3-Month Roadmap: DSA, OS, and DBMS
Month 1: Foundations and Core Concepts
Week 1: DSA Basics
Topics: Arrays, Strings, and Mathematics.
Tasks:
- Learn basics: Time complexity, Space complexity.
- Solve problems on Arrays (sliding window, prefix sums) and Strings (palindrome, pattern matching).
Resources:
- DSA by Love Babbar (YouTube playlist).
- Big O CheatSheet: link
- Neetcode.io for curated problems.
- Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen (optional for deeper understanding).
Week 2: Sorting and Searching
Topics: Sorting algorithms, Binary Search, Divide and Conquer.
Tasks:
- Implement sorting algorithms (merge sort, quicksort).
- Solve binary search problems (rotated sorted array, lower/upper bounds).
Resources:
- Grokking Algorithms by Aditya Bhargava.
- LeetCode problems tagged "Binary Search".
Week 3: Linked Lists, Stacks, and Queues
Topics: Single and Doubly Linked Lists, Stack, Queue, Deque.
Tasks:
- Practice linked list operations (merge, reverse).
- Implement Stack and Queue using arrays and linked lists.
- Solve problems on balanced parentheses and sliding windows.
Resources:
- Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C by Mark Weiss.
- LeetCode and GeeksforGeeks practice.
Week 4: OS Basics
Topics: OS Fundamentals, Process Management.
Tasks:
- Learn about processes, threads, and inter-process communication.
- Understand CPU scheduling algorithms (FCFS, SJF, Round Robin).
Resources:
- Operating System Concepts by Silberschatz.
- GATE Lectures on OS by Ravindrababu Ravula (YouTube).
Month 2: Intermediate Topics
Week 5: Trees and Graphs
Topics: Binary Trees, Binary Search Trees, Graph Basics.
Tasks:
- Implement tree traversals (inorder, preorder, postorder).
- Solve graph problems (BFS, DFS, shortest path).
Resources:
- DSA by Striver (YouTube).
- LeetCode problems on Trees and Graphs.
Week 6: DBMS Basics
Topics: SQL, ER Diagrams, Normalization.
Tasks:
- Write SQL queries (joins, subqueries).
- Design ER diagrams for simple systems.
- Learn normalization up to 3NF.
Resources:
- Database System Concepts by Korth.
- SQLZOO for hands-on practice.
Week 7: Recursion and Dynamic Programming (DP)
Topics: Recursion, Memoization, Tabulation.
Tasks:
- Solve problems on subsets, knapsack, and matrix chain multiplication.
- Learn top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Resources:
- Dynamic Programming Patterns on LeetCode.
- Grokking Dynamic Programming Patterns (Educative.io).
Week 8: OS Intermediate
Topics: Memory Management, Deadlocks.
Tasks:
- Understand paging, segmentation, and virtual memory.
- Learn deadlock detection, avoidance, and prevention.
Resources:
- Modern Operating Systems by Tanenbaum.
- Practice OS questions on GATE Overflow.
Month 3: Advanced Topics and Revision
Week 9-10: Advanced Graphs and Heaps
Topics: Minimum Spanning Trees, Shortest Paths, Heaps.
Tasks:
- Implement Kruskal's and Prim's algorithms.
- Solve Dijkstra and Floyd-Warshall problems.
- Use heaps for priority queues.
Resources:
- CP Algorithms for advanced topics.
- LeetCode and HackerRank.
Week 10: Advanced DBMS
Topics: Transactions, Indexing, Concurrency.
Tasks:
- Learn ACID properties, indexing techniques, and locking mechanisms.
- Solve queries involving complex joins and aggregations.
Resources:
- DBMS by Navathe.
- HackerRank SQL practice.
Week 11: System Design and Mock Interviews
Topics: Basics of System Design, Behavioral Questions.
Tasks:
- Learn load balancing, caching, and sharding.
- Practice mock interviews with peers.
Resources:
- Grokking the System Design Interview.
- Mock interviews on Pramp.
- Guarav Sen HLD Playlist.
Week 12: Revision and Problem-Solving
Tasks:
- Revise DSA concepts: Arrays, Trees, Graphs, DP.
- Solve 2-3 problems daily on mixed topics.
- Review OS and DBMS notes and key questions.
Resources:
- Previous notes and solved problems.
General Tips:
- Consistency: Dedicate 5-6 hours daily, with focused sessions.
- Mock Interviews: Schedule weekly mock interviews from Week 6 onwards.
- Platforms: Use LeetCode, Codeforces, and InterviewBit for practice.
- Track Progress: Maintain a log of solved problems and reviewed concepts.
This roadmap, coupled with disciplined practice, should help you achieve your goal!
