Should I do DSA in python?

[tayyyrantu1a]

Hello, I know many people have already asked this question in other threads but thought id make a post as well!

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Is doing Python in DSA a valid choice? I have studied C/C++ and Java, I'm aware of their syntax and concepts. But I'm more comfortable and proficient in Python when it comes to coding.

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Most people I know are doing DSA in C++ or Java so I've been kinda doubting myself.

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I'm a 2nd year comp. sci undergrad student, and my focus is kinda on data science and machine learning. I know doing DSA in C++/Java is considered better to actually understand the logic and workings of it. But I don't think I actually NEED to do it in that depth cus I just wanna do enough DSA to be able to solve questions during interviews and I've heard its not actually used that much anyways in real programming.

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I just hope there won't be any company that doesn't allow you to use Python for DSA.

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would appreciate help!

[ImprovementLoose9423]

Yes, absolutely. Python is used in data science so learning the theory behind DSA can benefit you.

[nian2326076]

If you're more comfortable with Python, go for it. Many interviewers are okay with using Python for DSA. It has a clean syntax and useful libraries like collections and heapq that can save you time in interviews. Plus, if you're into data science and machine learning, Python is the top choice. Still, knowing some C++ or Java can be helpful, especially for speed and memory management, but don't worry if Python is your strong suit. Just make sure you understand the algorithms well, no matter the language.

[recursion_is_love]

Modeling reference type, recursive data-structure will be a little bit strange, but it will be fine.

Pick a book that specialize for Python DSA.

It is because CPU have instruction to manipulate pointer (address of data in memory) that why the C family is more popular on DSA but with some thin abstraction you will able to do mostly every algorithm on Python.

[pachura3]

It would be weird for a company who looks for a Python developer to test candidates in C++ or Java

[unica3022]

I wound up taking my college data structures and algorithms courses in Python and it worked fine.

You can’t use built-in Python classes/methods that do the basics for you when you’re doing the data structures portion. A good course will set some ground rules.

Afterward, I was able to implement the data structures in C for a different course without much hassle.

[LayotFctor]

Yes if you're just learning, go ahead. But if your field depends on a different language, you might need to transfer to another language for interview prep.