Data Structures for Coding Interviews in C++ Course Syllabus

Overview: This comprehensive course is designed to master data structures and algorithmic problem-solving in C++ for technical interviews at top tech companies. With over 150 coding problems, detailed explanations, and hands-on practice, you'll build strong foundations in core data structures and advanced techniques. The course spans approximately 28 hours of content, structured into focused modules that progress from fundamental concepts to advanced problem-solving strategies. Each module includes practical coding challenges modeled after real FAANG interview questions, helping you develop optimal solutions with clear C++ implementations.

Module 1: C++ Refresher

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Pointers and references
• Dynamic memory allocation
• Classes and object-oriented basics
• STL containers: vectors, sets, maps

Module 2: Arrays & Strings

Estimated time: 3 hours

• Array traversals and indexing
• Two-pointer technique
• Sliding window pattern
• Frequency map usage

Module 3: Linked Lists

Estimated time: 2.5 hours

• Singly and doubly linked lists
• Fast-slow pointer technique
• Linked list reversal
• Merging sorted lists and cycle detection

Module 4: Stacks & Queues

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Stack and queue fundamentals
• Monotonic stacks
• Min/max stack variations
• Implementing queues using stacks

Module 5: Trees & Binary Search Trees

Estimated time: 3.5 hours

• Tree traversals (DFS, BFS)
• Binary Search Tree operations
• Balanced BST concepts
• Tree serialization and LCA

Module 6: Heaps & Priority Queues

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Min-heap and max-heap implementation
• Heapify process
• Top-k elements patterns
• Applications in sorting and priority scheduling

Module 7: Recursion & Backtracking

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Recursive function design
• Subsets and permutations generation
• N-Queens problem
• Sudoku solver with backtracking

Module 8: Hash Maps & Hash Sets

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Hash table internals
• Collision handling techniques
• Key-value pair management
• Frequency counting with hash maps

Module 9: Graphs & Traversals

Estimated time: 3 hours

• Graph representations (adjacency list)
• Breadth-First Search (BFS)
• Depth-First Search (DFS)
• Topological sort and cycle detection
• Connected components in grids

Module 10: Dynamic Programming

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Memoization vs tabulation
• State transition logic
• DP on strings and subsequences
• Grid-based DP problems

Module 11: Final Interview Prep

Estimated time: 2 hours

• Mock coding interviews
• Timed assessments
• Time and space complexity review
• Optimal solution comparison

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with basic C++ syntax
• Understanding of control structures (loops, conditionals)
• Basic knowledge of functions and classes

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Implement core data structures efficiently in C++
• Solve 150+ coding interview problems with confidence
• Analyze time and space complexity of algorithms
• Apply advanced techniques like sliding window, backtracking, and DP
• Pass technical interviews at FAANG and top-tier tech companies