kdn251/interviews

Treat this as a reading list and reference sheet, not a course. It is most useful if you already know how to practise on an online judge and want a single page that orients you toward the right topics and platforms.

The problem

A candidate preparing for a software-engineering interview has to assemble a plan from scattered sources: one site for algorithm explanations, another for problem sets, another for mock interviews. That assembly work is easy to postpone, and without a fixed outline it is hard to tell whether a topic has been covered or just skimmed. This repository collects a topic outline, concise notes on core data structures with time complexities, and pointers to judges and practice sites on one page. The candidate ends up with a checklist and a set of destinations rather than a custom-built syllabus.

What's different

The README is organized as an index: a table of contents leading to sections on data structures, online judges and live coding practice, plus links to the maintainer's YouTube and Instagram channels and a promoted interview-prep service. The data-structure section is written as short definitions and big-O tables, for example a stack's LIFO ordering with access, search, insert and remove costs project instructions. That format is quick to scan before an interview, but it is a summary, not a worked treatment: there are no derivations, and the notes assume the reader can reconstruct the reasoning.

A subtle cost is that correctness of the notes matters when they are used as a study reference. The README itself presents simplified complexity language, and a 2017 Hacker News commenter questioned why best and worst cases were both labelled with O() rather than distinguishing O from Ω commenter question. That does not invalidate the lists, but it is a reason to cross-check definitions against a textbook or course rather than relying on the tables alone. The link sections are the other trade-off: they are a directory, so their value depends on the destinations staying relevant and accessible, not on the repository's own content.

Who should try it

Good fit: someone who has already chosen to prepare for coding interviews and wants a compact topic outline plus a list of judges and practice platforms to work through, with a Chinese translation available for readers who prefer it Chinese translation. It also suits a reader who wants a five-minute refresher on core data structures and their complexity before a specific interview.

Poor fit: someone starting from zero and expecting a structured curriculum with exercises and explanations. The notes are definitions and tables, and the actual practice happens on external sites such as the linked judges online judges; there is no built-in problem set, solution walkthrough, or progress tracking. Someone who wants a single guided course should look elsewhere, and readers who object to promotional links should note that the README is heavily intertwined with the maintainer's paid prep service prep service.

Requirements and limitations

No installation or toolchain is needed: the material is Markdown read on GitHub. The practical requirements are a willingness to follow external links and to practise on third-party platforms, each with its own account, language support and problem style. Because the repository does not host exercises, the reader supplies the actual practice loop; the repository supplies the outline and reference points.

Ongoing upkeep is a real consideration for a link directory. Judges and mock-interview sites change, and the notes are brief enough that they will not cover every topic a given company asks. Verify that a platform still works and that its free tier covers what you need before building a plan around it. The promotional sections also mean the README is part directory, part advertisement, which is worth knowing before treating it as a neutral syllabus.

HotRepo's take

HotRepo has only a single dated board observation: on 2026-10-26 the repository stood at 65,499 stars with +96 that day project instructions, so persistence or momentum cannot be judged from this sample. The Hacker News discussion is also thin: the top thread drew 4 points with no comments HN thread. Age and star count are not evidence of current maintenance quality. Before committing, check that the linked judges you intend to use are still active and that the notes' complexity conventions match the definitions your interview prep source uses.