them.

2.) Learning AIML from scratch and building and successfully deploying 3 best projects that can easily help me to get a high paying job or internship by the end of college.

3.) Can I also pursue Web Development side by side or just focus on AiMl ? Looking for a great satisfactory explanation from experienced guys.

4.) Also I want to participate in GSoC'27, so is it possible to get selected if I start by now, I don't even know git hub.

I am serious and I really wanna lock in this time fs, pls don't take it in sarcasm or joke about me as it would drag me into guilt trip!

Also give some noticeable and crucial advices for understanding, solving and recognising DSA patterns. Like how to start DSA if I am a complete beginner, shall I watch all the videos of arrays from strivers playlist and then go to leetcode and practice or just understand the basics of arrays, how to operate on them and do the problems on my own and if I get stuck after 3-4 tries, I shall watch the video? Which one is the most recommended path to be followed. What steps u guys followed to get better in DSA? How to not mess up with DSA !!

ALSO, some advices for all of the below - AIML, WEB DEV AND GSOC WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED. KINDLY HELP ME GUYS🙏🙏🙏

Can someone please tell me the resources for the system design from basics ?

Hey everyone! I've always found that looking at dry code makes it harder to truly understand why certain algorithms work—especially during interviews.

I put together a quick, animated visualization for Two Sum showing how the O(n) hash map solution tracks complements on the fly compared to a brute-force approach.

Check it out here if you're interested: https://youtube.com/shorts/WD8XGHcnYbs?si=Zow5HH1pKDt0fKJ2

Would love to hear what DSA problem you think needs a visual breakdown next!

Hi folks! I’m looking for one good System Design course, free or paid, that I can follow from start to finish. Studying across different platforms gets confusing, so I want to stick to one structured resource.

Which course would you recommend based on your experience? Thanks!

for dsa which one is best

1.watching lecture and then practising ,OR
2.trying from our end first and then if not able to do , then watch the solution ?

Pls suggest me who can i improve myself.. Like the problem I am facing is

1) not abl to identify when to use and , or , xor function

2) not able to understand when to use right shift , left shift operator

3) not able to make intuition for these problems

Can i start from here, everyone suggests strivers playlist but that is for cpp and i want to learn in java, please review this playlist, also suggest a better one if you know

So recently inrolled in this program in which they are using C programming for DSA. But the problem with C programming is that it has no inbuilt Hashset and Hashmap Which Is sometimes crucial to use because most of the Coding platform questions uses hashsets and Hashmaps to solve the problem. So if anyone is doing DSA using C programming Can you please tell me how to implement Sets and maps in the C programming

Hey folks , I have recently developed a project which is like a roadmap to cook your problem solving skills. It helps you to solve and understand the algorithms and patterns across leetcode and gfg. So if you are a really motivated individual, I have built this for you. Comment for link !!!

I'm a backend software engineer with 7+ years of experience.

I'm looking to connect with a small group of like-minded working professionals who want to prepare consistently and improve through collaborative practice.

What we can do together:

• Solve DSA problems and discuss different approaches.
• Practice recognizing patterns in unfamiliar problems rather than memorizing solutions.
• Conduct mock coding interviews and challenge each other's reasoning.
• Discuss time and space complexity, edge cases, and optimization.
• Gradually cover LLD, HLD, and backend engineering interviews.

If this sounds like you, feel free to DM me with your experience, target roles, current preparation stage, and preferred timings.

Let's build a consistent preparation group and help each other get interview-ready!

I started learning DSA and enrolled in the Namaste DSA course because I saw many people appreciating it and sharing positive feedback about it.

However, after spending around two months learning DSA, I feel like I haven’t made much progress. When I watch Akshay solve problems in the course, I can understand his explanations, but when I try to solve the same questions on my own later, I struggle to solve them or even remember the approach.

This is making me question whether I’m learning the right way or making some mistakes in my preparation.

For those who have completed the course or are currently learning DSA: Did you face the same issue when you started?

How did you practice so that you could solve problems independently instead of just understanding the instructor’s solution?

Should I keep revisiting the same questions, or should I change my learning approach?

I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions from people who have gone through a similar experience. I want to understand where I’m going wrong and how I can improve.

I'm comfortable writing code, but new to algorithm practice, and a timer makes unfamiliar problems much harder.

Would you still enter a contest every week or every other week at this stage? I'm worried that spending most of each contest stuck will make it harder to build a consistent habit.

The alternative I'm considering is working through a structured set such as Blind 75 organized by topic between contests, so I can tell whether I need more practice with a pattern or just more time to implement it. That list is aimed at interviews; I'm wondering how useful that foundation would be before putting more time into contests.

If you started from a similar place, how did you balance guided practice and timed attempts without losing motivation?

Basic tree problems are manageable for me. So are problems I've solved before. An unfamiliar matrix or graph problem can leave me with no idea where to start, even after spending time practicing. Matrices are the hardest part.

Would you focus on traversal first? I'm considering using the trees and graphs sections of Blind 75 by topic to compare how the same traversal idea appears with different representations, rather than immediately moving to more problems.

What progression would you recommend from basic trees to matrices and graphs? I'd especially like advice on what to write down before coding so I can recognize a useful approach without having seen the exact question.

I am looking for people who is interested in discussing a new system design problem every alternate day and mock interviews on weekends.

We can discuss project ideas, topics, coding questions, hackathons anything. Just a valid active group ! No quitters!

Discord link in the comments.

Like i already did leetcode and while solving questions i really miss a companion so i wanna have a partner who will be like also solving questions with me

Like basically same questions

So that we can be in the same pace

And not like too much just doing dsa

As i dont want someone who is just dsa dsa

I want someone who does leetcode like maybe 1 or 2 problem daily & maybe post on LinkedIn for daily updates

But also like learn skills and other things

Somethings that i will prefer more

And also like we can be frnds like not only studies but like most of the time only studies actually so that we cant diverse ourselves from distractions and other things

I’m based in London and looking for one committed study partner to work towards data science or ML job applications over the next three months.

My focus is data science, machine learning, neural networks, and DSA, then computer vision, transformers, and RAG as we progress. We’ll prioritise topics based on our gaps and build projects alongside interview preparation.

I’m aiming for 10+ hours on days I’m free, around university and work. I want someone equally ambitious who will show up consistently, challenge my thinking, and expect the same from me.

The plan:

• Daily goals and honest progress updates.
• Daily discussions about problems, bugs, and concepts we’re stuck on.
• Code reviews, problem-solving sessions, and weekly project demos.
• Job applications and interview practice throughout.

London would be ideal for occasional meetups, but other countries are welcome if our schedules overlap.

If interested, DM me your current level, time zone, availability, and target role. Let’s agree on a realistic schedule and get started.

I've learnt both of these languages in earlier semesters and felt comfortable, but for DSA, i can't decide what to choose...

Suggest some resources to learn graphs.

Hi! I (27F) and my friend (23M) are looking to connect with people who are interested in practising mock interviews together.

We’ve been practising for the past month, focusing on DSA, problem-solving, and technical interview preparation. We’d love to connect with people who have industry work experience and can guide us with their insights, interview experiences, and tips on how to approach real-world technical interviews.

If you’re also preparing for interviews or have experience in the industry and would be willing to help us improve, we’d love to connect! We’re also happy to practise together and help each other grow.

Feel free to comment your discord.