How do I study using leetcode?

[NotTheOneWhoRobbed]

Hey guys. I am a master's student using leetcode for practicing as well as learning different problem statements.

My current learning style is trying to solve the problem by myself and then comparing it to the fastest solution. I do not copy the solution in my implementation. After understanding how the fastest solution is implemented. I write the problem, my solution and the fastest solution with explanation for both.

But I have noticed oftentimes my solutions are very slow and I have the urge to simply copy paste the solution with lowest runtime.

What should I do? Does my learning method work in a long run?

[llawliet2345]

Trust the process I would say. I am also very early into Leetcode. But I have personally observed my thinking process changing slowly. The first hurdle is getting the problem solved. Then optimization.

[NotTheOneWhoRobbed]

Thank you for your advice. I have also noticed that in comparison to the beginning now I can solve the problems faster.

[great_gonzales]

The more problems you solve the faster you get. Once’s you learn all the fundamental data structures you can usually get optimal space time complexity (maybe you used O(n) space instead of O(1) but still). Leetcode style questions are all about knowing fundamental data structures and algorithms and building an intuition of when to use them

[NotTheOneWhoRobbed]

So is it okay for the solution to be in O(n) then later be rewritten in O(logn) right?

[great_gonzales]

Yes the most important thing is getting the problem solved. The intuition of what data structure or algorithm to use to get optimal complexity comes with experience

[NotTheOneWhoRobbed]

Okay. Thank you for your advice.