NeetCode 150 vs. LeetCode patterns for coding interview prep

Technical interview preparation has never been easy. A few years ago, the challenge was finding reliable resources and structured guidance. Today, ironically, it’s the opposite. There’s an overwhelming number of resources, lists, and AI-generated recommendations, leaving candidates uncertain about which strategy to trust.

Take NeetCode 150 as an example. It extends the widely popular Blind 75 (a list of 75 popular LeetCode questions), covering essential problems frequently asked by top-tier companies like FAANG. Blind 75 itself was initially designed as a streamlined path to interview readiness. Yet, candidates often wonder: “Is NeetCode 150 still the best choice, or is there already something newer and better?” This uncertainty is common whether you’re a new grad, or a seasoned engineer preparing for your next technical interview.

After speaking with many engineers, the following two approaches consistently stand out:

• NeetCode 150: A structured list of 150 frequently asked interview questions.

• LeetCode Patterns: A method that focuses on refining key algorithmic patterns to systematically tackle unfamiliar questions.

But which method truly works better?

In this blog, I’ll directly compare both approaches, examining their effectiveness, identifying their gaps, and guiding you toward the best choice for your interview preparation using the 28 coding interview patterns featured in the “Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns” course. Let’s go ahead then and find out!

A quick recap on NeetCode 150 (The list everyone’s talking about)#

NeetCode 150 is a carefully selected list of 150 LeetCode problems designed for technical interview preparation. The list covers a broad range of essential topics, including arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, dynamic programming, stacks, queues, and more. Problems are organized by topic, making it easier for candidates to target specific areas, and track their progress.

NeetCode 150 includes a mix of easy, medium, and hard questions, reflecting the diversity of challenges that candidates typically encounter in interviews at top tech companies. The purpose of the list is to provide a structured, comprehensive, and up-to-date resource that helps candidates. This list enables them to focus on the most relevant problems without being overwhelmed by the vast number of questions available on LeetCode.

Introducing LeetCode Patterns: A structured alternative to traditional lists#

LeetCode Patterns is a list of 28 core algorithmic patterns curated by interview prep experts. These patterns represent the fundamental techniques that frequently appear in coding interviews. These include Sliding Window, Two Pointers, Fast and Slow Pointers, Merge Intervals, Backtracking, Dynamic Programming, and more. 

These are the 28 fundamental patterns that form the backbone of interview prep:

Does NeetCode 150 make you interview ready?#

While NeetCode 150 features more questions than popular lists like Blind 75 or Grind 75, it still has certain limitations. The main concern is that it’s a static list, not adaptive. The 150 questions included may have been frequently asked at one time, but interview trends are constantly evolving. As a result, some patterns may be underrepresented or even missing entirely, especially as new types of questions become more common.

Another challenge is that once you finish the list, it may not prepare you for truly novel or variant problems. Practicing the same static set can sometimes lead to pattern memorization instead of genuine understanding, making it difficult to tackle unexpected questions. This is particularly applicable now, as companies experiment with AI-assisted or uniquely crafted interview problems.

Are coding patterns the solution to list-based prep limitations?#

Rather than having candidates simply work through a fixed set of questions, this approach focuses on teaching the fundamental problem-solving patterns that underlie a wide range of interview problems. By practicing how to identify and apply these patterns, such as Sliding Window, Two Pointers, or Dynamic Programming, candidates hone the ability to generalize their problem-solving skills. This makes it easier to adapt to new or unfamiliar questions, which is increasingly important as interview trends evolve.

In addition, LeetCode Patterns tends to be more beginner-friendly, as problems within each pattern are often organized from easier to more challenging. It also allows candidates to focus on depth and adaptive problem-solving, rather than quantity. 

Eventually, learning coding patterns can transform preparation from memorizing solutions to developing flexible strategies. It helps candidates feel more confident, and better equipped for the unpredictable nature of real-world technical interviews.

Defining a rubric for effective pattern coverage#

With so many interview prep resources available, it’s easy to get lost in endless expert recommendations. Much of the advice out there is qualitative. For example, one person prefers Blind 75 while another recommends Grind 75. But imagine having a quantitative way to measure how well each resource actually prepares you for interviews. What if you could see, for example, that out of 20 key patterns, 10 are fully covered, 5 are partially addressed, and 5 need more attention? You’d also know exactly which patterns you might be missing. If I’d had access to such a method when preparing for my Meta interview, I would have felt far more confident and could have focused my efforts more effectively.

To bring a more systematic and quantitative angle to evaluating pattern coverage, I’ve established a clear rubric. For a prep resource to adequately cover any given pattern, it should include at least one easy, two medium, and one hard problem representative of that pattern. This allows for a more objective assessment of how well a list prepares you for the variety, and difficulty of questions you might face in real interviews.

Introducing scores to the pattern coverage rubric#

To get an even clearer picture of your interview prep, let’s take our quantitative measures one step further. I’ve adopted a simple scoring method for each pattern.

• Easy problem: 1 point (provides a basic foundation)

• Medium problem: 4 points (most valuable for real interviews)

• Hard problem: 6 points (demonstrates true expertise)

So, if a pattern is fully covered using the 1—2—1 rubric (one easy, two medium, one hard), the total is 15 points: (1 × 1) + (2 × 4) + (1 × 6).

This lets you measure not just whether a pattern is present, but how thoroughly you’ve practiced it within NeetCode 150 or any other set.

How does this help?

• Score much less than 15: You need to spend more time on this pattern, explore more variety, or add practice at different difficulty levels.

• Score around 15: You’re well-balanced here and most-likely interview-ready for this pattern.

• Score above 15: You’ve likely over-practiced. Unless it’s a pattern you personally find challenging or one that’s frequently asked by your target companies, you might want to shift focus elsewhere.

What’s the ideal prep score for interviews?#

As per our defined rubric and scoring method, to ideally cover a pattern means practicing 1 easy, 2 medium, and 1 hard problem for that pattern, which gives a total of 15 points per pattern. With 28 foundational coding patterns, the maximum “prep score” you can aim for is 420 points (28 patterns times 15 points each), representing 100% completion. Reaching this target means you’ve covered all major patterns thoroughly and at varying levels of difficulty. This gives you the best possible foundation for tackling real interview questions.

If your current prep list only gets you halfway there, this score immediately reveals which areas still need attention, helping you narrow your efforts and prepare more effectively.

Evaluating NeetCode 150’s pattern coverage with our rubric#

Applying our rubric and scoring system to NeetCode 150 provides a much clearer picture of its true strengths and weaknesses. The following bar chart shows the percentage completion for each of the 28 foundational coding patterns, based on the number of easy, medium, and hard problems covered. 

The analysis above shows that NeetCode 150 offers excellent coverage for several core patterns including Two Pointers, Modified Binary Search, Dynamic Programming, Stacks, and Tree Traversals. 

Some patterns like In-Place Manipulation of a Linked List, Merge Intervals, Top K Elements are one step away from complete command.

As we move down the chart, it becomes clear that some important patterns receive limited attention. Subsets, Matrices, Hash Maps, Union Find, Custom Data Structures, Heaps, and K-Way Merge are all below 60% completion according to our rubric. A few critical patterns like Fast and Slow Pointers, Cyclic Sort, and Sort and Search are underrepresented, with Sort and Search effectively not covered at all.

To summarise, NeetCode 150 gives you a solid foundation in the most frequently tested patterns, but it leaves noticeable gaps, especially for less common or emerging techniques. This is crucial because each pattern counts for you to be interview ready.

What score would I give NeetCode 150 for coding interview prep?#

Before I give NeetCode 150 a single score, let’s go over some important numbers.

The table above shows that although NeetCode 150 features 150 questions, only 77 of them actually contribute toward effective prep according to our 1—2—1 rubric and scoring method. For truly ideal preparation, we’d need 112 questions (four for each of the 28 foundational patterns), so there’s still a gap of 35 questions needed to fully cover every pattern. As a result, NeetCode 150 achieves a prep score of 285 out of a possible 420, which is about 68%. 

This analysis highlights that following a strategic, pattern-focused prep approach is far more effective than simply chasing high question counts.

Closing the gaps: Your next moves as per the NeetCode 150 score#

Once you’ve calculated your pattern coverage scores, the next step is to use this information to plan your prep strategically. Start by identifying any patterns that are missing or underrepresented according to your rubric as those are your immediate areas for improvement. Focus on bringing each of these patterns up to your ideal score by adding the right mix of easy, medium, and hard problems, rather than randomly solving more questions. 

If you’re aiming for a specific company, research which patterns or question types are most frequently asked in their interviews, and prioritize filling gaps in those areas. You might also want to spend extra time on patterns you find personally challenging, even if you’ve technically reached the minimum score for them. 

Ultimately, the rubric gives you a focused, data-driven way to close your gaps. It ensures that your preparation is both complete and aligned with your unique goals, without unnecessary overwhelm.

Actionable takeaways for smarter interview prep#

Reflecting on what genuinely drives interview success, it’s clear that the quality of preparation matters far more than quantity. Relying solely on high problem counts, or chasing the latest list, can easily lead to burnout or gaps in your readiness. Instead, using a clear rubric and scoring method gives you an honest view of your strengths and weaknesses, so you know exactly where to focus next.

Your aim should be thorough, balanced coverage of the essential patterns, not just ticking off problems, but truly understanding the underlying techniques. If your prep resource leaves gaps, supplement it with targeted practice on those patterns, rather than starting from scratch. When you know which areas need more work, you can make every practice session count.

Interview success comes down to how deliberately you convert practice into skill. By preparing methodically, tracking your progress, and always targeting your weakest patterns first, you’ll give yourself the confidence and flexibility needed to tackle whatever challenges your interviews bring. At the end of the day, strategic, pattern-driven prep isn’t just smarter, it’s what sets strong candidates apart.

If you found this helpful, check out Blind 75 vs LeetCode patterns for Netflix coding interviews to start your FAANG prep.

Recommended resources to level up your interview prep#

While this blog gives you a data-driven way to measure and close your prep gaps, the right learning tools can accelerate your progress even further. Here are two highly effective resources to complement your study plan:

• Educative’s Personalized Interview Prep: It’s your tailored prep companion that adapts to your skill level and focuses on the 28 essential LeetCode patterns we’ve been talking about. You can work on the patterns that need the most attention, track progress with clear metrics, and know exactly what to tackle next. Whether it’s adding an easy problem to build confidence or a hard one to push for mastery, you’ll always be working on the right problems at the right time.

• Educative’s Mock Interviews: Practicing is not just about solving problems. It is also about handling real interview pressure. Educative’s AI mock interviews let you simulate actual interview conditions, get actionable feedback, and improve in areas like problem-solving speed. This way, you are not only technically prepared but also confident and ready to perform under time constraints.