Practice with HackerRank Roadmap

Phase	Main Topic	Content & Tools	Product Goal
1	Fundamentals	Choose a Programming Language Big O Notation Basic DS (Arrays, Strings, Hash Tables)	Solve a simple array manipulation problem.
2	Core Problem Solving	Warm-up Challenges Implementation String Manipulation Sorting	Implement a basic sorting algorithm from scratch.
3	Core Algorithms	Searching Greedy Algorithms Recursion Bit Manipulation	Solve a problem using a greedy approach.
4	Advanced Data Structures	Linked Lists Stacks & Queues Trees Graphs	Implement a traversal algorithm on a binary tree.
5	Advanced Techniques	Dynamic Programming (DP) Constructive Algorithms Game Theory	Solve a classic dynamic programming problem like Fibonacci or Knapsack.
6	Practice by Domain	Mathematics SQL & Databases Artificial Intelligence (AI)	Solve an SQL query challenge on a platform like HackerRank.
7	Interviews & Competitions	Interview Preparation Kit Participate in Contests Mock Interviews	Participate in one online coding competition.

Core Mindsets for Problem Solvers

1. Deconstruct and Conquer

Break every complex problem down into the smallest, simplest sub-problems you can solve. Master the art of solving small before tackling the whole.

2. Recognize the Pattern

Most problems are variations of common patterns (e.g., two pointers, sliding window, recursion). Focus on identifying the underlying pattern rather than the specific details.

3. Master the Edge Cases

A correct solution works for all valid inputs. Actively think about empty inputs, single-element arrays, large numbers, and other edge cases. This is where bugs hide.

4. Consistency Over Intensity

Solving one problem every day is more effective than cramming ten problems in one sitting. Consistent practice builds long-term intuition and muscle memory.