LeetCode Patterns
Master the top 10 algorithmic patterns that solve 80% of LeetCode problems. Learn the approaches, see the code, and dominate your interviews.
Top 10 Essential Patterns
Click any pattern below to see detailed explanations, code examples, and complexity analysis
Two Pointers
#1Use two pointers moving towards each other or in the same direction to solve problems efficiently.
Problems: Two Sum II, 3Sum...
Real-world: Database Query Optimization...
Sliding Window
#2Maintain a window of elements and slide it across the array to find optimal solutions.
Problems: Longest Substring, Minimum Window...
Real-world: Performance Monitoring...
Fast & Slow Pointers
#3Use two pointers moving at different speeds to detect cycles or find middle elements.
Problems: Linked List Cycle, Find Duplicate Number...
Real-world: Infinite Loop Detection...
Merge Intervals
#4Sort intervals and merge overlapping ones to solve scheduling and range problems.
Problems: Merge Intervals, Insert Interval...
Real-world: Calendar & Scheduling Systems...
Cyclic Sort
#5Place each number at its correct index when dealing with arrays containing numbers in a given range.
Problems: Missing Number, Find Duplicates...
Real-world: Data Validation & Integrity...
In-place Reversal of LinkedList
#6Reverse parts of a linked list without using extra memory.
Problems: Reverse Linked List, Reverse Nodes in k-Group...
Real-world: Undo/Redo Functionality...
Tree BFS
#7Use breadth-first search to traverse trees level by level.
Problems: Level Order Traversal, Zigzag Traversal...
Real-world: UI Component Rendering...
Tree DFS
#8Use depth-first search to traverse trees and solve path-related problems.
Problems: Path Sum, Path Sum II...
Real-world: Decision Tree Analysis...
Two Heaps
#9Use two heaps (min and max) to efficiently find medians or solve optimization problems.
Problems: Find Median, Sliding Window Median...
Real-world: Real-time Analytics...
Subsets
#10Generate all possible combinations, permutations, or subsets using backtracking.
Problems: Subsets, Subsets II...
Real-world: Feature Flag Combinations...