Don't grind LeetCode randomly. Learn patterns.
The pattern approach:
Learn a pattern (e.g., sliding window)
Solve - problems using that pattern
Move to the next pattern
Core patterns to know:
- Two pointers
- Sliding window
- Hash map for time and space lookup
- BFS/DFS
- Binary search
- Dynamic programming basics
Resources: NeetCode , Blind , Grokking the Coding Interview.
Aim for - problems total, focusing on patterns instead of quantity.
Career Changer Tip: Spend hour daily on DSA. Consistency beats intensity.