Question 1

How do I get good at data structures and algorithms if I’m starting from zero?

Accepted Answer

I started at ground zero too—I didn’t even know what a data structure was. My approach is: get a high-level overview first, then do a structured course so you’ve got a roadmap, then build the data structures from scratch. After that, you ramp into problem solving with Codewars and then LeetCode.

Question 2

What’s the best way to learn Big O notation?

Accepted Answer

Big O is the one thing I think you should nail down early. I think of it as “how code slows as data grows,” and it’s basically a label for performance. Watch a bunch of tutorials until you can look at code and calculate time and space complexity confidently.

Question 3

Do I need to be good at math to learn DSA?

Accepted Answer

No—math isn’t an excuse to avoid this. In my experience, the only math I really had to learn was basic logarithms. Most of the time it’s more about logic, patterns, and consistency than hardcore math.

Question 4

What programming language should I use for LeetCode and DSA interviews?

Accepted Answer

Use whatever language you’re already good at, because you want to make this as easy as possible. Most resources are geared toward Python, Java, or JavaScript, so pick one of those if you can. And in interviews you can usually ask to solve it in your preferred language.

Question 5

Should I memorize data structures and algorithms?

Accepted Answer

For DSA specifically, I’m pro-memorizing patterns—within reason. I struggled with pointers and linked lists, and what fixed it was writing so many linked lists that it became second nature. The one exception is Big O: you should understand and calculate it, not memorize it.

Question 6

What should I do if I can’t even solve LeetCode easy problems?

Accepted Answer

That was literally me. I’d recommend starting with Codewars first—it’s like a more beginner-friendly LeetCode—and just grind from the bottom with your ego out of the way. Those problems train the logical/problem-solving part of your brain, and “practice makes good.”

Question 7

How do I study DSA efficiently without learning everything?

Accepted Answer

You don’t need to know everything, and trying to learn everything is a trap. Use focused lists like Blind 75, and be selective—like with sorting, there are a ton of algorithms, but you only need one or two you can execute confidently. The goal is to be effective with your time, not encyclopedic.

I was bad at Data Structures and Algorithms. Then I did this.

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