AlgoHints - Progressive Algorithm Problem Solving Platform

AlgoHints is an interactive platform designed to help developers master Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) and Competitive Programming (CP) through a guided hint system rather than providing direct solutions.

🚀 Features

• Progressive Hint System: Get step-by-step guidance without spoilers

  • Basic Idea: Simple framing of the problem
  • Approach: General problem-solving paradigms
  • Algorithm: Specific techniques and insights
  • Pseudocode: High-level solution structure without implementation

• Integrated Code Editor: Monaco-based editor with syntax highlighting

• Judge0 API Integration: Run and test your solutions directly in the platform

• OCR for Problem Input: Upload problem statements as images

• Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile devices

  

📁 Project Structure

/backend
├── node_modules      # Node dependencies
├── src               # Backend source code
├── uploads           # Temporary storage for uploaded images
├── .env              # Environment variables
├── eng.traineddata   # OCR training data
├── index.js          # Entry point
└── package.json      # Project configuration

/frontend
├── node_modules      # Node dependencies
├── public            # Static assets
├── src
│   ├── component
│   │   ├── CodeEditor.jsx  # Monaco editor component
│   │   ├── Home.jsx        # Home page
│   │   └── App.jsx         # Main application component
│   ├── index.css           # Global styles
│   └── main.js             # Frontend entry point
├── .env                    # Environment variables
├── package.json            # Project configuration
└── vite.config.js          # Vite configuration

🛠️ Technologies Used

Backend

• Node.js
• Express
• Google Generative AI (Gemini API)
• OCR for image processing

Frontend

• React
• Monaco Editor
• Framer Motion for animations
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• Lucide React for icons
• React Syntax Highlighter

🚦 How It Works

1. Problem Input: Users can enter algorithm problems as text or upload images
2. Generate Hints: The system analyzes the problem and creates progressive hints
3. Step-by-Step Guidance: Users get increasingly detailed hints as needed
4. Code Solution: Write and test solutions in the integrated code editor

💡 The Hint System

AlgoHints provides a four-level hint system:

1. Basic Idea Hint: Reframes the problem in intuitive terms without suggesting specific approaches
2. Approach Hint: Suggests general problem-solving paradigms (DP, Greedy, DFS/BFS, etc.)
3. Algorithm/Concept Hint: Recommends specific algorithms, data structures, or techniques
4. Pseudocode Structure: Provides high-level pseudocode without direct implementation

🔧 Setup and Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14+)
• npm or yarn
• Gemini API key

Backend Setup

cd backend
npm install
# Create .env file with your API keys and configuration
# GEMINI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
# PORT=3000
npm start

Frontend Setup

cd frontend
npm install
# Create .env file if needed
npm run dev

🚀 API Endpoints

• POST /ai/get-review: Generate hints for a problem statement
• POST /ai/ocr: Process uploaded images to extract problem statements

👥 Target Users

• Students learning DSA concepts
• Developers preparing for technical interviews
• Competitive programmers looking to improve their skills
• Self-learners who prefer guided discovery over direct solutions

🎯 Project Goals

AlgoHints aims to bridge the gap between struggling alone and being given direct solutions. By providing progressive hints, it helps users:

1. Develop their own problem-solving skills
2. Understand the thought process behind algorithm design
3. Practice implementing solutions independently
4. Build confidence through guided discovery

🙏 Acknowledgements

• Judge0 API for code execution
• Monaco Editor for the code editing experience
• Google's Generative AI (Gemini) for hint generation