computer-science-algorithms

name

computer-science-algorithms

description

Choosing or implementing an algorithm or data structure — asymptotic complexity, data-structure selection, sorting & searching, dynamic programming, graph algorithms, divide & conquer, greedy algorithms, string/sequence algorithms, and the at-scale toolbox (Bloom filters, HyperLogLog, Count-Min Sketch, reservoir sampling, consistent hashing, external merge sort, Aho-Corasick, MinHash/LSH). Trigger on tasks involving "what's the right algorithm for…", performance-critical code, code with nested loops over the same input, recursive solutions, shortest-path / scheduling / matching / DP problems, code review for accidental O(n²) blowup, and any "how do I do X at scale / on a stream / without enough RAM" question — even if the user doesn't explicitly mention "algorithm" or "complexity."

Community Classical Computer Science Algorithms Best Practices

A practitioner-oriented reference for choosing and implementing classical algorithms and data structures correctly. Organized by execution-lifecycle impact: the earliest decisions (asymptotic class, data-structure choice) cascade through everything else, so the rules near the top of the table matter most.

Scope: the patterns that show up in everyday production code review, reasonable interview / contest problems, and the at-scale toolbox (sketches, streaming, distributed primitives) — not an exhaustive cover of CLRS. Topics intentionally outside the current version: network flow, modular arithmetic, Bellman-Ford and Floyd-Warshall as standalone rules, SCC (Tarjan/Kosaraju), computational geometry, FFT, Manacher / Z-function as standalone rules. They're flagged inline in the relevant rules.

Distilled from CLRS (Introduction to Algorithms, 4th ed.), Sedgewick & Wayne (Algorithms, 4th ed., Princeton), Skiena's Algorithm Design Manual, Laaksonen's Competitive Programmer's Handbook, cp-algorithms.com, and the USACO Guide.

When to Apply

Use these rules when: