Round 02 of 5 · free guide
The coding round: working code, under a timer, against hidden tests
One to three problems, judged automatically against test cases you cannot see. Partial credit is normal, and a solution that works on the example and fails on an empty input scores almost nothing.
Usually Python, Java or C++ in a browser editor with no autocomplete and no internet. Between thirty and ninety minutes. Your code is compiled and run, not read by a human.
How to prepare, in this order
The order matters more than the hours.
Read the constraints first: they tell you the intended complexity before you write anything
Learn the six patterns that cover most screening questions — two pointers, sliding window, hashing, prefix sums, binary search, memoised recursion
Write the brute force if you are stuck. A working slow answer beats an unfinished fast one
Test the empty case and the single-element case before you submit, every time
Do this now, for nothing
The free thing that helps with this round.
No account, no email. If it turns out you are already strong here, you have saved yourself the time you were about to spend on it.
What being measured adds
- Real execution against hidden test cases, in Python, Java and C++
- A recorded step-through of your run, so you can see which line broke the logic
- Plagiarism comparison across the batch, so a shared solution shows up as one
Tracks: DSA (23 modules), Python (20 modules) and Java (27 modules)
The rest of the drive