Frequently Asked Questions

Who is InterviewTraner for?🔗

InterviewTraner is designed for software engineers at all levels who are preparing for technical interviews and wish to structure and optimize their preparation via proven learning techniques. You can read more about them in the page about Trane, the practice engine that powers InterviewTraner.

How is InterviewTraner different from other interview prep platforms?🔗

Most other interview prep platforms focus on providing a large collection of problems and solutions. The problem with most of these resources is that they lack an effective system for guiding your practice and optimizing your learning.

InterviewTraner does not ship with video lectures or written explanations because there are enough of these resources available online. Instead, it is focused on providing the structure and scheduling that is missing from other tools.

Why should I use InterviewTraner instead of just doing random problems on LeetCode?🔗

InterviewTraner is built on the principle of deliberate practice, which is a proven method for acquiring complex skills used by world-class performers in all fields. Deliberate practice is not about doing random problems, but about practicing the right problems at the right time. Thanks to its practice engine, the problem of deciding on what to practice is reduced to clicking on a button.

What level do I need to start using InterviewTraner?🔗

The only prerequisite for using InterviewTraner is to have a basic understanding of programming in the language of your choice. The curriculum starts with easy problems in basic topics and gradually introduces more difficult problems and advanced topics. More experienced engineers can use the filtering functionality to skip problems of topics and difficulty levels they are already comfortable with.

How long does it take to prepare for interviews with InterviewTraner?🔗

There are no strict answers to this question, as it depends on your current level, the amount of time, and the topics that you need to cover. As a general rule, the practice engine works better with shorter, more frequent practice sessions, so it is better to start preparing early and practice for half an hour to an hour a day, rather than trying to cram all your preparation in a few long sessions.

Is there a free trial?🔗

Yes, the Lite version of InterviewTraner gives you full access to all the functionality of the software and to a few of the first topics in the curriculum.

Do I need to have a LeetCode premium subscription to use InterviewTraner?🔗

No. InterviewTraner includes many premium LeetCode problems, but they can be easily filtered out if you don't have a premium subscription. There are enough free problems to cover most of the topics covered in software engineering interviews.

What LeetCode topics are supported?🔗

See the curriculum for a complete list of topics covered in InterviewTraner.

Are there other topics beyond algorithms and data structures planned?🔗

Yes. The long-term vision for InterviewTraner is to cover all the topics that are relevant for software engineering interviews, as long as they can be translated into a structured curriculum with repeatable problems. For example, behavioral interviews are an important part of the interview process, but they are not a good fit for the platform. Open-ended system design interviews are also not a good fit, but a curriculum that focuses on the more structured aspects of system design interviews, such as knowledge of common system design patterns is a better fit and is planned for the future.

Can I replace InterviewTraner with an Anki deck?🔗

You could, but Anki is not designed for taking advantage of the structure of highly interconnected skills. The difference between Trane and Anki is that Trane can trivially replace Anki by having a curriculum with only one lesson. However, the opposite is not true. Anki cannot replace Trane because it would lose all the information about the structure of the skills.