Data Structures & Algorithms Cheat Sheet for Tech Interviews (with Resources)
Essential Data Structures, Algorithms, and Coding Patterns to crack your next Coding interviews
Hello guys, along with System Design, Mastering Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) is the single most important step toward cracking technical interviews at top tech companies.
Whether you’re preparing for FAANG interviews or aiming to level up your problem-solving skills, understanding core DSA topics is crucial.
In the past, I have shared best coding interview books and courses, best System design books and courses, and in this article, I will share with you a simple DSA Cheat sheet for coding interviews and also covering all the bases.
To help you navigate this journey, we’ve created a comprehensive DSA Cheat Sheet that organizes all key concepts in one clean, visual format — from arrays and strings to graphs and dynamic programming.
Think of it as your go-to roadmap for interview prep.
But understanding the roadmap is just the first step. Let’s break down what you need to focus on and where you can master each area using the best online platforms, books, and courses — including some hidden gems like AlgoMonster and DesignGurus.io.
What’s Inside the DSA Cheat Sheet?
Here’s a quick overview of the key areas you’ll need to focus on, it includes both data structures and key coding patterns to solve coding problems on those data structures.
- Arrays and Strings — Sliding Window, Two Pointers, Prefix Sum
- Linked Lists — Fast/Slow Pointers, Reversal, Merge Lists
- Stacks and Queues — Monotonic Stack, BFS, Deques
- Trees and Graphs — DFS/BFS, Binary Trees, Topological Sort
- Heaps and Tries — Priority Queues, Autocomplete, Dijkstra
- Recursion and Backtracking — Permutations, Subsets, Memoization
- Dynamic Programming — Knapsack, Subsequence, Palindromes
- Searching and Sorting — Binary Search, Merge Sort, Quick Sort
- Math and Bit Manipulation — Primes, XOR, Binary Representation
This cheat sheet isn’t just a summary — it’s a strategy. It’s designed to help you connect concepts with patterns, so you’re not just solving problems, you’re recognizing them.
Here is the cheat sheet for you to refer:
5 Most Recommended Books to Master DSA for Coding Interviews
Books are one of the best way to master Data structures and algorithms. Here are a few classic and practical reads to reinforce your foundation:
- Grokking Algorithms by Aditya Bhargava — A beautifully visual book for beginners. Short, concise and perfect DSA book for Python developers.
- Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell — A classic resource with over 180 questions.
- Elements of Programming Interviews — Great for mock interviews and practice.
- Coding Interview Patterns: Nail Your Next Coding Interview by Alex Xu and Shan — In-depth explanations of coding interview patterns.
If you need more books, I have recently shared essential DSA books for developers here.
10 Best Platforms to Learn and Practice DSA for Coding Interfviews
Here are the best places to learn, practice, and crack DSA interviews, with tailored recommendations:
1. AlgoMonster — Best for Interview Patterns
This one is a hidden gem focused on pattern-based learning for real coding interviews. Their walkthroughs are concise, and every topic is covered with structured templates. If you’re short on time, this is the most efficient platform.
2. Udemy — Affordable DSA Mastery
Udemy has some of the most affordable and high-quality courses, including:
- Master the Coding Interview: Data Structures + Algorithms
- Python DSA & LEETCODE for Coding Interviews
- Java DSA & LEETCODE for Coding Interviews
You can join one more courses from this list to prepare for coding interviews better.
3. ZTM Academy — Beginner-Friendly and Career-Focused
ZTM’s “Master the Coding Interview: DSA + System Design” is great for beginners. The courses are structured, beginner-friendly, and career-focused — not just theoretical.
4. Educative.io — Text-Based, Hands-On Learning
If you prefer reading and interactive code editors, Educative is a solid choice. Their popular Grokking the Coding Interview course is a must for system design and DSA.
➡️ Try Educative’s Grokking Series
And, here are also 6 common coding interview Patterns for interviews
5. CodeCademy — Learn by Doing
Codecademy’s interactive learning paths help you build DSA knowledge from scratch while writing code in the browser.
6. LeetCode — The Ultimate Practice Platform
You probably already know LeetCode — the gold standard for practicing DSA questions. Use it for real-time practice, contests, and building consistency.
7. DesignGurus.io — Master System Design + DSA
Their Grokking the Coding Interview and Grokking System Design courses are some of the best structured resources out there. They have also recenlty launched a new course about advanced coding interview patterns which is another great resource for coding interviews.
By the way, DesignGurus.io has many other Grokking courses to preapre for essential coding interview topics like OOP Design, System Design, Dynamic Programming etc and you can get access to all of their courses for a big discount by joining their All course bundle. You can also use code GURU to get 30% discount.
8. Coursera — University-Level Depth
Coursea provides online courses from Stanford, Princeton, and Duke give deep insights into algorithms. Great if you’re aiming for academic mastery along with practical knowledge.
They also have many Data Structures and Algorithms courses where you will get a chance to learn DSA from top university professors or Software engineers working for Big Tech companies like Amazon as shown in below course.
This course is also part Amazon Junior Software Developer Professional Certificate and completing it will count towards it.
By the way, If you are planning to join multiple specializations, then consider taking a Coursera Plus subscription which provides you unlimited access to their most popular courses, specialization, professional certificate, and guided projects.
It costs around $59/ per month but is worth it because you get access to more than 7000+ courses and projects, and you can also get access to unlimited professional certificates like Google’s Data analytics Certification, Microsoft Cyber Security Certification and Meta’s Frontend Development Certificate.
Conclusion
That’s all in this DSA Cheat Sheet for Coding interview with resources. As I have said before, Cracking the coding interview isn’t about memorizing problems. It’s about understanding patterns, improving problem-solving skills, and learning how to think like a software engineer.
Use this cheat sheet to identify your weak areas, practice consistently, and track your progress.
No matter where you start, choose one or two platforms that match your learning style, and go deep. The combination of AlgoMonster’s efficiency, LeetCode’s practice, and the clarity of Educative or Udemy courses will set you up for success.
And, if you need more here is a complete Coding interview cheat sheet which not just cover DSA but also System Design, high level design, low level design and behavioral interviews
📌 Ready to Ace Your Next Interview?
- Join AlgoMonster for pattern-based learning
- Explore Udemy’s Top DSA Courses
- Master DSA and System Design on DesignGurus.io
- Practice with Interactive Courses on ZTM Academy
- Reinforce Concepts with LeetCode
I hope these tips help you in your preparation. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need guidance.
Good luck to everyone on their coding interview and DSA Prep journey!
