I Hate LeetCode

I’ve tried ignoring it. I’ve tried hoping my portfolio, side projects, or App Store apps would be enough. But when you sit in front of a recruiter at a top-paying company, they don’t ask to see your cool animations.

They ask you to solve… arrays.

Why LeetCode Still Matters

For senior iOS roles in the US (SF, Seattle, NYC, Zurich, Singapore), the entry ticket is still passing coding interviews.

Companies want to know:

• Can you break down problems fast?

• Can you explain your thought process under pressure?

• Can you debug without panicking?

They don’t care if you memorized 500 leetcode questions.

They care if you can show structure.

How I Practice Without Burning Out

Old me:

• Panicked when I saw arrays + timestamps.

• Brute-forced code until it worked.

• Froze under pressure.

New me: I use ChatGPT + debugger as my practice partners.

Here’s my system:

1. Pick one problem a day (not 10).

2. Write the problem in plain English before touching code.

3. Ask ChatGPT: “Explain the concept behind this problem. Don’t solve it, just outline the approach.”

4. Step through solutions with the debugger — watch inputs, outputs, and edge cases.

This way, I learn patterns, not answers.

Example: repeatedIds Problem

The exercise: “Find duplicate IDs within a given timeframe t.”

Looks simple, right? But it can trip you up.

Here’s the Swift solution I walked through today:

func repeatedIds(within t: Int, records: [(id: String, ts: Int)]) -> [String] {
    var byId = [String: [Int]]()
    for r in records { byId[r.id, default: []].append(r.ts) }
    var ans: [String] = []
    for (k, var times) in byId {
        times.sort()
        for i in 1..<times.count where times[i] - times[i - 1] <= t {
            ans.append(k); break
        }
    }
    return ans
}

The key: sort timestamps per ID and check neighbors.

The Bigger Lesson

It’s not about this one problem. It’s about showing that you:

• Think clearly.

• Communicate step by step.

• Don’t lose control under stress.

That’s what interviewers actually pay attention to.

The Truth About LeetCode & $250k Jobs

You don’t need to “become a LeetCode #1.”

You need to:

• Check common patterns.

• Practice explaining, not just coding.

• Use tools (ChatGPT + debugger) to understand faster.

My Takeaway

I still hate LeetCode.

Don’t see value in my everyday work.

If I need algo, chatgpt can generate one for me.

But I treat it like the gym: short, daily sessions, one muscle group.

And instead of brute-forcing in silence, I use ChatGPT + debugger as my training partners.