Hoplite Weekly Session Solutions

This repo is dedicated to the solutions of coding problems discussed in our weekly sessions.

Contributing guidelines

The following is a set of guidelines for contributing to our weekly session repo.

Why do we need guidelines?

• The goal is to give a consistent experience to our readers.
• Make it very easy for our readers to understand the solution.
• Set a high coding standard for our readers, so that they are inspired to write clean code in interviews.

Solution

• The solution added should be 100% working and tested in leetcode submission.
• Make sure to add metadata about the question along with the time and complexity. This should be added in the top of the file as a comment in the below format.

/**
 * Question: <leetcode-question-number>. <leetcode-question-title> 
 * Link: <leetcode-question-url>
 * Hoplite Session: <session-date-mm/dd/yyyy>
 * 
 * Time Complexity: <accurate-time-complextiy>
 * Space Complexity: <accurate-space-complextiy>
 */

For example

/**
 * Question: 56. Merge Intervals 
 * Link: https://leetcode.com/problems/merge-intervals/
 * Hoplite Session: 09/12/2019
 * 
 * Time Complexity: O(nlogn)
 * Space Complexity: O(n)
 */

• Avoid redundant code in the solution.
• Follow the programming languages best practices.
• Use standard formtting and lint.

Comment

Comments are the most important part of our solution. Comments support our goal to make it super easy for our readers to understand the code. Below are a few things to keep in mind while writing comments.

• Since the code is just meant to be read, be very generous with comments. Add relevant comments wherever possible.
• Think of what questions our reader might have with a line/part of code. Try to answer that question in comments.
• When using not-so-obvious syntax, try to provide reference links. For example

/**
 * Convert stack into array Read more: 
 * https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/Vector.html#toArray(T[])
 */

Naming

Variable/Methods/Class Name

• Use meaningful names for variables. Variable name must define the exact explanation of its content.
• Use meaningful names for methods. The name must specify the exact action of the method and for most cases must start with a verb. (e.g. createPasswordHash)
• Use meaningful names for method parameters, so it can document itself.
• Obey the programming languages best practices for naming variables, methods, class.

File Name

• Every solution should have a file name in the below format

`session-<date-in-mm-dd-yyyy>-problem-<leetcode-problem-number>-<problem-name>`

for example `session-09-12-2019-problem-56-merge-intervals.java`

• If there is an alternate approach other than the one discussed in the session, use the below format

  session-<date-in-mm-dd-yyyy>-problem-<leetcode-problem-number>-<problem-name>-alternate-<alternate-solution-number>

  for example session-09-12-2019-problem-56-merge-intervals-alternate-2.java

Git Commit Messages

• Use the present tense ("Add ..." not "Added ...")
• Use the format Add <mm-dd> session for the orignal solution. For example Add 09-12 session
• Use the format Add <mm-dd> session alternate-<alternate-solution-number> for the alternate solution. For example Add 09-12 session alternate-2