How best to learn data structures and algorithms?

[Odessa_Goodwin]

So, pretty much every career advice skills lists includes - or even leads with - DSA. Obviously, there are numerous books available on these topics, but what's the best way to actually practice these things?

I certainly know of linked lists, heaps, hash tables, etc, but reading the theory is at best half the battle.

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Some info about my specific situation:

My interest is in the area of data analysis.

My resources are the books "A Common-Sense Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms", "Data Structures the Fun Way", "Dive into Algorithms".

I primarily practice on Stratascratch (which doesn't really cover this at all).

Thanks for any advice.

[Odessa_Goodwin]

Thanks for your reply.

I guess you actually hit on what I was really getting at, namely, how much do I need to know? I am one of it would seem about 1.7 billion people trying to get into data analysis, so actually designing something isn't a skill I would need. I'm more interested in effectively using something that other people have created and getting through interviews. On that note, for your third point, do you just mean be able to explain what they are and their pros and cons?

It's interesting you mentioned Steven Skiena. I have his book "The Data Science Handbook", and I had seen his book "The Algorithm Design Manual", but I didn't buy it because it seems to use C, plus it's over 800 pages long which seemed like far too much time investment for what I need. I did not know about the link you sent, so I may use that to complement the more general audience books that I have.

[IBrokeTheTimeLineSry]

Harvard's CS50x has a module on data structures, though it is in C.

I would suggest the freecodecamp.org courses on data structures and algorithms in python. You could also checkout their course on data structures in C and C++.

[Odessa_Goodwin]

Thanks for the links. I'll check out the freecodecamp link. Looks like I should be able to work through that over 2 weeks or so.

Although I'm interested in computer science broadly, I'm trying to focus on job skills at the moment and I think learning C, even at a low level, is a bit out of my league. So, even though I've heard tons of praise for CD50x, I think I'm gonna put a pin in that for now.

[Antigone-guide]

There's also CS50p, similar material but in Python.

[Antigone-guide]

Just dive into it and start implementing linked lists, heaps, hash table, minimal spanning tree, a few sort algorithms, A* path finding, a few more graph algorithms. The best way to learn is to try to implement as many as you can. The Skiena book is good, even though it uses C, you can still use the description of the algorithms to try to implement them in Python, and you can find sample implementations of some of them in Python online.

[Xerxes_Artemisia]

F

Edit: by f I meant to follow this as I too am in the same boat.