DSA Monthly Plan - HoseaCodes/OnePercent GitHub Wiki

Here’s a structured 6-month plan to transition from beginner to expert-level proficiency in Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) as quickly as possible. The plan balances theory, problem-solving, projects, and revision to ensure rapid yet deep comprehension.

Month 1: Master the Basics

Goal: Understand fundamental data structures and solve easy problems.

  • Topics:

    • Arrays and Strings (Sliding Window, Two Pointers).
    • HashMaps and HashSets (Counting, Grouping, Frequency).
    • Stacks and Queues (Basic usage and applications).
    • Recursion and Backtracking (Simple recursive problems).

  • Learning Resources:

    • Neetcode.io or LeetCode Patterns for targeted problems.
    • FreeCodeCamp videos or MIT OpenCourseWare (Intro to CS).

  • Daily Routine (2–3 hours):

    • 1 hour: Learn the topic and write your own implementation.
    • 1 hour: Solve 2-3 LeetCode easy problems on the topic.
    • 15-30 minutes: Review solved problems and revisit failed ones.

  • End-of-Month Goals:

    • Solve 60–80 problems (focus on easy ones).
    • Build a foundational understanding of basic data structures.

Month 2: Intermediate Data Structures and Algorithms

Goal: Learn intermediate topics and solve medium problems.

  • Topics:

    • Sorting Algorithms (Merge Sort, Quick Sort, Heap Sort).
    • Binary Search and Applications.
    • Linked Lists (Singly, Doubly, Circular).
    • Trees (Binary Trees, Binary Search Trees, Traversals).

  • Projects:

    • Build a Sorting Visualizer to display animations of different algorithms.
    • Implement a simple File System using Linked Lists.

  • Daily Routine (3–4 hours):

    • 1 hour: Study theory and implement from scratch.
    • 1.5–2 hours: Solve 2–3 medium problems on LeetCode or HackerRank.
    • 30 minutes: Review notes and practice writing pseudocode.

  • End-of-Month Goals:

    • Solve 60–80 medium problems.
    • Gain proficiency in binary search, trees, and linked lists.

Month 3: Advanced Algorithms and Problem-Solving

Goal: Tackle advanced concepts and refine problem-solving skills.

  • Topics:

    • Graph Algorithms (DFS, BFS, Dijkstra, A*, Union-Find).
    • Dynamic Programming (Knapsack, LCS, LIS).
    • Greedy Algorithms (Interval Scheduling, Huffman Coding).
    • Heaps and Priority Queues.

  • Projects:

    • Create a Pathfinding Visualizer using BFS, DFS, and A*.
    • Build a Graph-Based Social Network to find shortest paths and clusters.

  • Daily Routine (3–4 hours):

    • 1 hour: Learn concepts and code key algorithms.
    • 2 hours: Solve 2–3 medium problems focusing on DP and Graphs.
    • 30 minutes: Revisit hard problems and analyze patterns.

  • End-of-Month Goals:

    • Solve 50–70 medium problems and 10–15 hard problems.
    • Complete at least 1 project involving DSA concepts.

Month 4: Competitive Programming and Advanced Topics

Goal: Develop speed and accuracy in solving unseen problems.

  • Topics:

    • Advanced Graph Algorithms (Minimum Spanning Tree, Tarjan’s Algorithm).
    • Segment Trees, Fenwick Trees.
    • Trie Data Structure.
    • Advanced Dynamic Programming (Bitmasking, Matrix Multiplication).

  • Platforms for Practice:

    • Codeforces, AtCoder, or CodeChef for timed contests.
    • LeetCode for targeted practice.

  • Daily Routine (3–4 hours):

    • 1 hour: Study and practice advanced algorithms.
    • 2 hours: Participate in live contests or solve random problems.
    • 30 minutes: Analyze mistakes from contests and learn optimizations.

  • End-of-Month Goals:

    • Solve 40–60 competitive programming problems.
    • Achieve 1000+ rating on Codeforces or similar platform.

Month 5: Revision and Application

Goal: Reinforce learning and apply it to real-world problems.

  • Activities:

    • Review all major topics and algorithms.
    • Solve mixed problems (easy, medium, and hard).
    • Focus on time and space complexity optimizations.

  • Projects:

    • Build a Scheduling Application using Greedy Algorithms.
    • Create a Real-Time Recommendation System leveraging Trie and DP.

  • Daily Routine (3–4 hours):

    • 1 hour: Revise key algorithms and write code from memory.
    • 2 hours: Solve mixed difficulty problems on LeetCode.
    • 30 minutes: Work on projects and document learnings.

  • End-of-Month Goals:

    • Solve 100+ mixed problems.
    • Publish projects on GitHub with detailed READMEs.

Month 6: Expertise and Showcasing

Goal: Demonstrate expertise through projects, teaching, and open-source contributions.

  • Activities:

    • Participate in coding competitions.
    • Contribute to open-source DSA repositories.
    • Write blog posts explaining challenging problems or concepts.
    • Build an Algorithm Visualizer Tool or complete a Portfolio Project.

  • Daily Routine (3–5 hours):

    • 1 hour: Practice competitive programming or solve hard problems.
    • 2 hours: Work on advanced projects or open-source contributions.
    • 1 hour: Create content (blogs, videos) about DSA concepts.

  • End-of-Month Goals:

    • Complete at least 2 high-quality portfolio projects.
    • Solve 50+ hard problems.
    • Gain recognition through blogs, contests, or GitHub contributions.

Ongoing Maintenance

After completing this plan:

  • Continue solving 3–5 problems weekly to stay sharp.
  • Participate in at least one contest monthly.
  • Keep building projects to reinforce concepts.

By sticking to this plan with discipline, you’ll transform into a DSA expert while also creating a strong portfolio to demonstrate your expertise. Let me know if you'd like assistance with specific projects or resources!