Coding Test Preparation: Programmers vs Baekjoon vs LeetCode
I'm preparing for job applications in the second half of this year and wondering how to prepare for coding tests. So far, I've mainly solved problems at Programmers Level 2, but I've heard that actual company coding tests often follow the style of Baekjoon or LeetCode. Especially, companies like Kakao and Naver use their own platforms. Could you explain the characteristics of each platform and recommend a learning sequence?
6 answers
Personally, I recommend building fundamentals with Programmers and solving more challenging problems on Baekjoon. Baekjoon has many problem types frequently asked by companies like Samsung and Naver, while LeetCode is great for preparing for overseas companies. Since Kakao is based on Programmers, that should be enough.
I solved 200 problems on Baekjoon and passed both Kakao and Naver. I found Programmers easier than the actual coding tests, and LeetCode required some adjustment because it's in English. I recommend starting with Baekjoon Silver to Gold level first, then working on company-specific past problems in parallel.
I recommend LeetCode! It prepares you not only for Korean companies but also for global ones, and the problem descriptions are clean and easy to understand. For Programmers, it's good to solve up to Level 3, and for Baekjoon, solving problems with a timer is perfect for building real-world skills.
I focused on Programmers instead. In fact, Kakao's coding test was on the Programmers platform, and the problem types were similar. Baekjoon felt too vast and ended up being a waste of time, and I skipped LeetCode because of the language barrier with English.
Do you use Python? Recommendations vary depending on the language. I'm preparing with Java, and I found Baekjoon helpful for practicing input/output handling, while LeetCode was useful for class design practice. Programmers feels like a middle ground between the two platforms, so I'm using it alongside them.
I had the same concern, and my conclusion was 'don't stick to one platform, rotate through them.' Learn the patterns on Programmers, increase difficulty on Baekjoon, and prepare for English/global environments with LeetCode. Fighting!