DEV Community: Likitha Chendrimada Suguna

Is LeetCode Enough for Placements?

Likitha Chendrimada Suguna — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:47:59 +0000

If you're preparing for placements, you've probably heard this advice countless times:

"Just do LeetCode."

For a long time, I believed that too.

Whenever I asked seniors how to prepare for technical interviews, LeetCode was usually the first recommendation. Open LinkedIn, YouTube, or any coding community, and you'll find people talking about solving hundreds or even thousands of problems.

As a student preparing for placements myself, I started wondering:

Is LeetCode really enough?

After spending time with DSA and talking to other students, my answer is:

LeetCode is important, but it isn't the whole story.

What LeetCode Does Really Well

There's a reason LeetCode is so popular.

It teaches you how to think.

When I first started solving problems, I would immediately get stuck. Sometimes I didn't even know where to begin. Over time, I started recognizing patterns.

A problem that once looked impossible started reminding me of something I had solved before.

That's when I realized DSA isn't about memorizing answers.

It's about developing a problem-solving mindset.

LeetCode helped me improve that skill more than anything else.

The Trap I Fell Into

At one point, I became obsessed with the number of problems I had solved.

Every accepted solution felt like progress.

But after a while, I noticed something strange.

I was solving problems, yet there were concepts I still couldn't explain confidently.

I could write code for certain questions, but if someone asked me why a particular approach worked better, I struggled.

That's when I understood that solving problems and understanding problems are not always the same thing.

Placements Test More Than DSA

Many students focus entirely on LeetCode because technical interviews often include coding rounds.

That makes sense.

But placements usually involve much more.

Depending on the company, you might also face questions about:

Object-Oriented Programming
DBMS
Operating Systems
Computer Networks
Java fundamentals
Projects on your resume

Imagine solving a coding question perfectly and then being unable to explain the Spring Boot project listed on your resume.

That wouldn't leave a great impression.

Projects Matter Too

One thing I've learned is that projects give context to your skills.

A project shows how you apply knowledge in a real-world scenario.

For example, building a Spring Boot application teaches things that LeetCode never will:

APIs
Databases
Application architecture
Debugging
Real-world problem solving

These experiences often become valuable discussion points during interviews.

What I'm Focusing On

Right now, my preparation isn't centered around just one thing.

I'm trying to balance:

DSA practice
Java fundamentals
Spring Boot development
Computer Science subjects
Personal projects

Is it easy?

Not always.

Sometimes I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day.

But I believe placements are not about becoming great at one thing while ignoring everything else.

They're about becoming a well-rounded candidate.

So, Is LeetCode Enough?

For me, the answer is:

No, but it's an important piece of the puzzle.

LeetCode can help you become a better problem solver.

It can prepare you for coding rounds.

It can boost your confidence.

But placements are rarely decided by DSA alone.

Projects, fundamentals, communication skills, and your ability to explain your work all play a role.

If you're preparing for placements, don't treat LeetCode as the destination.

Treat it as one part of a much larger journey.

And perhaps that's the lesson I'm still learning myself.

What do you think? Is LeetCode enough for placements, or do you believe projects and fundamentals matter just as much? I'd love to hear your perspective.

7 Spring Boot Annotations Every Beginner Should Know

Likitha Chendrimada Suguna — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 06:49:01 +0000

When I first started learning Spring Boot, I was overwhelmed by annotations.

Every file seemed to have symbols starting with @.

@SpringBootApplication

@RestController

@Service

@Autowired

At first, I treated them like magic spells. I copied them from tutorials and hoped everything would work.

Eventually, I realized that understanding a few key annotations made Spring Boot much less intimidating.

If you're just starting your Spring Boot journey, these are the annotations I believe you should understand first.

1. @SpringBootApplication

This is usually the first annotation you'll see in a Spring Boot project.

@SpringBootApplication
public class DemoApplication {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(DemoApplication.class, args);
    }
}

Think of it as the starting point of your application.

When Spring Boot sees this annotation, it knows:

Where the application begins
Which components need to be scanned
Which configurations should be loaded

Without it, your Spring Boot application won't know how to start properly.

2. @RestController

If you're building REST APIs, you'll use this annotation frequently.

@RestController
public class HelloController {

    @GetMapping("/hello")
    public String hello() {
        return "Hello, World!";
    }
}

A class marked with @RestController tells Spring:

"The methods inside this class will handle HTTP requests and return data."

Instead of returning web pages, it usually returns:

JSON
Strings
Objects
API responses

Whenever I create a new API endpoint, this is one of the first annotations I add.

3. @GetMapping

This annotation is used when you want to handle GET requests.

@GetMapping("/students")
public String getStudents() {
    return "List of students";
}

A GET request is typically used to retrieve information.

Examples:

Get user details
Fetch products
View student records

Whenever a client requests data from the server, @GetMapping often comes into play.

4. @PostMapping

While @GetMapping retrieves data, @PostMapping is commonly used to create or submit data.

@PostMapping("/students")
public String addStudent() {
    return "Student added";
}

Examples:

Registering a user
Adding a product
Creating a new record

One easy way to remember it:

GET → Read data
POST → Send data

5. @Service

As projects grow, putting all logic inside controllers becomes messy.

That's where @Service helps.

@Service
public class StudentService {

    public String getStudent() {
        return "Student Data";
    }
}

A service class contains the application's business logic.

For example:

Calculations
Validation
Processing requests
Application rules

I like to think of it as the "brain" of the application.

Controllers receive requests.

Services decide what should happen.

6. @Repository

The repository layer is responsible for interacting with the database.

@Repository
public interface StudentRepository extends JpaRepository<Student, Long> {
}

A repository helps perform operations like:

Insert data
Update data
Delete records
Retrieve information

Instead of writing complex database code manually, Spring Data JPA makes many operations available automatically.

This annotation tells Spring:

"This component works with data storage."

7. @Autowired

When I first encountered Dependency Injection, I found it confusing.

Then I discovered @Autowired.

@Autowired
private StudentService studentService;

This annotation allows Spring to automatically provide an object when needed.

Instead of creating objects manually using:

StudentService service = new StudentService();

Spring creates and manages them for you.

This reduces boilerplate code and makes applications easier to maintain.

Although constructor injection is often preferred in modern Spring Boot projects, understanding @Autowired is important because you'll see it in many existing applications.

Final Thoughts

When I began learning Spring Boot, annotations felt mysterious.

But after understanding these seven annotations, the framework started making much more sense.

If you're a beginner, focus on mastering these first:

✅ @SpringBootApplication – Starts the application

✅ @RestController – Handles API requests

✅ @GetMapping – Retrieves data

✅ @PostMapping – Sends data

✅ @Service – Contains business logic

✅ @Repository – Communicates with the database

✅ @Autowired – Injects dependencies

Spring Boot has many more annotations, but these are the ones I encountered repeatedly while building my first projects.

And honestly, understanding them made the rest of Spring Boot feel a lot less magical and a lot more logical.

*Which Spring Boot annotation confused you the most when you started learning? Let me know in the comments! *

How I Learned Spring Boot in 30 Days: A Student's Journey

Likitha Chendrimada Suguna — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:19:28 +0000

As a Computer Science Engineering student, I always heard that Spring Boot was one of the most important skills for Java developers. Companies use it to build scalable web applications, microservices, and enterprise software. However, when I first looked at Spring Boot, it seemed overwhelming.

Instead of getting intimidated, I decided to dedicate 30 days to learning it consistently. This article shares my learning roadmap, challenges, and lessons from that journey.

Why I Decided to Learn Spring Boot

Before learning Spring Boot, I knew Java but had little experience building backend applications. I wanted to:

Build real-world projects
Learn how REST APIs work
Understand backend development
Prepare for internships and placements
Strengthen my Java skills

Spring Boot seemed like the ideal framework to achieve these goals.

Week 1: Understanding the Basics

During the first week, I focused on understanding the foundation.

Topics Covered

Spring vs Spring Boot
Project structure
Maven dependencies
Controllers
REST APIs
HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)

What I Learned

The biggest realization was that Spring Boot removes a lot of configuration work. Instead of spending hours setting up a project, I could start building features immediately.

My first achievement was creating a simple REST API that returned data successfully.

Week 2: Working with Databases

Once I understood APIs, I moved on to database integration.

Topics Covered

MySQL
Spring Data JPA
Hibernate
Entity classes
Repository layer
CRUD operations

Challenges

Connecting the application to the database was initially confusing. Understanding entities, repositories, and relationships took time.

After several experiments, I successfully built a complete CRUD application.

Week 3: Advanced Concepts

This week focused on writing cleaner and more professional applications.

Topics Covered

Service layer architecture
DTOs
Validation
Exception handling
Logging
Pagination and sorting

Key Learning

I learned that building software is not just about making it work. It is also about making it maintainable, scalable, and easy to understand.

Week 4: Building Real Projects

The final week was dedicated to applying everything I had learned.

Topics Covered

Spring Security basics
JWT Authentication
Swagger Documentation
File Upload APIs
Deployment concepts

Project Built

To test my knowledge, I created a complete backend application with:

Authentication
Database integration
CRUD operations
Validation
Exception handling

This project gave me confidence that I could build real-world backend applications.

Biggest Challenges I Faced

1. Too Many Annotations

Initially, annotations like @RestController, @Service, and @Autowired felt confusing.

2. Understanding JPA

Learning how entities interact with databases required practice.

3. Debugging Errors

Most of my learning happened while fixing errors and reading stack traces.

Lessons Learned

Learn by Building

Watching tutorials alone is not enough. Real understanding comes from creating projects.

Don't Memorize

Focus on understanding why something works instead of memorizing annotations.

Practice Daily

Even one hour of consistent learning each day creates significant progress.

Make Mistakes

Many concepts became clear only after I broke things and fixed them.

Resources That Helped Me

Official Spring Boot Documentation
YouTube Tutorials
Stack Overflow
DEV Community Articles
Hands-on Projects

Final Thought

Learning Spring Boot in 30 days was one of the best decisions I made as a student. It improved my Java skills, introduced me to backend development, and gave me the confidence to build complete applications.

If you're a student wondering whether Spring Boot is worth learning, my answer is yes. Start small, stay consistent, and build projects. You'll be surprised by how much you can learn in just 30 days.

Have you started learning Spring Boot? Share your experience in the comments.