Algorithms - lesson 8 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

Proof beats claims

A recruiter cannot inspect your confidence. They can inspect a repo that runs, has clear solutions, and explains trade-offs.

Your repo is not a dump of code files. It is evidence that you can solve, communicate, and keep work organised.

What to ship

Name the repo something clear, like placement-dsa-practice. Keep it public unless your college has a rule against public code for a specific assignment.

Cover each pattern from this track: sorting/searching, two pointers/windows, recursion/backtracking, greedy/DP, and graph traversal. Add one short explanation per problem.

Your to-do

Set up structure

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Create a GitHub repository named placement-dsa-practice.
Group problems by pattern, not by random date.
Add a README at the root with your goal, folder map, run commands, and progress table.
Add tests if your language setup is ready; otherwise add sample input-output runs.
Commit after each solved problem with a clear message.

0 of 5 done

Example

Simple repo map

Use boring names. They help someone find your work in 30 seconds.

placement-dsa-practice/
  README.md
  sorting-searching/
    binary_search.py
    binary_search_test.py
  two-pointers-windows/
    longest_substring.py
    sample_runs.md
  recursion-backtracking/
    subsets.py
  greedy-dp/
    coin_change.py
  graphs/
    bfs_shortest_path.py
  notes/
    patterns.md

Example

README starter

Your README should answer three questions fast: what did you solve, how do I run it, and why does the approach work.

# placement-dsa-practice

DSA practice repo for internship and placement rounds.
Each solution includes the pattern used, approach, complexity, and a test or sample run.

## Patterns covered

| Pattern | Problem | File | Time | Space | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorting/Search | Binary Search | sorting-searching/binary_search.py | O(log n) | O(1) | Done |
| Two Pointers | Longest unique substring | two-pointers-windows/longest_substring.py | O(n) | O(k) | Done |
| Graphs | BFS shortest path | graphs/bfs_shortest_path.py | O(V + E) | O(V) | Done |

## How to run

python sorting-searching/binary_search.py
python -m pytest

## My solution format

1. State the pattern.
2. Explain the idea in 4 to 6 lines.
3. Add time and space complexity.
4. Add tests or sample runs.

Tip

Use AI carefully

You can ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to review your README and explanations. Ask for missing edge cases, unclear complexity, and better folder names.

Do not paste AI output blindly. Check every complexity claim, run every command, and remove phrases that sound generic.

Prompt:
Review this DSA repo README for an internship recruiter.
Find unclear explanations, missing run steps, and wrong complexity claims.
Do not rewrite everything. Give a checklist.

Common mistake

Avoid repo smells

Do not upload only screenshots, zipped code, or files named final_final.py. Do not leave broken imports or empty README sections.

A small repo with 8 working, explained problems is stronger than 40 copied files that nobody can run.