dsa-drills

Repository for practicing data structures & algorithms.

This repo contains small practice problems and reference solutions organized by topic and language (C++, Python, Go, Java). The layout is intentionally simple so you can add solutions and keep them grouped by problem and language.

Repository layout

Top-level folders correspond to high-level topics. Inside each topic are problem folders which usually contain:

• problems.md — problem descriptions, links or notes.
• language folders (cpp/, python/, go/, java/) — solution files for that problem.

Example:

arrays/
	maximum-subarray/
		problems.md
		cpp/
			solution.cpp
		python/
			solution.py

How to run solutions

Below are common commands you can use from the repository root. Replace paths and filenames to match the specific problem and file.

C++ (g++):

g++ -std=c++17 -O2 path/to/solution.cpp -o /tmp/solution && /tmp/solution

Java:

javac path/to/Solution.java
java -cp path/to package.and.ClassName   # or: java -cp . Solution

Python:

python3 path/to/solution.py

Go:

go run path/to/solution.go

Notes:

• Some problems require input via stdin; you can redirect a file: ./solution < input.txt or python3 solution.py < input.txt.
• If you prefer an IDE, open the specific language folder and run using your IDE's run configuration.

Adding a new solution

1. Find or create the appropriate problem folder under the relevant topic (for example arrays/new-problem/).
2. Add a problems.md (or update it) with the problem statement and any test cases you used.
3. Add your solution file inside the language folder (e.g., cpp/solution.cpp or python/solution.py).
4. Do not commit compiled binaries, build artifacts, or virtualenvs — those are ignored by the repo .gitignore.

Naming suggestions:

• Use descriptive file names if you keep multiple variants (e.g., solution_recursive.cpp, solution_iterative.py).
• Prefer solution.* when there's a single canonical file per language.

Code style & tools

• C++: Use clang-format or astyle with a consistent style. Target C++17 unless the problem needs otherwise.
• Python: Use black for formatting and flake8 or pylint for linting where helpful.
• Go: Use gofmt (or go fmt) and go vet.
• Java: Use your preferred formatter; keep code readable and well-commented.

Git workflow

• Create a topic branch for larger additions: git checkout -b feat/<short-description>.
• Keep commits small and focused; use clear commit messages (e.g., arrays: add Kadane solution in C++).
• Open a pull request when ready for review.

.gitignore

A repository-level .gitignore has been added to ignore common build artifacts, editor files and virtual environments. If you need to exclude additional generated files from a particular subfolder, either add them to the repository .gitignore or add a folder-specific .gitignore.

Tests

There are no automated test harnesses included by default. If you add unit tests, add commands here documenting how to run them.

Contact / License

This repository is for personal practice. If you'd like to collaborate or suggest improvements, open an issue or a pull request.