Getting Started With Sport Programming a.k.a Competitive Coding

This post is about getting started in competetive coding. To begin competetive coding you must have Motivation and you are always eager to learn something new. So having all those qualities you are good to go. Having just aforementioned qualities does not mean that you can be a good programmer. So to become one you need to do some regular practice and to help you along the way come a number of competitive coding sites like Codechef, Codeforces, Topcoder, Spoj, Hackerearth and list goes on.

So to start with these sites you must choose a language to begin with and there are many like C, C++, Java, Python and so on. There are many others, but these are supported on almost all major platforms. You must choose it wisely as you have to make yourself comfortable with your language of choice and also you will have to learn about the different libraries of that language to completely utilise the power of the language.

Some competitive coding sites and how one should aproach them (Based on my own experience)

SPOJ: Its  a problem Archive (recommended for all beginners)

• Start with problems having maximum submissions. Solve first few problems (may be 20). Build some confidence. Then start following some good coders (check their initial submissions). Then start solving problems topic wise
• Never get stuck for too long in the initial period. Google out your doubts and try to sort them out or you can discuss with someone (ONLY IN THE BEGINNING).
• Before getting into live contests like the one hosted on codeforces or codechef, make sure that you have solved about 50-70 problems on SPOJ.

CODECHEF: Do all the three contests every month.

• Even if you are unable to solve a problem do always look at the editorials and then code it and get it accepted (this is the way you will learn).
•  Do participate in CodeChef LunchTime for sure.
• And even if you are able to do it, do look at the codes of some good coders. See how they have implemented. Again you will learn.
• Same point apply to TopCoder and Codeforces as well.

Codeforces: 4 to 5 short contests of 2 hour in a month (Do them once you develop some confidence).

TopCoder: Once you have proper experience and you can write codes very fast.

Also Topcoder has some very good tutorials and you can read them here

In case of doubts let me know. Always there to help.