Many developers grind LeetCode by following patterns. But is that really helping you grow as an engineer? Here's how to use LeetCode better—for interviews and beyond.

Are You Using LeetCode the Right Way?

LeetCode is the go-to platform for software developers preparing for interviews. The problems are challenging, often fun, and they build the kind of problem-solving muscle interviewers love to see.

But here’s a question worth asking: Are you using LeetCode the right way?

You may have heard (or even said) that what you do in real-life software development is nothing like the DSA grind. If you haven’t heard that yet, let me tell you something important:

Software engineering is much more than solving data structures and algorithms.

Let’s break this down.

The Traditional Advice

If you’re aiming for a role at a top tech company, the usual advice goes something like this:

• Learn data structures and algorithms.

• Solve medium/hard LeetCode problems every day.

And honestly, that advice works. It prepares you for the kinds of questions you’ll face in interviews. But most candidates interpret it like this:

“I just need to get good at solving complex problems fast, show that to the interviewer, and I’ll be hired.”

This interpretation is fine—and better than what I’ve seen recently.

The Pattern Trap

Lately, there's a new wave of advice spreading online and in person:

“LeetCode is easy. Most questions follow a pattern. Just learn the patterns, and you'll be fine.”

That sounds smart, right? And in a way, it is.

Learning patterns makes you faster. You recognize similar problem types, break them down into parts, and apply known solutions. If your interview question matches a pattern you've studied—congrats, you're golden.

But here's the issue: it makes you good at LeetCode, not necessarily at engineering.

You're not really solving problems—you’re matching them. And if you're always solving familiar problems, you're not growing your ability to handle new ones.

What Actually Makes You a Strong Engineer

Here’s a better approach:

Focus on solving new, challenging problems—not just pattern-matching.

This strengthens your core problem-solving muscle. It builds resilience, creativity, and confidence in the unknown. That mindset helps you far beyond interviews—it helps you in real software development, where problems are rarely neat, labeled, or familiar.

The Superpower Most Candidates Miss

Want to really level up?

Start practicing this:

Learn to spot edge cases before you start coding.

Yes, before you write a single line.

This one skill separates strong junior engineers from future senior developers. It shows thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and deep understanding.

The more you train yourself to ask:

• What assumptions am I making?

• What if the input is empty, huge, negative, zero?

• What could break this?

…the more you'll start thinking like a real-world engineer.

And how do you develop this? Just like any skill: deliberate practice.

Final Thoughts

LeetCode is an amazing tool—but only if you use it mindfully.

Use it to sharpen your thinking, not just memorize patterns. Solve hard problems that challenge you. Look for edge cases before you code. And above all, focus on building real problem-solving instincts, not just interview tricks.

In the end, that’s what makes you not just a better candidate—but a better engineer.

What’s your approach to LeetCode? Do you rely on patterns or focus on solving fresh problems? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Coding!