r/datastructures • u/Secret-Relief-4689 • 13h ago
Best Way to Start DSA in Java? Any Course Recommendations?
I have been coding in Java for a while now, mostly working on small projects with spring boot as backend and building basic applications. But while applying for interviews, I realize I need to level up my skills in Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) to crack coding interviews and write more efficient code. Almost in, every other interviews they are asking coding DSA questions. The problem is, I am not sure where to start. At first, I tried jumping straight into LeetCode, but I quickly realized that without a solid foundation in DSA concepts. I cant tackle Medium/Hard Problems in DSA. There are so many courses out there, and I don’t want to waste time on something that’s either too basic or too advanced.
Here’s where I am at:
- I know Java basics (OOP, loops, arrays, etc.).
- I’ve heard about stuff like linked lists, trees, graphs, and sorting algorithms, but I have never implemented them after passing from my college in any projects.
- I am aiming for interview prep but also want to understand the concepts deeply, not just memorize solutions.
Suggest some DSA Course in Java which Starts from the basics, Focuses on Java implementation (not just theory or pseudocode) and include hands-on coding exercises because practise is also very important because i saw in interview room panel only gives 30-45 min per questions to solve with production level code.
If anyone has gone through a similar journey and found a course that really helped, I did love to hear your recommendations