Show HN: AlgoDrill – Interactive drills to stop forgetting LeetCode patterns

Learning approach & concept

• Several commenters compare AlgoDrill to the chess “woodpecker method”: repeat the same positions/patterns until they become automatic.
• The tool is described as “guided Anki for NeetCode 150”: curated problems, structured explanations, and interactive drills where you rebuild solutions line-by-line with small objectives and short “first principles” notes.
• Supporters like the focus on pattern recognition and fast recall under time pressure, especially for interviews, though some find line-by-line recall unnatural and argue we think in multi-line “chunks,” not single lines.

Views on LeetCode and interview culture

• Strong backlash against LeetCode-style interviews: seen as cargo-culted from big tech, detached from real work, and rewarding rote memorization over genuine engineering skill.
• Others argue that, compared with alternatives (take-homes, credentialism, domain-specific trivia), LeetCode is the “least bad” standard: public curriculum, somewhat objective, and not tied to privilege or specific stacks.
• Some note it filters out time-poor but capable candidates (e.g., parents, busy professionals).
• Multiple people state they would refuse roles that demand “circus tricks” or optimized recall of patterns.

Product reception and feature feedback

• Many find the idea useful and some purchase lifetime access, especially those actively preparing for interviews.
• Major usability complaints:
  • Requires Google sign-in; users request GitHub or email.
  • Currently Python-only; high demand for JavaScript/TypeScript, plus Java, C++, Go, Rust, C#, Ruby.
  • Checker is too strict: exact variable names and structure required, which feels like memorizing a specific editorial solution rather than the underlying idea.
  • Text selection disabled in study mode and minor UX issues around drill modes.
• Several criticize “17 spots left / % claimed” style scarcity messaging as manipulative or dishonest.

Pattern recognition, real-world value, and alternatives

• Debate over whether expertise is primarily pattern recognition or grounded in deep theoretical understanding plus experience.
• Some see LeetCode and AlgoDrill as interview-only skills with little real-world value; others note occasional usefulness of algorithmic patterns for large data workloads.
• A few treat coding puzzles as recreation, like Sudoku or Rubik’s cubes, while others prefer building real projects instead.