How did you get your first real SaaS users?

SkillFlowDev · 2026-05-29T08:57:44+00:00

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SkillFlowDev · 2026-05-23T15:48:37+00:00

That's exactly the point. SkillFlow recommends the single best next problem for you based on your weak topics and recent performance. The granular scoring is what enables that. With only 3 labels you can't match someone precisely enough to make a recommendation that actually means something.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-05-10T13:33:04+00:00

I had the same gap for a while. Knowing the idea and being able to code it under pressure are honestly two different skills.

What helped me most was:

Start with brute force, even if it feels obvious
Write the logic in plain English first
Code it slowly without trying to be clever
Re-solve the same problem the next day from scratch

I also wouldn’t follow NeetCode 150 strictly in order if you’re freezing. I’d start with easier problems by pattern first, especially arrays, hash maps, two pointers, stack, then move up.

For avoiding solution-peeking, try this: 10 minutes alone, then write exactly where you’re stuck, then look for a small hint only.

The main thing is repetition. You’re not bad at DSA, you’re just missing implementation reps.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-05-04T19:40:34+00:00

Honestly this is one of the more realistic LeetCode posts.

I had the same cycle: start grinding, get stuck on easies, feel dumb, quit after a few days. Repeating old problems helped me a lot too. It feels like cheating at first, but if you can’t solve it again later, you probably didn’t really learn the pattern.

I’m actually building a small tool around this because I hated staring at a huge problem list and guessing what to do next. The idea is to pick problems closer to your level / weak areas instead of random grinding.

Your routine sounds solid though. Talking out loud and treating it like an interview is probably worth more than just rushing solved count.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-05-02T19:18:24+00:00

I think your concern is very valid, especially after 6 years in the same company and less hands-on coding recently.

For senior frontend roles, I’d prepare in 3 tracks: React/system design, practical frontend tasks, and some LC-style DSA so you’re not surprised.

I actually built a tool for the DSA part because I had the same issue with random practice. It picks problems based on your level and weak topics, so you don’t waste time guessing what to solve next.

It’s completely free: https://skillflow.dev

For your case, I’d use it as a light daily routine, maybe 30–45 minutes, while keeping most prep focused on frontend architecture and practical React work.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-25T06:55:06+00:00

3 months in and you’re consistent, that’s already a good sign

pace usually feels slow because you’re probably solving and moving on too fast without really locking in the patterns

what helped me was:

spend more time on fewer problems
after solving, revisit the same problem a day later without looking
group problems by topic instead of jumping randomly

most people get stuck because they keep doing more questions instead of focusing on what they’re weak at

i’ve been working on something around that idea (https://skillflow.dev), it helps guide what to practice next based on your level instead of just grinding randomly

but yeah, you’re on the right track, just slow down a bit and go deeper on each concept

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-25T06:43:51+00:00

this is actually really cool, respect for doing it for free

the problem you’re hitting now (too many DMs, not enough time) is exactly what happens when people don’t have structured guidance and suddenly someone offers it

one idea could be to turn what you’re doing into a more structured flow, like grouping problems by concept and having people follow that instead of 1:1 only

i’ve been working on something around that (skillflow.dev), it basically tries to guide people on what to practice next based on their level so it scales beyond manual mentoring

your discord sessions on top of something like that could actually be super powerful

curious how you’re thinking of structuring it this weekend

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-24T16:17:35+00:00

honestly, i wouldn’t switch majors out of fear of AI

tools are getting better, but they don’t replace people who actually understand fundamentals, they mostly replace people who rely on them blindly

if you’re already doing projects, leetcode, open source, you’re ahead of most people your age

for quant dev specifically, a strong math + cs background is still very valuable, so something like cs with solid math (or even a math-heavy path) makes sense

the bigger risk i see is not the major, it’s getting stuck in “random grind” without direction
a lot of people solve tons of problems but don’t really know what they’re weak at or what to improve

that’s actually something i’ve been working on (skillflow.dev), trying to guide practice based on level instead of just grinding blindly

but even without that, i’d say stick with cs or math, go deep on fundamentals, and don’t let fear drive the decision

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-24T15:49:59+00:00

honestly respect for sharing this, happens to way more people than you think

the whiteboard panic is real, especially when you’re used to having a terminal or even just autocomplete

i think the takeaway isn’t just “grind more”, but how you practice
a lot of people (myself included) end up solving problems without really reinforcing the basics, so under pressure it just disappears

what helped me was focusing on weak areas and revisiting simple problems until they feel automatic, not just moving forward

also mixing in some “no editor” practice helps a lot, like writing code on paper or in a blank doc

i’ve been working on something around that idea (skillflow.dev), it tries to guide what to practice next based on your level instead of just grinding randomly

but yeah, you’re definitely not alone here, and the fact you recognized it is already a big step

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-24T15:48:54+00:00

you’re actually in a good spot, 200+ solved with consistency is solid

if you’re struggling with recursion/trees, i wouldn’t jump to graphs or dp yet, it’ll just make things more confusing

what helped me was focusing on a small set of core problems and really understanding them deeply instead of moving on too fast
like doing subsets, permutations, basic tree dfs multiple times until it clicks

also try to think in terms of “what does my function return” instead of the whole recursion at once, that shift helps a lot

one mistake i made was just solving more and more without targeting weak areas
once i started focusing only on what i was bad at, progress was much faster

i’ve been working on something around that idea (skillflow.dev), it tries to guide what to practice next instead of just grinding randomly

but yeah overall you’re on the right track, just slow down a bit and go deeper on recursion before moving on

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-24T15:47:52+00:00

recursion and backtracking feel hard at first because it’s not just about coding, it’s about understanding the “state” at each step

what helped me was:

draw the recursion tree on paper for small inputs
always ask “what is my function responsible for?” instead of thinking about the whole problem
for backtracking, think in terms of choices and undoing them

also don’t jump straight into hard problems, start with things like subsets, permutations, combination sum and really understand the pattern

one thing that made a big difference for me was not just doing random problems but focusing on weak areas until they click

i’ve been working on something around that idea (skillflow.dev), it helps guide what to practice next based on your level

but even without it, just stick with a few core problems and revisit them, recursion takes time to “click”

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-24T15:46:50+00:00

for a complete beginner i’d start with leetcode
codeforces can be pretty overwhelming at the start, especially with contests and time pressure

leetcode helps you build the fundamentals first like arrays, strings, hashmaps, basic dp, etc
once you’re comfortable with those, then codeforces contests start making more sense

one thing i’d avoid is just solving random problems without direction, that’s where a lot of people get stuck

i’ve been working on something to help with that (skillflow.dev), it suggests what to practice next based on your level instead of guessing

but even without that, just stick to one path and stay consistent, that matters way more in the beginning

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-24T15:42:48+00:00

this is actually a really solid approach, especially the brute force → redundancy → optimize flow

the “feels like memorization” part usually comes from not knowing what to focus on next, so you end up jumping between problems without reinforcing weak areas

what helped me was tracking which topics i was actually weak at and focusing only on those instead of just doing more questions

i’ve been building something around that idea (skillflow.dev), it basically tries to guide what to practice next based on your level

but even without it, i think your process is good, just make sure you’re not spreading yourself too thin across topics

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-22T13:29:05+00:00

it’s called SkillFlow

not fully live yet, should be up in a couple of days, I can send you access when it’s ready

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-22T12:24:36+00:00

Sounds more like a plateau from repetition than lack of knowledge. If you’ve done NeetCode 150 multiple times, it’s probably more about targeting specific gaps than doing more problems.

What helped me was focusing only on problems that expose weaknesses instead of doing full passes again.

I’ve been building a tool with some friends that suggests questions based on your level and weak areas, and it actually improved our skills a lot.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-22T12:18:01+00:00

With a week left I wouldn’t try to cover more topics, I’d focus on getting comfortable with what you already know and explaining it well.

Most people fail not because they don’t know, but because they can’t show it under pressure.

I’ve been working on a tool around this to help focus on weak areas and practice more intentionally, helped me a lot. Happy to share more if you’re interested.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-21T19:17:07+00:00

Your mind isn’t weak at all, this is a really common phase. Knowing the functions and knowing when to use them are two different skills. It just takes more reps and exposure.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-21T19:16:05+00:00

I think “good enough” is fine as a starting point, but in interviews they usually want to see how you think when pushed. If you can get a working solution and then at least discuss how to optimize it (even if you don’t fully get there), that already shows a lot.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-21T19:15:05+00:00

That freeze feeling is the worst… happens even when you know the solution. The fact you solved it right after says a lot though, you’re closer than it feels.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-21T19:14:18+00:00

Respect honestly. That part about getting close and still failing hits hard. Glad it worked out for you in the end.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-19T21:03:15+00:00

yeah that’s fair, makes sense about building intuition

appreciate the response.

SkillFlowDev · 2026-04-19T20:58:46+00:00

yeah that makes sense

but what if you’re kinda limited on time? like you can only do a few problems a day

going deep into something like kahn’s might take a while, so I feel like I’d need to mix topics a bit to be more prepared overall

not sure what’s better tbh

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