Getting ready for technical interviews can feel like a lot, especially if you don’t know where to start. The Neetcode 150 is a popular list that many people use to sharpen their coding skills and get familiar with the kinds of questions top tech companies ask. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about the Neetcode 150, how it compares to other lists, and how you can get the most out of it for your own interview prep. Whether you’re a beginner or already have some experience, there’s something here for everyone.
Key Takeaways
- The Neetcode 150 is a curated set of coding problems covering the most common interview topics and patterns.
- It stands out from other lists like Blind 75 by offering a wider range of problems and more detailed explanations.
- Practicing by topic or by difficulty are both valid approaches; pick the one that keeps you motivated.
- The Neetcode 150 platform offers free and paid resources, including video tutorials and interactive practice tools.
- While the Neetcode 150 is a great starting point, it’s smart to supplement it with extra practice to cover any gaps and keep up with changing interview trends.
Understanding the Neetcode 150 and Its Purpose
The Neetcode 150 is a collection of 150 coding problems picked from LeetCode. If you’re aiming for a job at companies like Google, Meta, or Amazon, you’ll probably bump into problems that look a lot like these. This set aims to cut through the noise and give you a focused roadmap for technical interview prep.
Origins and Structure of the Neetcode 150
The Neetcode 150 started when a software engineer—known online as NeetCode—realized there was just too much to study for coding interviews, and no one wanted to grind through thousands of questions. So, he built this list:
- The list covers arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, and plenty more.
- Each problem is categorized both by topic and difficulty (easy, medium, hard).
- Solutions often come with step-by-step videos or written walkthroughs, so you can see exactly how to break down a problem or debug mistakes.
You can work through them by topic, difficulty, or however suits you best. It helps a lot if you tend to get lost scrolling LeetCode and want something more focused.
Comparison to Blind 75 and Similar Lists
If you’ve seen Blind 75, you know it’s the old favorite—a list of 75 must-know LeetCode questions. Here’s how Neetcode 150 stacks up:
| List | Number of Questions | Organization | Solution Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blind 75 | 75 | Topic-Based | High |
| Neetcode 150 | 150 | Topic & Difficulty | High (Videos too) |
| LeetCode Random | Thousands | Mixed | Varies |
- Neetcode 150 doubles the number of problems from Blind 75, filling in topics the shorter list skips.
- More granular breakdown by data structure and concepts.
- More recent interview patterns are included, reflecting changes in what companies ask.
Why the Neetcode 150 Stands Out for Interview Prep
- You get the structure of a course, without feeling overwhelmed by endless options.
- Sample solutions, hints, and sometimes video explanations help tackle weak spots.
- The mix of topics (and difficulty) matches real interviews, so you don’t get surprised by certain question types.
- Focus stays on understanding logic and patterns, not just memorizing answers. This is a big deal, since interviewers want to see how you reason through new problems.
And, as Virgin Galactic makes headlines for new breakthroughs, the Neetcode 150 keeps evolving alongside shifting tech industry trends. Not just a static set—it adapts as coding questions change.
Whether you’re just starting or already sweating over interview prep, the Neetcode 150 can cut your stress by showing you exactly what—and how much—to practice. You end up spending less time wondering what to study, and more time getting better at solving real problems.
Core Topics and Patterns Covered in the Neetcode 150
The Neetcode 150 isn’t just a random set of algorithm questions—it’s been picked to get you ready for the kinds of problems you’ll see in real interviews. Here’s what actually shows up and how it’s organized.
Key Data Structures and Algorithm Concepts
When you open up the Neetcode 150 list, you’ll notice the problems focus on a handful of classic data structures and algorithm topics. Most questions stick to tried-and-true interview favorites. Some people think lists like this just make you memorize, but really, it’s about getting really comfortable with the basics:
- Arrays & Strings
- Linked Lists
- Binary Trees & Binary Search Trees
- Graphs
- Heaps & Priority Queues
- Hash Maps & Hash Sets
- Dynamic Programming
You’ll keep running into these topics across different problems—sometimes in combinations. The more you see, the more you start to recognize them quickly.
Overview of Coding Patterns Included
Technical interview questions follow underlying patterns. Neetcode 150 hits most of the big ones, including:
- Sliding Window
- Two Pointers
- Binary Search
- Breadth- and Depth-First Search (BFS/DFS)
- Prefix Sums
- Backtracking & Recursion
- Topological Sort
- Fast and Slow Pointers
- Sorting & Searching
- Greedy Techniques
- Stacks & Queues
- Dynamic Programming (bottom-up & top-down)
Getting a handle on these patterns really speeds up your problem solving. Instead of treating every question as brand new, you start to connect the dots faster, which is exactly the skill interviews are trying to measure.
Here’s how the coverage breaks down across difficulty levels:
| Level | Ideal # (per pattern) | Actual in Neetcode 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 28 | 17 |
| Medium | 56 | 46 |
| Hard | 28 | 14 |
| Total | 112 | 77 |
Recognizing Gaps and Underrepresented Areas
No list is perfect, and Neetcode 150 does have some blind spots. There are some areas where questions are sparse or even missing altogether:
- Specialized data structures (like Union Find or Tries)
- K-way Merge and complex Heap operations
- More niche patterns (Cyclic Sort, advanced Graph Constructions)
- Fast and Slow Pointers show up less often than they should
So, what’s the takeaway? Neetcode 150 is great for getting the basics and mid-level patterns down. For truly thorough coverage, though, you’ll want to add a few more kinds of questions to your practice sessions—especially if you notice a pattern that keeps tripping you up or you know a target company likes to ask about something oddball. That way, you’re not caught off-guard if an interviewer throws in a surprise pattern or a less common structure.
Effective Strategies for Tackling the Neetcode 150
Working through the Neetcode 150 isn’t just about grinding out questions—it’s about coming up with a plan that keeps you going. With 150 problems staring you down, a little structure can make all the difference as you move from beginner jitters to solid confidence.
Choosing Between Topic-Based or Difficulty-Based Practice
The first decision most folks hit is whether to group questions by topic or to go by difficulty. Both have their perks, depending on what you’re after.
- Difficulty-first approach: Many find it less frustrating to tackle all the easy questions first, nail the mediums next, then take on the hards. Building up from easy to hard keeps your motivation intact since starting with the toughest problems can be seriously discouraging.
- Topic-first approach: Some prefer to master one subject area at a time, like arrays or dynamic programming, so they can see all the flavors of a pattern grouped together. If you’re weak in one topic, focusing there can help shore up weaknesses. But it can also mean you run into hard problems before you’re ready.
- There’s no rule saying you can’t mix it up. Alternate between topics and difficulties if that keeps you interested.
Here’s a quick table to show some pros and cons:
| Approach | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty-based | Builds confidence slowly | Topics spread out |
| Topic-based | Mastery of one area at a time | May face hard problems early |
Building an Adaptive Study Plan
Nobody’s schedule is the same, so your plan should fit your life. An adaptive plan is about being honest with yourself:
- Self-assess: Figure out what you already know and what’s missing. Before jumping in, take a look at the Neetcode 150 and note which topics and question levels worry you most.
- Set realistic goals: Say you want to finish in ten weeks. That’s 15 questions per week—totally doable if you break it up.
- Adjust as you go: Life happens. Maybe you get stuck on trees for three days. No big deal—just fine-tune your weekly question targets. If a certain topic (like heaps) keeps tripping you up, double back before pressing on.
Sometimes, integrating new tools or methods—like using online collaborative note-taking to track patterns—can boost your workflow without much effort (affordable and innovative solutions).
Tracking Progress and Mastery Over Time
Keeping tabs on your progress turns a huge list into something more manageable. People track their journey in different ways:
- Make a spreadsheet to log which problems you’ve finished, your initial success, and how many tries it took.
- Mark questions by topic, pattern, and difficulty so gaps stand out.
- Circle back to problems you struggled with and try them again after a week or two. Measuring how quickly you can solve them the second time gives you a sense of growth.
Here’s an example of what you could include in your tracker:
| Problem # | Topic | Difficulty | Solved Correctly? | Date Last Attempted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrays | Easy | Yes | 8/21/2025 | Nailed first shot |
| 17 | Trees | Medium | No | 8/29/2025 | Review recursion |
| 53 | Graphs | Hard | Partial | 9/2/2025 | Revisit BFS |
- Remind yourself that every problem you struggle with today is one less that’ll trip you up during the real interview.
- Reward small wins—finishing a topic, moving up a difficulty, or just keeping up momentum for another week.
The Neetcode 150 can look like a mountain, but approaching it one manageable section at a time is how you actually get to the top.
Optimizing Learning With the Neetcode 150 Platform
Making the Most of Free and Paid Resources
Lots of people start out with the free stuff, and honestly, that takes you pretty far. Neetcode 150 offers clear question lists, solution write-ups, and often there’s a whole bunch you can access without ever paying a dime. If you want extra, you’ll find paid resources, too, like structured course access or in-depth video explanations. Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Resource Type | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Public Question List | Curated interview questions and patterns | Free |
| Solution Explanations | Text write-ups for each question | Free |
| Step-by-Step Videos | Detailed explanations and walk-throughs | Free/Paid |
| Interactive Platform | Coding exercises, progress tracking | Free/Paid |
You don’t need everything, but if you find you learn better from step-by-step discussion, jumping into the full NeetCode 150 set including all features might give you that extra push.
Benefits of Step-by-Step Explanations and Video Tutorials
Step-by-step explanations can break down even tough problems into manageable pieces. Not everyone learns the same, but a lot of us get lost if we just see the answer without the reasoning. The platform often pairs each problem with both a written breakdown and a video tutorial—great if you want to see someone talk it through like they’re working next to you. Here are a few reasons people tend to stick with these:
- You can pause and rewind the video if you get stuck.
- The explanations explore alternate solutions, so you see there’s more than one way to attack a problem.
- Visual learners get to hear and see logic in action, not just read code dumps.
If you get stuck on a pattern, sometimes seeing it laid out step by step is what finally makes it click.
Leveraging Interactive Coding Practice
There’s just no shortcut for writing code on your own. On the Neetcode 150 platform, you’re not just passively watching someone else—you’re actually solving the problems, submitting code, and seeing where you went wrong (or right). This active practice helps with a bunch of things:
- Spotting small syntax or logic errors early, before an interview setting.
- Reinforcing your memory for common algorithmic approaches.
- Building confidence, because nothing beats finally passing a test case after a few failed runs.
You can also monitor your stats along the way—how many you’ve solved, which ones tripped you up, and your streaks. Some people find that trying a few questions every morning is a good system for steady progress. The key, in the end, is just to keep at it and treat mistakes like stepping stones.
Enhancing Interview Readiness Beyond the Neetcode 150
Completing the Neetcode 150 list gives you a strong foundation, but there’s more to being interview-ready. Real interviews are unpredictable, and companies are coming up with new question types all the time. Stopping after the Neetcode 150 is a bit like thinking you’re ready for a marathon after running just around your neighborhood—there’s always more to prepare for.
Combining Pattern-Based and List-Based Preparation
Getting good at both list-based questions and general problem-solving patterns makes you more flexible in interviews. Here are some ways to combine these strategies:
- Work through lists like Neetcode 150 to build muscle memory for common problems.
- Practice coding patterns (like sliding window, two pointers, recursion) to help you solve surprises in new ways.
- After finishing a question, try to rephrase it: what pattern does it use? Can you solve a different problem with the same idea?
These habits stop you from just memorizing answers and help you actually "see" how to approach unfamiliar questions. Over time, pattern practice changes how you think about problems and builds more reliable problem-solving skills than repetition alone. (For folks who want practical tips for tech skills, there are some recommended Android tips that follow this same mindset of flexible problem-solving.)
Addressing Changing Interview Trends
Sticking only to the Neetcode 150 might mean you’ll miss newer trends in interview questions. Interviewers now may:
- Ask questions blended from several patterns or topics
- Slip in design or system architecture problems
- Throw in tasks involving new data types, like graphs combined with strings
Here’s what can help:
- Check what’s being asked on recent interview reports (Glassdoor, LeetCode forums).
- Mix in practice from other sources: Grokking Patterns, mock interviews, or contests.
- Try to solve some problems with no time pressure, but then speed up. Real interviews are timed, after all.
Filling Gaps With Supplemental Practice
No single list covers everything. Even big lists like Neetcode 150 have blind spots. To make sure you’re not caught off guard:
- Make a table of weak topics or patterns (maybe you keep missing dynamic programming or graphs? Write it down!)
- Challenge yourself with 2-3 extra problems per weak area from different sources
- Attempt problems in languages you know less well, especially if your target company prefers one
Sample Table for Tracking Extra Practice:
| Pattern/Topic | Extra Problems Tried | Success Rate | Still Needs Work? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Programming | 5 | 3/5 | Yes |
| Graphs | 4 | 4/4 | No |
| Recursion/Backtracking | 3 | 1/3 | Yes |
This kind of tracking helps you spot exactly where more work pays off, so you don’t just keep repeating what you already know. Mix things up, try interviews with a friend, or enter a small coding contest to boost your readiness and confidence.
Measuring Success and Improving Weaknesses
Measuring how well you’re actually learning while working through the Neetcode 150 is more than just tracking how many questions you’ve finished. The goal is to figure out where you’re actually solid and where you need to put in more work. It helps you use your energy where it has the most impact — and also saves you from just grinding out problems with no real progress.
Using Rubrics and Scores to Track Coverage
One method a lot of people swear by is to use a simple point system for each coding pattern. It’s not just about volume; it’s about touching each pattern at every level of difficulty. Try a rubric like this:
- 1 point for each easy problem completed
- 4 points per medium problem
- 6 points for hard problems
To fully cover one type of problem, aim for:
- One easy
- Two medium
- One hard
So, each complete pattern should earn 15 points. There are 28 patterns in most checklists, so the “perfect score” is 420.
Here’s a quick look at how coverage breaks down according to this scoring system:
| Problem Level | Ideal Count (per pattern) | Neetcode 150 Actual | Count Used in Rubric | Shortfall to Ideal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 28 | 28 | 17 | 11 |
| Medium | 56 | 104 | 46 | 10 |
| Hard | 28 | 21 | 14 | 14 |
| Total | 112 | 153 | 77 | 35 |
Neetcode 150 currently lands at about 68% coverage based on this ideal, which is useful to know before planning your next steps.
Identifying Underrepresented Coding Patterns
Even if your overall score is decent, there might be whole problem types you’re mostly skipping.
Some steps to spot these:
- List out all the coding patterns from your chosen guide.
- Look at your scores for each one (using the 1-4-6 system).
- Find anything with less than the target 15 points.
- Check for patterns that are missing either all the hard or medium-level problems.
A lot of students find that, for Neetcode 150, patterns like "Sort and Search" or tricky data structures are not fully covered. That means you’ll want to go seek out those kinds of problems elsewhere, maybe from advice for avoiding routine in skill development or a platform with a wider set of practice problems.
Refining Your Approach for Maximum Impact
After you know where the holes are, it’s time to actually fill them:
- Tackle easy, unfinished patterns first—they’re quick wins.
- Target medium problems for patterns that are lagging, especially in areas most important for your interviews.
- Don’t ignore hard problems, but spread them out so you’re not burned out.
It’s tempting to just keep grinding through more problems at random when a deadline is looming. But with a clear system and honest scores, you can see if all that work is helping. The best prep is about deliberate focus, not just racking up bigger numbers.
Stay honest with your progress checks, patch up the weak areas, and you’ll be able to show up on interview day ready for almost anything they throw at you.
Wrapping Up: Your Next Steps with NeetCode 150
Getting ready for technical interviews can feel overwhelming, but having a plan makes a big difference. The NeetCode 150 is a solid place to start—it covers a lot of the topics and question types you’ll see in real interviews. But remember, it’s just a tool. You’ll get the most out of it if you track your progress, focus on your weak spots, and mix in some pattern-based practice too. Don’t worry if you get stuck or have to look up solutions—everyone does at some point. The important thing is to keep practicing and learning from your mistakes. Stick with it, and you’ll build the confidence and skills you need to tackle those interviews head-on. Good luck, and don’t forget to take breaks along the way!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Neetcode 150 and why is it important for coding interviews?
The Neetcode 150 is a collection of 150 handpicked coding problems from LeetCode. These questions cover the most common topics and patterns you might see in technical interviews, especially at big tech companies. By practicing these problems, you get a strong foundation in data structures and algorithms, which helps you feel more confident during interviews.
How is the Neetcode 150 different from the Blind 75 list?
The Blind 75 is a shorter list with 75 questions, while the Neetcode 150 has twice as many problems. The Neetcode 150 covers more topics and includes a wider range of difficulties. This makes it better for people who want deeper practice and want to make sure they’re ready for any kind of interview question.
Should I practice Neetcode 150 problems by topic or by difficulty?
It depends on your learning style. If you want to master one topic at a time, you can group questions by topic. If you prefer to build your skills slowly, start with easy questions, then move to medium, and finally hard ones. Many people find it easier to start with all the easy problems first to build confidence.
Does the Neetcode 150 cover every coding pattern I need for interviews?
The Neetcode 150 covers most of the important coding patterns, like Two Pointers, Dynamic Programming, and Tree Traversal. However, some less common patterns might not be fully covered. It’s a good idea to look for extra practice in any weak areas you notice while working through the list.
Are there free resources to help me with the Neetcode 150?
Yes! All the Neetcode 150 questions and their solutions are available for free on the Neetcode website. There are also free video explanations and interactive coding platforms to help you practice. You can also find community discussions and tips online.
How do I know if I’m ready for real interviews after finishing the Neetcode 150?
After solving all the problems, try to solve new questions without looking at hints. If you can explain your solutions clearly and solve problems from different topics, you’re probably ready. You can also take mock interviews or use rubrics to check if you’ve covered all the main patterns and question types.
