How to Prepare For Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces 2021?

Introduction

Did you know that Kotlin is Google’s programming language of choice for Android development? Moreover, as per a 2019 report by Github Octoverse, Kotlin ranks fourth among the growing programming languages. According to the JVM survey, Kotlin is the second most preferred programming language on the Java Virtual Machine.

Wondering why we are giving you all the stats?   

That’s because the Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces coding contest calls for some appreciation for Kotlin – a modern, powerful, multipurpose programming language packed with versatility. It is a safe, concise and efficient solution for writing server-side applications. 

But if you ask what’s the best way to learn about Kotlin, we’d recommend the Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces coding contest – a global platform to put your coding skills to test and enhance your Kotlin knowledge, all at the same time.

So, here’s a comprehensive guide on Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces and how to prepare for it.

Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces: What Is It About?

Codeforces is kind of like a social network connecting people who are interested in participating in coding contests. Not just that, Codeforces also offers a robust platform where coding competitions are held regularly and participants are rated according to their programming skills.

Besides, Codeforces is a training and learning arena filled with learning content and where participants can get opportunities to arrange their own contests.

One of the most popular coding competitions on this platform is the Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces, a Kotlin-only coding contest organised by Codeforces and JetBrains. To date, a total of six episodes of the Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces has been held with each episode attracting thousands of programming champions from around the world.

The problems asked in the contest have multiple layers of difficulty ranging from simple ones that can be solved by everyone to tough ones that could challenge even the most seasoned programmer. Regardless of your coding experience and level, Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces is an exciting learning opportunity with perks like cash prizes and official merchandise.

Structure and exam pattern for Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces

The structure and exam pattern of the Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces is quite straightforward with a single round.

Here are the details:

• The contest lasts for two hours and 30 minutes, during which the contestants have to solve as many coding problems as they can. 
• The contest can have up to ten problems. The complexity level of the problems will vary and range from very simple ones to relatively tougher ones that require knowledge of special data structures, algorithms and a lot of practice.
• Participants are only allowed to use Kotlin to solve the problem tasks. Knowing Kotlin is one of the primary prerequisites of this contest.
• The participants will be ranked according to the number of problems they correctly solve. Any tie will be resolved on the basis of the lowest penalty time for all the problems. Every solved problem that a contestant fails to submit will add an extra 10 minutes of penalty time.
• However, there is no penalty if a contestant tries a problem but leaves it unsolved. In case two participants score the same penalty and have solved the same number of problems, then preference will be given to that participant who had earlier made the last successful submission. 

Prizes in Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces

Whether you’re still a learner or an advanced programmer, Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces has something in store for all. 

• The top three contestants on the scoreboard will win prizes of $512, $256 and $128. 
• The top 50 contestants will win an exclusive Kotlin sticker and Kotlin Heroes T-shirt.
• Contestants who solve at least one problem and get through the first task will enter into a draw to win one of 50 Kotlin Heroes T-shirts.

Eligibility criteria for Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces

Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces is open to everyone with no restrictions on professional background or experience. 

How to register for Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces?

Codeforces organises about six contests every month. Participation in all contests is free and open to everyone. However, whether it is Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces or any other contest that you want to participate in, a preliminary registration on the site is mandatory.

Here’s what you need to know about the registration process:

• Contestants have to first register themselves on the Codeforces site by providing a nickname and password. Those who want to log in with their Facebook, Gmail or ICPC account can skip this step and avoid the hassle of remembering a password.
• After registering with Codeforces, you have to register separately for any upcoming contest that you are interested to participate in. 
• Check the list of users registered for the Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces and ensure that your name appears there.
• Keep an eye on the last date of registration and register before the period ends.

Preparation Tips for Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces

Given that Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces is a contest where only Kotlin is allowed, its preparation strategy is slightly different from other coding contests. Other than the time-tested route of lots of practice, here are some preparation tips that will come in handy for the next round of Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces.

• Kotlin offers a comprehensive tutorial on competitive programming that will be very helpful for programmers who are unfamiliar with Kotlin or developers who are new to the domain of competitive programming.
• You can take your preparation a notch higher by watching Kotlin videos on competitive programming.
• There is no alternative to thorough practice. So, you can check out problems from previous episodes of Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces to get an idea of what the contest entails. Practice rounds with open solutions are also available to help you prepare better before the actual contest. 

If you’re looking for an online platform that can help you prepare for Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces, head to the free and useful courses on Coding Ninjas and CodeStudio. 

Previously Asked Questions

Here are some problems from previous episodes of Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces that you can practice:

Kotlin Heroes: Episode 6: In the problem ‘From Zero To Y’, two positive integers (x and y) were given. There was also a variable k that was initially set to 0. Two types of operations were given that could be performed and contestants had to find the minimum number of operations that would set the value from k to y.

Kotlin Heroes 5: ICPC Round: Problem A of this special round was called ‘Selling Hamburger’. It described a cafeteria with n number of customers, each of whom wants to buy a hamburger and has a specific number of coins. If the cost of a hamburger was m, contestants were required to calculate the maximum number of coins the cafeteria would earn.

Kotlin Heroes: Episode 4: Problem B of this episode was called ‘Boot Camp’. It described a university conducting a programming boot camp that would last for a certain number of days. Lectures would be given on certain days, but with some criteria, such as, no lectures were to be given on excursion days and the number of lectures in a day should not exceed a specific figure. Given all these constraints, contestants were asked to calculate the maximum number of lectures that could be delivered during the boot camp.

Kotlin Heroes: Episode 3: The problem ‘Cartoons’ described a cinema that would release n new cartoons to be aired over a certain number of days with a special rebate on days airing only one cartoon. Given some conditions, contestants were required to find any day x when only one cartoon would be aired.

Kotlin Heroes: Episode 2: Problem C was called ‘Ice Cream’ and described a summertime situation in Berland. Summer there lasted for n days and it was given that the price of one portion of ice cream cost a certain amount on a certain day. Tanya had plans for eating k portions of ice cream that summer. With additional conditions, contestants were asked to find out the minimum amount of money Tanya could spend on ice creams over the summer.

Kotlin Heroes: Episode 1: In a simple problem called ‘Three Integers Again’, it was given that there are three positive integers, whose values are unknown but the pairwise sums of two of the three pairs were known. The contestants were tasked to find three such positive integers that matched the given description. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

If you are passionate about coding and want to test your programming skills on a global platform, Kotlin Heroes – Codeforces is your ultimate stop. Not only does the contest assess your coding skills, but it is also an excellent way to learn about Kotlin, its capabilities and what makes it a dynamic programming language. 

The contest has varying difficulty levels and as its name suggests, participants can use only the Kotlin programming language to solve the problems. Ample resources are available for preparing ahead of the contest and contestants can even practice questions from past editions of the event. In addition, the top three winners stand a chance to win cash prizes and the top 50 can win exclusive merchandise from Kotlin!

Here’s your chance to compete with the brightest minds and showcase your coding skills.