How to use ctci

Oct 5, 2020 31 Comments

Just started preparing for coding interviews. Decided to start with ctci since it's been 10 years since graduation. What's the best way to get through ctci quickly? I.e are there any chapters to ignore? Do problems from the book or just read the theory and jump to leetcode? Author herself says not to ask questions from her book.

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TOP 31 Comments
  • New
    TOPS3

    New

    TOPS3
    CTCI is good beginners book, but if you really want to learn from a book use EPI.
    My suggestion would be CS Fundamentals ->CTCI -> EPI -> Leetcode.
    Oct 5, 2020 14
    • I honestly didn't realize it would be so many companies. Bound to find something with high TC.
      Oct 5, 2020
    • New / Eng
      NotFermat

      New Eng

      NotFermat
      Agreed. I’m happy where I am in life but if I can spend the next decade saving $500k-$1 million, I can easily come back to my location and retire on a lower salary than what I’m making now.
      Oct 5, 2020
  • Amazon
    shin_chan

    Go to company page Amazon

    shin_chan
    ctci is outdated and it's difficult to ace coding interview in top tech companies with ctci. My suggestion is to read theory from a good book (and watch videos on youtube) and then jump to leetcode.
    Oct 5, 2020 1
  • Siemens
    LazyAss22

    Go to company page Siemens

    LazyAss22
    This is how I'm preparing.

    1. Learn Data Structures first. All of them important one atleast.
    2. Try solving easy level question with those data structures so that you feel confident.
    Eg : If you are studying LinkedList, learn how to reverse it and all.
    3. Move on Algorithms part.
    Eg . Learn famous algos like DFS, BFS, Recursion DP and all.
    4. Start LeetCode grinding.

    You can shuffle these in between.

    Material : LC, AlgoExpert, GFG, other blogs just google,YouTube lots of good playlist on specific topics, shuffle pages of CtCI in between your preparation.
    Oct 5, 2020 4
  • Google
    yAKt67

    Go to company page Google

    yAKt67
    This is the wrong approach to interviews. Its like saying that you're gonna memorize a bunch of things for an exam, and hope that is exactly what comes out. It might, and then you get lucky and do well. But chances are it won't be quite like that for interviews, especially at Google, where just knowing the answer is not enough and explaining the approach, tradeoffs etc are also expected. Also Google doesn't really ask questions straight from LC or CTCI so keep that in mind as well.
    Oct 9, 2020 5
  • I didn't find either ctci or epi very helpful.
    1. Buy good book on algorithm design and data structures. You need to have good understanding of the theory + online course (khan academy is good)
    2. Solve problems on leetcode or hackerrank. Whether your are able to solve the problem or not always lookup discussion section.
    Oct 5, 2020 0