Need help understanding algorithms

does anyone have any good resources on studying algorithmic logic in general? i solved the no repeats challenge now, but only did what the algorithm says to do.I really don’t get how it functions. i don’t like just doing what it says to do and hoping I’m doing it right. it also feels like cheating a little because i didn’t come up with a way on my own.

more details after the blur

I just solved, mostly anyway, “no repeats please” with only the more trivial part of regexing the resulting array.(I just solved the mutations part, and need a break!, it took 4 days just to implement it)

Now, this challenge did more than teach a simple task, it required me to REALLY research the algorithms out there for generating the permutations. here is the algo problem. I used heaps algorithm and got what it was doing, but I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY!

its just running 2 counters that are the length of the string, and sometimes switching to 0 and sometimes the actual count.(seemingly for no reason) then once the counts are incremented(or its time to be 0) switch the places of count A and count B.

I do get what its doing, but why 0 if the second counter of the algo is even?
why does it not work with say 1 instead of 0?
why does it not work with switching the first counter?
why does it not work if you don’t do the 0 switch?

i guess i will just need more studying on this topic.

So!, does anyone have any good resources for learning how to follow algorithm logic?

Algorithms is one part of programming. If you are interested in this I’m sure there are books available.
However, as an experienced developer, the bread and butter coding I have done didn’t use complicated algorithms like this.
I’m just saying don’t be discouraged by something you can’t understand.
PS. I found this challenge hard too.

I started reading the book Think Like A Programmer. I’m a newbie and was having a hard time with the algorithms, so like you I felt like I needed another resource to study. So far, I think it is quite a good book.

Good luck!

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Look upon a Youtube channel called AlgoRythmics

rreally fun

Introduction to Algorithms by Thomas H. Corman
This one is a reference, but it’s almost 100% theory.

Algorithms by Robert Sedgewick & Kevin Wayne
This one is far more practical, with several examples.

Algorithm for Interviews by Adnan Aziz
As the title says, this one is dedicated to coding interviews.