Starting My DSA Journey with C++ — Learning One Problem at a Time 🚀

ANKIT DABRAL — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 14:55:50 +0000

I've decided to take my Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) preparation more seriously and, instead of just solving problems privately, I want to start documenting my learning journey here.

I'm currently practising DSA using C++, with a simple goal: build strong problem-solving skills, understand the logic behind solutions, and become better at writing efficient code.

Why I started this journey

One thing I've realised is that knowing programming syntax and actually solving problems are two different things.

You might know loops, conditions, arrays, and functions, but applying them to solve a problem requires a different level of understanding.

That's what I want to improve through consistent practice.

What I'm currently working on

I'm starting with basic logic-building problems, particularly star patterns.

At first, these problems might look simple, but they are a great way to understand nested loops and how program execution works.

For example, consider this pattern:

*
***
*****
*******
*********

While solving it, I explored how the outer loop controls the rows and the inner loop controls the number of stars printed in each row.

One interesting thing I learned was how the expression 2 * i - 1 can generate an increasing odd number of stars without manually specifying the count for every row.

It's a small concept, but understanding the mathematics behind the logic makes a difference.

How I plan to document my progress

I'm planning to follow a consistent approach:

Practice problems regularly.

Understand the logic before looking at solutions.

Maintain notes about concepts and mistakes.

Complete problems in batches of five.

Push my solutions and progress updates to GitHub.

I'll also share what I learn, the problems I find challenging, and the concepts that become clearer along the way.

My goal

I don't want this to become just another repository filled with solutions. I want it to reflect my actual learning process — including the mistakes, confusion, improvements, and progress.

I know consistency matters more than speed, so I'm taking it one problem at a time.

This is Day 1 of documenting my DSA journey. Let's see how far consistent effort can take me!

GitHub Repository- link for repo

#CPP #LearningInPublic #100DaysOfCode #DeveloperJourney

DEV Community: ANKIT DABRAL

Starting My DSA Journey with C++ — Learning One Problem at a Time 🚀