Who this is for
Candidates targeting Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, or similar-tier companies (Microsoft, Uber, Stripe, Databricks) with a 2–4 month runway.
FAANG interview prep — a 12-week plan that covers patterns, system design, and behavioral.
TL;DR
FAANG loops at Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, and Netflix share 5 patterns in common: dynamic programming, graph BFS/DFS, sliding window, two pointers, and heap/priority queue. Drill these first, then specialize by target company.
Time commitment
12 weeksof structured prep. Less if you've been interviewing recently; more from a cold start.
Weeks 1–4: Pattern fluency
Work through the 12-pattern curriculum. For each pattern: read the template, solve 4–6 problems, then teach it back (in writing or on a whiteboard). If you can't teach it, you don't own it.
Weeks 5–8: Timed practice
Switch to 45-minute timed sessions. One problem a day, randomized pattern. Narrate aloud as if the interviewer is present — this is where communication reps compound. Track rubric axes after each session.
Weeks 9–11: Mocks
2 peer mocks + 2 AI mocks per week. Target your company's top patterns (see the company guides). Treat each mock as a data point, not a verdict — the goal is pattern-recognition improvement, not ego.
Week 12: System design and behavioral
Most candidates under-invest here. Spend this week on 3 system-design drills (URL shortener, feed, chat) and a behavioral prep pass keyed to your target company's leadership principles.
Patterns to prioritize
Drill these first. Each links to a dedicated pattern page with template, scenarios, and reference code.
Dynamic ProgrammingBreak an overlapping-subproblem problem into a recurrence and cache results.Graph BFS / DFSBreadth-first for shortest unweighted paths; depth-first for exhaustive traversal.Sliding WindowMaintain a contiguous range and slide its boundaries to avoid recomputation.Two PointersTwo cursors moving independently over a sorted or monotone structure.Heap & Priority QueueA data structure that returns the min or max in O(log n) per operation.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does FAANG prep take?
- Most candidates need 8–12 weeks of structured prep after they've already coded at least 100 practice problems. From a cold start: 4–6 months.
- What's the most common reason candidates fail FAANG loops?
- Pattern-recognition gaps (they solve the problem but use the wrong approach) and communication gaps (they solve it silently, which reads as 'can't collaborate'). Both are mock-interview-fixable.
- Do I need to grind 500+ LeetCode problems?
- No. 200 problems distributed across the 12 patterns beats 500 random problems. Coverage > count.
- How much does FAANG prep cost on Alpha Code?
- $19/month includes the full curriculum, unlimited peer mocks, and AI mocks. 12 weeks = $57 total, vs. $111+/mo for the typical stack of LeetCode Premium, AlgoExpert, and interviewing.io.
- Should I prep differently for Google vs Amazon?
- Yes. Google emphasizes graph problems and sharp complexity analysis; Amazon weights behavioral (Leadership Principles) and system design more heavily. See each company's guide for the pattern distribution.
Run the free diagnostic.
Ten-minute patterns quiz. No card. Personalized loop starts on the other side.