How to practice for coding interviews
Some resources that I use to practice for passing coding interviews.
Coding interview preparation requires deliberate practice with classic computer science problems. These resources helped me fill gaps in my knowledge and improve both interview performance and daily programming. Here are the key insights:
- Coding interviews test knowledge of classic problem-solving approaches. Success requires recognizing patterns and knowing standard algorithms and data structures.
- Interviews filter candidates who lack commitment. Consistent practice demonstrates seriousness.
- Interview preparation improves everyday programming. Practising problem diagnosis and solution design transfers directly to work challenges.
Essential reading
These two books provide comprehensive coverage:
- The Algorithm Design Manual covers algorithms and data structures with accessible prose. The conversational style makes dense material approachable for readers outside academic settings.
- Cracking the Coding Interview guides job application strategy and interview preparation. It’s become the industry standard for this purpose.
Practice platforms
- LeetCode is the most widely used platform for interview preparation, with extensive problem coverage across topics.
- HackerRank organizes problems by topic and difficulty, making it easy to target specific weaknesses.
- Codility is used by employers for screening interviews and offers practical lessons alongside problems.
- CodeWars provides user-contributed problems with a larger language selection and a cleaner interface than alternatives.
- GeeksforGeeks compiles company-specific question lists across many topics. The platform offers an optional subscription model for additional courses.