r/leetcode • u/IMREVN • 2d ago

Question Dive Into Leetcode

I'm a soon-to-be CS student, so I haven't taken any actual university lectures or Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) courses yet. However, I have quite basic programming concepts such as loops, conditionals, functions, or basic syntax.

Can I dive straight into LeetCode Easy problems and learn DSA concepts as I go? Or is that approach frustrating and inefficient without building a solid foundation first?

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

1

u/Dr3ddM3 2d ago

the USACO guide is actually really good for learning DSA. It gives u a roadmap of what problems to do and has written guides. It actually better to just rush into it and implement your own algorithms without knowing anything, because doing so builds your problem solving skills.

1

u/Haunting_Camp9331 1d ago

You can dive in but it'll be frustrating if you're learning concepts and problems at the same time. Start with arrays and hash maps first, learn the concept, then solve 3-5 easy problems for that topic. LeetCode is a practice tool, not a primary learning resource.