Competitive Programming Platforms

Codeforces

• Codeforces is a popular platform for competitive programming, offering a variety of contests and problems.
• Pros:
  • "Codeforces is the best place to practice for competitive programming."
  • "Codeforces is also beginner-friendly, which is great for students looking to improve their skills."
• Cons:
  • "Codeforces doesn't have a smooth onboarding process."
  • "Codeforces has a steeper learning curve compared to other platforms."

LeetCode

• LeetCode is known for its extensive collection of coding problems, often used for technical interviews as well.
• Pros:
  • "LeetCode has a great set of problems that are helpful for interviews."
  • "LeetCode also offers explanations and discussions for problems, which can be very useful."
• Cons:
  • "LeetCode may not always have problems that are directly applicable to competitive programming."

TopCoder

• TopCoder is another platform that hosts competitive programming contests.
• Pros:
  • "TopCoder has a wide range of problems, from simple to complex."
  • "TopCoder's contests are well-structured and challenging."
• Cons:
  • "TopCoder's UI/UX is quite outdated and can be frustrating to use."

AtCoder

• AtCoder is a popular platform originating from Japan, known for its high-quality contests.
• Pros:
  • "AtCoder provides a good environment for practicing competitive programming."
  • "AtCoder has a nice set of problems and a good user interface."
• Cons:
  • "AtCoder can be tough for beginners due to the difficulty of some problems."

HackerRank

• HackerRank is a platform that offers challenges in various domains including competitive programming.
• Pros:
  • "HackerRank has a wide range of challenges suitable for all skill levels."
  • "HackerRank also has practice and tutorial sections that can help students."
• Cons:
  • "HackerRank's contests may not always be as relevant to real-world competitive programming."

Overall, for a university student looking to improve their competitive programming skills before graduating in three years, platforms like Codeforces and AtCoder could be great options due to their user-friendly interfaces and a mix of beginner-friendly and challenging problems. LeetCode and HackerRank can also be beneficial for honing coding skills but may not offer the same level of focus on competitive programming as the other platforms.