How to Start Competitive Programming in 5 Simple Steps?

Every aspiring IT professional or Programming enthusiast wants to know the tips and tricks to master coding skills. Are you also seeking to ace programming skills? Then you’d have already heard of Competitive Programming. Well, we have the super hack that so far propelled over 5000+ aspirants into proficient coders through competitive programming tools & events.

Are you still wondering What is Competitive Programming?

The brainy battle over the internet involving competing programmers to solve coding problems with efficient code solutions is called Competitive Programming. 

You get to level up your Programming skills with a better approach through Data Structures & Algorithms knowledge. Further, these competitive programming skills highlights you from the crowd, & improves your resume’s worth. 

If you’re a college student who is aspiring to enter into IT & Software industry, Competitive Programming skills provide you with an edge over others during job placements or other career opportunities. 

Here’s an interesting motivation to aspirants who wish to get placed in Facebook, Google, Microsoft. As competitive programming contests are being host by such top tech companies to recruit the best talents.

So, Let’s understand…

How to Start Competitive Programming?

By religiously following these 5 simple steps, you can actually stand ahead in the competitive programming contests gaining top-notch coding skills.

Step #1: Pick up a Programming Language

Choose the most suitable programming language and get familiar with its basic syntax, & fundamentals. Implement the learned concepts to become proficient in it. Keep in mind to implement the loops, built-in functions, conditional statements, etc. 

The most common programming languages that go well for competitive programming are Python, Java, C++, & Ruby over other programming languages. Usually, Python is best choice for beginners & C++ for advanced stages in competitive programming. It is wise to choose a language based on your preference & convenience. While keep in mind of the code execution time of the chosen language. We’ve curated the top picks for you! Know the Top 5 Programming Languages to Win in Competitive Programming.

Before diving into the next section, ensure you’re solid on Python essentials from basics to advanced-level. If you are looking for a detailed Python career program, you can join GUVI’s Python Programming Career Program with placement assistance. You will be able to master the Multiple Exceptions, classes, OOPS concepts, dictionary, and many more, and build real-life projects.

Learn Python for FREE in English/ Hindi/ Tamil

Step #2: Focus on Data Structures & Algorithms  

There is no competitive programmer without DSA(Data Structures & algorithms) skills. Hence, the essential step is to have a solid grip on DSA fundamentals.  

Most people consider learning DSA simultaneously while learning to write code. However, experts of GUVI suggest to cover the DSA fundamentals before starting to solve coding problems & competitive problems. The high-priority DSA fundamentals include- Array, Stack, Queue, Linked List, Searching, Tree, Sorting, Time & Space Complexity.

The whole idea of mastering DSA is to come up with an efficient, optimized, & an ideal coding solution for the given problem statement.

You can Try Data Structures & Algorithms for FREE on GUVI. Ofcourse this one too! You can learn this in either English, Hindi or Tamil.

Step 3: Practice Solving Problems

Implementation is the key to gain new programming skills. Well, soon after covering DSA concepts, get your hands on to practice the coding problems. Various practice platforms are available & you can get started on CodeKata where the coding exercises are categorized based on Easy-to-Advanced difficulty levels. Also, CodeKata includes the top important programming problem statements asked by famous companies like Microsoft, Samsung, Walmart, etc. 

Thus, start simple. Pave your way to sharpen your skills with practise & level up to complex problems. You’re all good to hit the highway of victory.

Practice 500+ Coding Problems for Free on CodeKata!!!

Step 4: Participate in Coding Contests & Challenges

Now, how will you know your strength in coding? The best possible way is to participate in competitive programming contests that assess your speed, efficiency & optimal factor in your code. The best part of getting involved in such challenges is that the coding problems are almost similar even when hosted by different platforms like GUVI, HackerRank, CodeChef, etc. So, failing to solve in one contest will be a stepping stone to success in another contest.

Stay tuned to our Forum for notifications on the upcoming Coding Contests, Hackathons & Challenges with Exciting Rewards on GUVI.

Step #5: Persistence in Process is Progress

The spirit of a winner is in the persistent efforts made to practise coding & following the process. While engaging with other programmers, & knowing their game plan helps to come up with better code. And, this is a continuous process of learning, practicing & participating for having an edge over in competitive programming challenges. 

Summary

Starting the journey of competitive programming can be as easy as getting in touch with fellow coders. This motivates you to compete and win big challenges. This five step process will comfort the learning journey. Recalling everything in short,

• Begin with Python Programming language if you’re a beginner or choose your flexible programming language to learn.
• DSA skillset is an important prerequisite to start writing actual code. 
• Get your hands dirty by practising numerous coding problems(more practice = more proficiency)
• Register yourself for as many coding contests as possible to assess & upgrade your coding skillset.
• Repeat the above 4 steps religiously until you bring laurels to your career profile.

Make your first move now, Explore the Best suitable Programming Languages for your Competitive Programming Preparation. Also, if you would like to explore Python through a Self-paced course, try GUVI’s Python Self-Paced course.