Master core DSA topics this week

Data structures and algorithms are still the spine of big-tech coding prep, even as artificial intelligence tools spread through software hiring. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) (amazon.jobs) A data structure is the way code stores information, like shelves in a warehouse. An algorithm is the rule for moving through those shelves, like the route a picker takes to fill an order. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) Google’s on-demand “Data Structure Series” says its goal is to bridge theoretical computer science and practical interviewing, and to help candidates build intuition for tricky questions. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) The Google series includes sessions on basic data structures, graphs and trees. Its graph module teaches breadth-first search, depth-first search, adjacency lists and adjacency matrices. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) Amazon’s Software Development Engineer interview-prep course tells candidates to focus on the interview journey, technical interview competencies and Leadership Principles. The technical section is divided into coding and system design. (amazon.jobs) That split matters for candidates who assume artificial intelligence projects can substitute for core problem-solving rounds. Amazon’s own guide still treats coding as a separate competency, not a side note inside machine-learning work. (amazon.jobs) The most reusable interview ideas are patterns, which are repeatable ways to spot a problem shape before writing code. LeetCode’s current study lists still center on sliding window, two pointers, intervals, graphs, heaps and dynamic programming. (leetcode.com 1) (leetcode.com 2) Sliding window means tracking a moving chunk of an array or string instead of rescanning everything. Two pointers means moving two indexes in tandem to cut quadratic work down to linear time in many array problems. (leetcode.com 1) (leetcode.com 2) Graphs model relationships, like flights between cities or links between users. Heaps keep the smallest or largest item ready at the top, which is why they show up in top-k and scheduling questions. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) (leetcode.com) A practical week of prep is narrower than a giant problem list: one block for graphs and traversal, one for heaps or top-k, and one for intervals plus hash maps. The point is to practice recognizing shapes quickly, then explain why one approach is faster or simpler than another. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) (leetcode.com) The hiring market has changed, but the interview script at large companies has not changed as much as candidates sometimes hope. For this week’s prep, the safest bet is still the old one: know the patterns, then prove you can use them under time pressure. (careersonair.withgoogle.com) (amazon.jobs)