Follow this path from top to bottom. Master each pattern before moving on. Arrows show prerequisites.
Foundation of everything. Learn to use arrays, hash maps, and hash sets to solve problems efficiently.
Last-in, first-out. Perfect for matching brackets, parsing expressions, and tracking state.
Master pointer manipulation. Linked lists teach you how data structures work under the hood.
Recursive thinking unlocked. Trees are the gateway to graphs and advanced algorithms.
Cut the search space in half every step. The most efficient way to search sorted data.
Track a moving window across data. Essential for subarray and substring problems.
Break big problems into smaller overlapping subproblems. The most feared interview topic.
Work directly with bits. XOR, AND, OR — tiny tricks that solve big problems.
Pure logic and number manipulation. No fancy data structures needed.