Review & Cheat Sheet

Key Takeaways

  • Pattern recognition is not memorization; it is constraint classification.
  • Strong interviews show iteration: brute force → optimized → production caveats.
  • Communication quality (invariants, edge cases, complexity proof) is evaluated as much as code.

Interview Flow Template

  1. Clarify constraints and edge cases.
  2. Propose brute-force baseline.
  3. Improve with data structure/pattern.
  4. Prove correctness briefly.
  5. Analyze complexity and trade-offs.
  6. Discuss production adaptations.

Practice Rubric

  • Correctness: handles edge cases?
  • Complexity: justified, not guessed?
  • Clarity: can another engineer maintain it?
  • Trade-offs: can you explain when this is not the right choice?

Next Steps

Return to weaker modules and redo 3 representative problems per pattern using timed conditions and post-mortem notes. —

Review & Cheat Sheet

[!NOTE] This module explores the core principles of Review & Cheat Sheet, deriving solutions from first principles and hardware constraints to build world-class, production-ready expertise.

1. Practice in the Vault

Looking to solidify your understanding? Head over to the Problem Vault to solve curated problems related to this module with detailed walkthroughs and optimal solutions.