Is Blind 75 useful?

Yes, the Blind 75 is highly useful for preparing for technical coding interviews. It has become a popular and widely recommended resource among software engineering candidates aiming to secure positions at top tech companies. Here’s a detailed look at why Blind 75 is beneficial, how to use it effectively, and some considerations to keep in mind:

What is Blind 75?

The Blind 75 is a curated list of 75 essential coding interview problems that cover a broad range of topics commonly tested in technical interviews. These problems are selected based on their frequency and relevance in real-world interview scenarios, making them a high-yield resource for candidates.

Why is Blind 75 Useful?

1. Focused Preparation:

   • Efficiency: With a finite set of problems, Blind 75 allows you to concentrate your efforts on mastering the most impactful questions without feeling overwhelmed by the vast number of available coding problems.
   • Comprehensive Coverage: The list encompasses various topics, including arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, dynamic programming, and more, ensuring a well-rounded preparation.

2. High-Frequency Problems:

   • Relevance: The problems in Blind 75 are chosen because they frequently appear in interviews at major tech companies. Practicing these increases the likelihood of encountering similar questions during your actual interviews.
   • Skill Development: These problems help build a strong foundation in essential algorithms and data structures, which are critical for solving complex interview questions.

3. Manageable Scope:

   • Time Management: A list of 75 problems is substantial enough to provide thorough practice but not so large that it becomes unmanageable. This balance helps maintain consistent study habits and steady progress.
   • Progress Tracking: It’s easier to monitor your improvement by tracking how many of the 75 problems you’ve solved and mastered.

4. Community Support:

   • Shared Resources: Many community-driven platforms, such as GitHub repositories and forums like Reddit’s r/cscareerquestions, provide solutions, explanations, and discussions around each Blind 75 problem.
   • Collaborative Learning: Engaging with the community can offer diverse perspectives and alternative problem-solving approaches, enhancing your understanding.

5. Structured Study Plan:

   • Guided Preparation: Several online guides and study plans are built around the Blind 75, offering a structured path to follow, which can be particularly helpful for self-motivated learners.

How to Use Blind 75 Effectively

1. Understand the Concepts:

   • Theory First: Before diving into coding problems, ensure you have a solid understanding of the underlying concepts related to each topic covered in Blind 75.
   • Review Data Structures and Algorithms: Familiarize yourself with key data structures (e.g., trees, graphs) and algorithms (e.g., dynamic programming, recursion).

2. Practice Consistently:

   • Daily Goals: Set achievable daily or weekly targets to solve a certain number of problems from the Blind 75 list.
   • Balanced Approach: Mix easy, medium, and hard problems to build confidence and gradually tackle more complex challenges.

3. Analyze Solutions:

   • Compare Approaches: After solving a problem, review multiple solutions to understand different ways to approach the same problem.
   • Optimize Code: Focus not just on getting the correct answer but also on writing clean, efficient, and optimized code.

4. Use Additional Resources:

   • LeetCode: Many Blind 75 problems are available on LeetCode. Utilize LeetCode’s discussion forums and editorial solutions for deeper insights.
   • Books and Tutorials: Supplement your practice with resources like Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell or online tutorials that explain problem-solving techniques.

5. Simulate Real Interviews:

   • Mock Interviews: Pair up with a peer or use platforms like Pramp to conduct mock interviews, simulating the pressure and time constraints of actual interviews.
   • Timed Practice: Solve problems within a set timeframe to build speed and accuracy under pressure.

6. Track Your Progress:

   • Maintain a Journal: Document the problems you’ve solved, noting down the concepts learned and any challenges faced.
   • Identify Weak Areas: Regularly review your performance to identify topics where you need more practice or deeper understanding.

Considerations and Limitations

1. Not Exhaustive:

   • Additional Problems: While Blind 75 covers many high-impact questions, interviews can sometimes include unique or less common problems. Be prepared to tackle a broader range of questions beyond the list.
   • System Design: Blind 75 primarily focuses on coding problems. For roles that require system design knowledge, additional preparation materials will be necessary.

2. Depth of Understanding:

   • Superficial Learning: Simply solving the problems without fully understanding the concepts can limit your ability to adapt to variations of the questions. Ensure you deeply comprehend each solution.
   • Edge Cases: Pay attention to handling edge cases and writing robust code that can handle unexpected inputs.

3. Application to Different Languages:

   • Language Proficiency: While the problems are language-agnostic, your proficiency in the programming language you choose to solve them in can impact your performance. Choose a language you are comfortable with and practice using it consistently.

4. Motivation and Discipline:

   • Self-Study Challenges: Blind 75 is most effective when you maintain a disciplined study schedule. Lack of motivation can hinder progress, so consider setting clear goals and milestones to stay on track.

Conclusion

The Blind 75 is an invaluable resource for anyone preparing for technical coding interviews. Its carefully curated list of problems provides focused and efficient practice, covering the essential topics that are most likely to be encountered in real-world interviews. By using Blind 75 effectively—through consistent practice, deep understanding, and leveraging community resources—you can significantly enhance your problem-solving skills and increase your chances of succeeding in technical interviews at top tech companies.

However, it’s important to recognize that Blind 75 should be part of a broader preparation strategy. Complementing it with additional practice problems, mock interviews, and studying system design concepts will provide a more comprehensive preparation, ensuring you’re well-equipped to handle the diverse challenges presented in technical interviews.

If you’re serious about acing your technical interviews, incorporating Blind 75 into your study routine is highly recommended.