Coding Test Prep: Programmers vs Baekjoon – Which Is Better?
I'm preparing for a job change and this is my first time getting ready for a coding test. People around me often recommend Programmers and Baekjoon. My algorithm basics are a bit weak, so which site is better for beginners? I'm especially curious about the differences in problem difficulty and solution quality. Any advice from experienced folks would be appreciated!
6 answers
I personally think Programmers is better for beginners. The problems are often similar to real corporate coding tests, and since it starts from Level 0, it's great for building a foundation. The explanations are concise but get straight to the point. Baekjoon feels like the difficulty spikes sharply, so I found it a bit tough at first.
I actually recommend Baekjoon instead. Programmers has a limited number of problems and restricted types, while Baekjoon lets you explore a wide variety of algorithms. If your basics are weak, you can use the 'Solve by Step' feature to progress gradually. For explanations, I suggest searching for blog posts on Google.
Both have their pros and cons, so I think combining them is the answer. I started by getting a feel for things with Programmers Level 1~2, then improved my skills by solving Silver~Gold problems on Baekjoon. For explanations, Programmers has official solutions which is nice, but Baekjoon has active community discussions where you can see various approaches.
Highly recommend Programmers for beginners! They have a 'Coding Test High Score Kit' that organizes problems by topic, making it great for systematic study. Baekjoon feels like it just throws problems at you, which can be overwhelming at first. However, both platforms also offer SQL problems, so keep that in mind.
I've solved over 500 problems on Baekjoon alone, and honestly, I struggled a lot at first, lol. But looking back now, that struggle really helped me improve my skills. Programmers, on the other hand, felt too easy and got boring pretty quickly. If your basics are weak, try starting with Baekjoon's 'Beginner' tag or 'Bronze' level problems.
What language do you use? I use Python, and I liked Programmers because it has many problems optimized for Python syntax. Baekjoon can be annoying since you have to handle input processing first. As for solutions, just search 'Programmers problem solutions' on YouTube—there are tons of them, so check them out!