THIS IS A MOMENT IN HISTORY I SOLVED MY FIRST LEETCODE MEDIUM LFG!!!!
THIS IS A MOMENT IN HISTORY: I SOLVED MY FIRST LEETCODE MEDIUM! LFG!!!!
Today marks a significant milestone in my coding journey—I’ve successfully solved my first medium-level problem on LeetCode! 🎉 This moment is not just about the problem itself but about the perseverance and growth that comes with tackling challenging algorithmic tasks.
Community Support
After sharing my achievement, the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. Here are some of the top comments that resonated with me:
-
“Losers downvoting, congrats, keep going!"
This comment highlights that while not everyone will celebrate your wins, it’s essential to focus on the positive feedback and support from fellow coders. -
“Congrats buddy, apes grind together!"
A reminder that we are all in this together. The journey through coding challenges can be tough, but we can motivate each other to keep grinding. -
“Congratulations 👏. Keep going."
Simple yet powerful encouragement. It reinforces the idea that every small victory is a step towards larger goals. -
“Thanks for .get() didn’t know about it."
This comment refers to a specific method that I utilized in my solution. It’s incredible how sharing knowledge can help others learn new techniques.
Questions and Clarifications
As with any learning experience, there were questions and some confusion among peers:
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“But how is this constant space?"
A valid concern regarding the space complexity of the solution. Understanding how LeetCode evaluates space complexity is crucial. They often consider auxiliary space used by the algorithm, excluding the input size. -
“I am genuinely confused about this problem, how does Leetcode detect constant auxiliary space and how should you actually do it?"
This raises an important discussion about algorithmic optimization. LeetCode typically requires that you solve problems in O(1) space complexity, meaning your solution should not use additional data structures that grow with the input size.
My Solution
To tackle the problem efficiently, I found a solution that operates in constant space:
python
def find_duplicates(nums):
result = []
for i in range(len(nums)):
index = abs(nums[i]) - 1
if nums[index] < 0:
result.append(index + 1)
else:
nums[index] = -nums[index]
return result
Explanation:
-
Input Manipulation:
The algorithm makes use of the input array itself to track duplicates by negating the values at specific indices. This allows us to avoid using additional space. -
Time Complexity:
The time complexity remains O(n) as we iterate through the list only once. -
Space Complexity:
The space complexity is O(1) as we are only using a fixed amount of extra space regardless of the input size.
Reflecting on the Journey
This accomplishment is just the beginning. Many fellow coders expressed their own experiences, with one noting, “Inspired by I also solved in C++, but speed is less it seems." It’s a reminder that different languages have different performance characteristics, and we should always strive to optimize our solutions.
Additionally, I appreciate the comment about someone realizing they had done part of the problem incorrectly but still valued the experience. Mistakes are a natural part of learning, and they often lead to deeper understanding.
Final Thoughts
As I celebrate this moment, I am reminded that the journey in coding is filled with challenges and learning opportunities. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned developer, every solved problem contributes to our collective growth. Let’s keep pushing forward, solving problems, and supporting one another in this incredible journey!
Here’s to many more medium-level problems solved! 🚀
Feel free to share your own experiences with LeetCode or any other coding challenges you’ve faced. Let’s continue this discussion and motivate each other to achieve even more together!