Everything you need to know about DSA and how to get started.
Tags: webdev, programming, tutorial, algorithms
Published: 2022-12-03 04:42:38

If you want to learn about DSA for Data Structure then this article is for you. In this article, you'll get free resources and a proper roadmap to learn DSA and how to get started with it.

## First, what is DSA?
DSA or Data structure and Algorithm are the best useful methods of storing data in a computer. It is a branch of Computer Science by which we can efficiently store data and information in a computer without any hassle. The term Data Structure refers to the storage and organization of data, and Algorithm refers to the step-by-step procedure to solve a problem.
Why is Data Structure so important in the software world?
Why is everyone talking and discussing DSA and why it's so damn popular amongst programmers and everyone is insisting to learn DSA? The reason is that it is the most vital method for various tech companies to store their data in memory. So they want to hire brilliant-minded candidates who have the knowledge and information about how data is stored in a computer's memory. Big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Facebook, etc are hiring software engineers and developers who have predefined knowledge about DSA so their demands are increasing drastically. So, if you're thinking of getting placed in one of the biggest tech companies in the whole world, then you have to learn DSA and have to learn its core basics.
Before starting, you need to know about Sorting->Time and Space complexity-> Patterns->STL (Standard Template Library) which is very helpful and important for mastering the data structures.
Here are all the data structures topics you need to learn in the best possible manner sequentially :
Arrays->Strings->Recursion & Backtracking->Linked List->Stacks->Queues->Tree & Binary Trees->Binary search tree->Heaps & Priority Queues->Hashing->Greedy Algorithm->Dynamic Programming->Graphs.
If you don't know where to get started, keep reading this article to understand it better.

## Where to get started and how to learn DSA?
There are various free resources from where you can learn DSA almost for free or by paying for some professionally led courses. Websites like GeeksForGeeks, W3 School, Udemy, Coursera, etc are the best ones if you want to get started in DSA. Secondly, Google and some best Youtube channels are the second-best options for you if you want to learn DSA for free. Follow some great YouTubers as teachers and start learning DSA for free.

## How to practice?
Only learning DSA from anywhere, will not make you an expert at programming. the main thing which separates an amateur and a professional programmer is constant practice and hard work. So you have to practice learning DSA problems which will enhance your skills in these concepts well.
You can begin by first understanding every concept of DSA thoroughly. Then you can solve various coding problems on Array, String, linked list, etc on free platforms like Leetcode, Geeks for Geeks, W3 school, CodeChef, Hackathons, etc. You can practice solving easy to hard problems which will enhance your coding skills. Gradually take part in programming concepts online and get a 4-star rating to become top amongst various programmers.

## What next?
Since you're aware of all the basic level concepts in DSA, the next step will be to solve interview-level questions and prepare for the placements in FAANG or MAANG. Leetcode and CodeChef will be the best platforms to start with. practice coding problems in these platforms and go ahead.

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