Mastering LeetCode Progress: How to Track Your Active Problems

The world of LeetCode can feel like navigating a vast, ever-expanding landscape of coding challenges. Many coders embark on journeys to conquer these problems, only to find themselves lost in the shuffle, uncertain of which puzzles they’ve started but haven’t quite solved. This frustrating scenario is all too common: you begin a problem, get interrupted, or simply run out of time, leaving the task unfinished and the solution incomplete. Trying to rediscover those partially completed challenges can be time-consuming and demoralizing, hindering your overall LeetCode learning experience.

The good news is that you don’t have to wallow in the frustration of lost progress. This article provides practical strategies and proven methods to effortlessly track and resume your in-progress LeetCode challenges. We’ll explore a range of options, from the built-in features offered by LeetCode itself to powerful browser extensions and external tools that can revolutionize your workflow.

The Importance of Keeping Tabs on Your Code Quests

LeetCode is a journey, not a sprint. The nature of this platform, with its diverse range of problems and increasing complexity, often leads to learning in short, focused bursts. Life gets in the way: interruptions are inevitable, and time constraints frequently limit the amount of time you can dedicate to a single problem. Moreover, many users find themselves tackling multiple problems concurrently, further exacerbating the challenge of keeping track of everything.

Effectively tracking your progress yields significant benefits:

• Enhanced Learning Efficiency: Avoid the dreaded scenario of redoing work you’ve already invested time in. Jumping back into a problem you partially solved is far more productive than starting from scratch.
• Reduced Frustration: Quickly locate and resume your efforts without the time-consuming and irritating process of searching through your submission history.
• Structured Learning: Maintain a clear picture of your ongoing learning path. You can see exactly which problem categories you’re currently focusing on and where you might need to allocate more time.

Exploring LeetCode’s Internal Tools

LeetCode offers some native features that can help you monitor your activity.

Delving into “My Submissions”

The “My Submissions” section is the first place to start. You can find this under your profile, and it’s a record of every submission you’ve made to the platform.

Harnessing the Power of Filtering

This section offers robust filtering options. You can filter by status (Accepted, Wrong Answer, Time Limit Exceeded, Memory Limit Exceeded, Runtime Error), allowing you to identify problems you haven’t successfully solved. Filtering by language can also be useful if you’re experimenting with different programming languages. You can search for a specific problem as well.

Finding Recent Actions

“My Submissions” is most useful for finding problems you’ve recently worked on. Sort by submission date to see your most recent attempts.

Bookmarks and Playlists: The Building Blocks

This simple approach involves manually bookmarking problems you’re currently working on or adding them to custom lists. You could create a list named “In Progress” or “To Review.”

Understanding the Limitations of Default Tools

While these features are helpful, they have drawbacks. They can become unwieldy when you’re tackling a large number of problems. There isn’t a dedicated “In Progress” status in LeetCode, and the bookmarking and playlist method requires manual updating.

Supercharge Your Workflow with Browser Extensions

Several browser extensions have been developed to enhance the LeetCode experience, offering superior problem-tracking capabilities.

LeetCode Enhancer and the Extension Ecosystem

Extensions like “LeetCode Enhancer” are invaluable. These tools often include:

• Improved Problem Tracking: They add features that allow you to mark problems as “In Progress” or assign custom statuses.
• Enhanced User Interface: Extensions can improve the overall user interface, making it more user-friendly and efficient.
• Note-Taking and Tagging Functions: Many extensions allow you to add notes and tags to problems, providing a personalized learning experience.

Setup is Quick and Easy

Installing an extension is generally straightforward. Search for “LeetCode Enhancer” in your browser’s extension store (Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons), click “Add to Chrome/Firefox,” and follow the on-screen prompts.

In Progress at a Glance

After installation, the extension will likely add a new interface element to LeetCode. You’ll be able to mark a problem as “In Progress,” and the extension will track your progress. This allows you to easily see a list of all the problems you’re actively working on. You can usually customize the statuses and add custom tags.

Analyzing the Good and the Bad

Using browser extensions has advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include increased efficiency, better organization, and additional features. The disadvantages include potential security concerns (because extensions require browser permissions) and reliance on the extension being updated and maintained. It’s important to choose extensions from reputable developers.

Embracing External Note-Taking Applications

Another method involves using external note-taking tools to meticulously track your LeetCode progress.

Notion, Evernote, Obsidian and the Note-Taking Universe

Applications like Notion, Evernote, Obsidian, and other similar tools are powerful for organizing your LeetCode journey. You can create a structured system for tracking your problems.

Leveraging Markdown Magic

Markdown is a simple formatting language that allows you to create visually appealing and well-organized notes. You can use Markdown to format your notes, add headings, and create bullet points.

Link It Up

Always include links to the LeetCode problem URLs in your notes. This makes it easy to jump back to the problem directly from your notes.

A Sample System

Create a template for tracking your problems. This template should include the problem name, URL, status (In Progress, Completed, To Review), notes, code snippets, and the date you started the problem. Use tags or categories to organize your problems by topic (e.g., Arrays, Dynamic Programming, Linked Lists).

The Many Perks

The advantage of using external note-taking tools is their flexibility. You can customize your system to fit your specific needs. They also offer rich text and code support and can integrate with other tools you use.

The Potential Downsides

The downside is that this method requires more manual effort to set up and maintain. You also have to switch between LeetCode and your note-taking application.

Harnessing Version Control Systems

For a more robust approach, consider using a version control system like Git.

Git: Your Code Time Machine

Using Git for code management and tracking is a powerful technique. Create a repository for your LeetCode solutions on GitHub, GitLab, or a similar platform. Commit your code frequently as you progress through a problem.

The Power of Meaningful Messaging

When you commit your code, use meaningful commit messages to describe the state of the problem. For example, “Implemented basic solution,” or “Fixed edge case.”

Branching Out

For complex problems, create a separate branch for each problem you’re working on. This keeps your code organized and allows you to experiment without affecting your main codebase.

The Silver Linings

Using version control provides robust tracking of your progress. You can easily revert to previous versions of your code and collaborate with others if you wish.

The Flip Side

The drawback is that using version control requires more technical setup. It might be overkill for simpler problems.

Smart Strategies for Peak Productivity

Stay Consistent

Set aside a few minutes after each LeetCode session to update your tracking system. This ensures that your information is accurate and up-to-date.

Choosing Effective Labels

Select labels or tags that make sense to you and allow you to quickly categorize problems. Use labels like “Arrays – Easy,” “Dynamic Programming – Medium,” and “In Progress.”

Write It Down

Jot down important insights, challenges, and potential solutions while working on a problem. This will help you remember your thought process when you return to the problem later.

Review and Refine

Regularly review your in-progress problems to identify areas where you need to focus. This will help you prioritize your learning and stay on track.

Concluding Thoughts: A Path to LeetCode Mastery

In summary, several effective methods exist for tracking your active LeetCode challenges. We discussed leveraging LeetCode’s native features, browser extensions like LeetCode Enhancer, external note-taking applications like Notion and Evernote, and powerful version control systems like Git.

For beginners, starting with LeetCode’s native features or a simple note-taking system might be the most accessible approach. Experienced developers comfortable with version control might find Git to be the most robust solution. Browser extensions strike a good balance between ease of use and enhanced functionality. Ultimately, the best method depends on your technical skill, learning style, and preferences.

We encourage you to implement one of these tracking methods and experience the benefits of a more organized and productive LeetCode journey. Taking control of your progress will not only reduce frustration but also accelerate your learning and bring you closer to achieving your coding goals. Start tracking your challenges today and unlock your full potential on LeetCode!