How to prepare for Competitive Programming and prepare for interview?
Posted by bytesizedgreedydwag@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 5 comments
Hey folks! I’m planning to seriously get into competitive programming (CP) while also preparing for coding interviews at top tech companies. I’d love some help from this amazing community.
I’m currently a student with basic knowledge of programming and want to:
- Get good at problem-solving and algorithms (DSA)
- Crack interviews at product-based companies
- Stay consistent with a roadmap or structure
Some questions I have:
Which programming language is best to start with? (C++, Python, Java?)
What’s the best way to practice DSA + CP consistently?
Any specific YouTube channels, courses, or websites you recommend?
avivasyuta@reddit
Great goals — and you’re on the right track by combining CP with interview prep. Here’s what worked for me:
Language: If you’re aiming for web development, learning TypeScript is a solid choice. It’s used both on the frontend (React, Next.js) and the backend (Node.js) — so you’ll be building real-world skills while also practicing algorithms.
How to practice: - Solve 1–2 problems per day (start with easy/medium) - Focus on understanding patterns — not just finishing problems - Revisit tricky ones later to really lock in the concepts
Staying consistent: I found that explaining problems to myself — or even out loud — helped a lot. That’s actually how I started making short visual breakdowns of LeetCode problems.
I’ve been posting these on my channel — all in TypeScript, clean and beginner-friendly. Happy to share a link if that sounds helpful!
rameshuber@reddit
For competitive programming, C++ is the most popular due to its speed and STL, but Python or Java are fine too- stick with what you're most comfortable learning with.
To prepare for both CP and interviews, balance your time: do 1 CP contest a week (Codeforces or AtCoder) to build speed and thinking under pressure, and spend the rest of your time solving DSA problems on platforms like LeetCode, InterviewBit, or NeetCode to build interview muscle.
Focus on one topic each week (like arrays, trees, DP), and solve 2–3 problems a day
Excellent_Dingo_7109@reddit
Hey! For competitive programming and interview prep, I highly recommend Competitive Programming 4 (CP4) by Steven Halim, Felix Halim, and Suhendry Effendy. It’s a fantastic all-in-one guide with clear explanations of data structures and algorithms (DSA), problem-solving tips, and curated practice problems on platforms like UVA Online Judge and Kattis (Kattis is awesome, 100% recommend!). CP4 will help you build a strong foundation, stay consistent, and tackle both CP contests and tech interviews. Start with its beginner sections and work through the problems to level up. Good luck, and happy coding!
algorrr@reddit
Hey there. I've been in a similar spot trying to get good at competitive programming and consistently hitting interview prep. It's tough to stay on track. What helped me out was finding a tool that basically builds a personalized roadmap and keeps me accountable with reminders. Before that, I'd just kinda float between topics. It's called Luminario, might be worth a look if consistency is your main challenge. Good luck with your prep.
niehle@reddit
> Which programming language is best to start with? (C++, Python, Java?)
Depends on what you want to do later.
> What’s the best way to practice DSA + CP consistently?
Practice.
> Any specific YouTube channels, courses, or websites you recommend?
Read the faq to start learning a programming language.