Implement Hash Map with in-place
Last updated: February 17, 2026
Quick Overview
Implement a Skip List data structure that supports push, pop, and peek operations in O(1) time.
Shopify
February 17, 202637
7
1,902 solved
Implement a Skip List data structure that supports push, pop, and peek operations in O(1) time.
This coding problem is frequently asked during Technical Screen at Shopify. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. Shopify expects candidates to write production-quality code, not just solve the puzzle.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Identify the correct data structure and algorithm for the problem
- Write clean, bug-free code with proper variable naming
- Analyze time and space complexity correctly
- Handle basic edge cases (empty input, single element)
- Communicate your thought process while coding
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
- Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
- Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
- Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
- Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
- How would your solution change if the input was sorted?
- What if the input doesn't fit in memory?
- What is the worst-case input for your solution?
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Brute Force Approach
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