Open In App

How can one become good at Data structures and Algorithms easily?

Last Updated : 18 Apr, 2023
Improve
Improve
Like Article
Like
Save
Share
Report

Learn-Data-Structures-and-Algorithms-Easily

Let us first clarify the question. There is not any easy way to become good at anything but there is an efficient way to do everything. 

Let us try to understand the difference between easy and efficient here with the help of a programming question! Consider the problem of “Searching an element in a sorted array“. 
 

So, person A here solved the problem in an easy way yet Person B solved the problem in an efficient way. 

Now, the efficient way of learning Data Structures and Algorithms depends on a several factors: 
 

  1. Your prior knowledge of programming languages and basic DS and Algos.
  2. The purpose for which you want to learn it.
  3. The resources available to you.
  4. A perfect guide!

Let us now take a deeper look at each of the points highlighted above: 
 

  • Prior knowledge of DS and Algo: If you are already well versed with the basic data structures like Arrays, Linked Lists etc. and some of the basic algorithms like Sorting, Searching etc. then you will comparatively take much less time than a complete newbie as you already know the basics. For example if you even don’t understand the programming example mentioned at the start of the article then you have a long way to go.
  • Purpose of learning DS and Algo: It also depends on the purpose for which you want to improve your knowledge of Data Structures. Some people learn them for job interviews, some for competitive programming and some for gaining knowledge. If you are preparing for Job Interviews then you have a limited set of Data Structures to learn which are most commonly asked in the interviews, if you want to become a good competitive programmer then you will have to focus on complex data structures like Segment Trees, Fenwik Tree, Binary Indexed Trees etc.
  • Resources Available: Resources play a most important role in learning anything. You need a set of good tutorials which are descriptive enough to clear all of the concepts from basics to advanced. You must also have a popular set of questions to practice the knowledge you have gained.
  • A Guide: Let’s just say you have figured out all of the above three points. You know the things you want to learn, you know the purpose for which you want to learn and you also have all of the resources and tutorials to do so. But you are still confused on a lot of things like “Where to Start?”, “How to Start?” etc. So, you need someone to guide you through the process. That is there must be someone to help you use the resources available in an efficient way.

Solution to the above problems: At GeeksforGeeks, we already have a vast collection of tutorials and problems based on Data Structures and Algorithms written by some good competitive programmers around the globe. We also have many past, running and upcoming courses on Data Structures and Algorithms which can be found on GeeksforGeeks-Courses. 

If you are preparing for Interviews, we recommend you to go through the following links: 
 

If you are an aspiring Competitive Programmer, visiting below links is a must: 
 

DSA – Self Paced Course

Whether you want to ace a technical interview or may be ready to level up your programming skills in advanced concepts of data structure and algorithms like sorting, strings, trees, etc. Reason can be anything, but if you are looking for a course that focuses on core fundamentals, then this is the course for you. With this DSA self-paced course, master all important concepts of dsa and its algorithmic techniques to help you prepare for SDE interviews with tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Adobe and more. Enrol now!

 


author
harsh.agarwal0
Improve
Next Article
Difference between Data Structures and Algorithms

Similar Reads

Does a Data Scientist/Machine Learning Engineer require in depth knowledge of Data Structures and Algorithms?
In today's world, data scientists and machine learning engineers play a crucial role in analyzing data and building intelligent systems. As technology continues to advance, the demand for these experts is growing rapidly. Real-world data problems are complex, requiring strong skills in handling data and creating efficient algorithms. In this articl
10 min read
Count of strings that become equal to one of the two strings after one removal
Given two strings str1 and str2, the task is to count all the valid strings. An example of a valid string is given below: If str1 = "toy" and str2 = "try". Then S = "tory" is a valid string because when a single character is removed from it i.e. S = "tory" = "try" it becomes equal to str1. This property must also be valid with str2 i.e. S = "tory"
9 min read
Meta Strings (Check if two strings can become same after a swap in one string)
Given two strings, the task is to check whether these strings are meta strings or not. Meta strings are the strings which can be made equal by exactly one swap in any of the strings. Equal string are not considered here as Meta strings. Examples: Input : str1 = "geeks" str2 = "keegs"Output : YesBy just swapping 'k' and 'g' in any of string, both wi
8 min read
Check if frequency of all characters can become same by one removal
Given a string that contains lower alphabetic characters, we need to remove at most one character from this string in such a way that frequency of each distinct character becomes the same in the string. Examples:   Input: str = “xyyz” Output: Yes We can remove character ’y’ from above string to make the frequency of each character same.  Input: str
15+ min read
Need of Data Structures and Algorithms for Deep Learning and Machine Learning
Deep Learning is a field that is heavily based on Mathematics and you need to have a good understanding of Data Structures and Algorithms to solve the mathematical problems optimally. Data Structures and Algorithms can be used to determine how a problem is represented internally or how the actual storage pattern works & what is happening under
6 min read
Why Data Structures and Algorithms are "Must Have" for Developers and Where to learn them : Answered
With advancement and innovation in technology, programming is becoming a highly in-demand skill for Software Developers. Everything you see around yourself from Smart TVs, ACs, Lights, Traffic Signals uses some kind of programming for executing user commands. In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be efficient. Data Structures and Algorithms
4 min read
Data Structures and Algorithms Online Courses : Free and Paid
Data Structures and Algorithms is one of the most important skills that every computer science student must-have. It is often seen that people with good knowledge of these technologies are better programmers than others and thus, crack the interviews of almost every tech giant. Now, you must be thinking to opt for a quality DSA Course to build
8 min read
Data Structures and Algorithms | Set 36
Que - 1. The function shiftNode() which takes as input two linked lists- destination and source. It deletes front node from source and places it onto the front of destination. Choose the set of statements which replace X, Y, Z in given function. void shiftNode(struct node** destRoot, struct node** srcRoot) { // the front of source node struct node*
4 min read
Data Structures and Algorithms | Set 37
Que - 1. For 8 keys and 6 slots in a hashing table with uniform hashing and chaining, what is the expected number of items that hash to a particular location. (A) 2.33 (B) 0.75 (C) 1.33 (D) 2 Solution: Probability that key1 ends up in slot 1 = 1/6 Probability that key2 ends up in slot 1 = 1/6 Probability that key3 ends up in slot x = 1/6 Probabilit
4 min read
Difference between Data Structures and Algorithms
What are Data Structures and Algorithms? Data structures and algorithms are two interrelated concepts in computer science. Data structures refer to the organization, storage, and retrieval of data, while algorithms refer to the set of instructions used to solve a particular problem or perform a specific task. Applications of Data Structures and Alg
2 min read
Article Tags :
three90RightbarBannerImg
We use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience on our website. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Cookie Policy & Privacy Policy
Lightbox