DSA basics: the sheet, the language and week one
Why the A2Z sheet is the curriculum, why DSA happens in C++, and the baseline test you run in week one.
This track uses about 12 hours a week in the week template. Use it to build problem-solving habits before online assessments.
The primary source is Striver's A2Z DSA Sheet: https://takeuforward.org/prep-hub/strivers-a2z-dsa-sheet
Read this page once, then work from the A2Z calendar.
What this track is
Use about 12 hours a week from the week template. Divide that time between new problems, revision, and review based on your current gaps.
- Work through the current A2Z module and keep its order.
- Review missed problems and revisit them after a delay.
- Complete a module contest when you reach that module's exit gate.
- Log the topic, time, whether you needed a hint, and what you will try next.
Solved count is not the goal. A problem you cannot re-solve blind in 20 minutes did not stick, which is why the revision system adds a second layer of work on top of the sheet.
Why this sheet
- The selected sheet contains a large, ordered set of problems across core DSA topics. Its counts can change, so use the sheet's tracker as the source of truth.
- It includes introductory topics before the more advanced patterns.
- Its foundation-first order helps you build up to harder patterns.
- Use each module contest as a checkpoint. Review a missed contest before moving on when the pattern is still unclear.
The module order is the spine: sorting, arrays, hashing, binary search, strings, recursion, linked list, bit manipulation, greedy, sliding window and two pointers, stacks and queues, binary trees, BST, heaps, graphs, DP, tries, advanced string algorithms, sieve.
Blind 75 is a useful review set, but it does not replace the A2Z module order. Use it later to check which patterns need more practice.
The language decision
You do DSA in C++. Three reasons, all practical.
- The sheet's editorials and module contests are written in C++, so you read explanations in the language you solve in.
- C++ works well for timed practice and has a broad standard library. Check which languages each assessment accepts.
- Projects stay in Go and TypeScript. C++ sharpens problem solving, while Go and TypeScript are what you ship. Two languages, two jobs, no drift.
Set the contest template in week one
Practise a small contest template until you can write it without looking up common setup details.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
int main() {
ios::sync_with_stdio(false);
cin.tie(nullptr);
// vector conventions, prewarmed for speed
}Test integer boundaries with both int and long long when the problem's constraints require it.
Your first week
Start A2Z the same week. Log in on takeuforward so the sheet's progress tracker follows you. If you want a second view, a mirror tracker exists (for example Codolio's A2Z tracker), but the sheet's own login is the source of truth.
Run the baseline test: 3 LeetCode mediums, 90 minutes, no AI, no notes. Log solved and unsolved, time per problem, and whether you hit the pattern or missed it.
Read that number honestly. Solving 0 or 1 of 3: add 3 h a week to DSA and trim fundamentals for 4 weeks. Solving 2 or more: keep the schedule as written.
Register for a weekly contest if the time works for you. Use it for timed practice, then review errors. Contest rating is optional and does not replace interview preparation.
Other sources you will use
| Source | Use it for | URL |
|---|---|---|
| NeetCode 150 | Video explanation when an A2Z editorial is thin | https://neetcode.io/practice |
| Blind 75 | Mid-plan cross-check; by week 19 you should solve 70 of 75 blind | https://leetcode.com/discuss/post/460599/blind-75-leetcode-questions-by-krishnade-9xev/ |
| NeetCode vs Blind 75 | Deciding when each one matters | https://www.codeintuition.io/blogs/neetcode-150-vs-blind-75 |
| Tech Interview Handbook study plan and cheatsheets | A 3-month topic map that pairs with the sheet's order | https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/coding-interview-study-plan/ |
| Interview loops | Knowing what you are walking into | https://www.reddit.com/r/leetcode/comments/1u0yzoq/amazon_sde1_interview_experience_2026_4_rounds_2/ |
None of these replace the sheet. They fill gaps.
Phase-boundary reading stays light
The sheet is the curriculum, not the supplements. At the end of phases A, C, F and G, read at most one orienting post, for example 16 DSA patterns every beginner should know after phase A. Everything else lives in the reading program.
What to do next
- The A2Z calendar maps every phase, every module and the cumulative targets.
- The revision system covers the deck, the module contests and the contest gauge.
- Mocks covers the mock ladder starting in week 6.