Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) Roadmap
Step 1: Basics of Programming
• Learn syntax of a programming language (C++, Java, Python).
• Understand variables, loops, conditionals, functions.
• Master recursion and basic problem solving.
Step 2: Mathematics for DSA
• Number theory: primes, GCD, modular arithmetic.
• Logarithms, exponents, probability.
• Basic combinatorics and permutations/combinations.
Step 3: Complexity Analysis
• Time complexity (Big O, Big Theta, Big Omega).
• Space complexity.
• Best, worst, and average cases.
Step 4: Arrays and Strings
• 1D and 2D arrays.
• String manipulation and pattern matching.
• Two pointers, sliding window techniques.
Step 5: Searching and Sorting
• Binary search and variations.
• Sorting algorithms: quicksort, mergesort, heapsort.
• Counting sort, radix sort, bucket sort.
Step 6: Linked List
• Singly, doubly, and circular linked lists.
• Reversal, merging, cycle detection.
• Linked list vs arrays.
Step 7: Stack and Queue
• Stack operations and applications.
• Queue, circular queue, deque, priority queue.
• Monotonic stack/queue problems.
Step 8: Hashing
• Hash maps and sets.
• Collision handling techniques.
• Applications in frequency counting and caching.
Step 9: Trees
• Binary trees, binary search trees.
• Traversals (DFS, BFS, inorder, preorder, postorder).
• Balanced trees (AVL, Red-Black).
Step 10: Heaps
• Min heap, max heap.
• Heapify and priority queues.
• Heap-based problems.
Step 11: Graphs
• Representation (adjacency list, adjacency matrix).
• BFS, DFS, shortest path algorithms (Dijkstra, Bellman-Ford).
• MST algorithms (Prim’s, Kruskal’s).
• Topological sorting, strongly connected components.
Step 12: Advanced Topics
• Dynamic Programming (knapsack, LIS, matrix chain multiplication).
• Greedy algorithms.
• Segment trees, Fenwick trees.
• Disjoint Set Union (DSU).
• Trie data structure.
• String algorithms (KMP, Rabin-Karp, Z, LPS).
Step 13: Competitive Programming Practice
• Solve problems on platforms like LeetCode, Codeforces, AtCoder.
• Participate in contests regularly.
• Focus on optimizing solutions and learning new patterns.
