“Should I sync LeetCode China with the international site?”—this is a common question many international students ask, especially when just starting to prep for technical interviews or beginning their job search. I used to struggle with the same question. After all, the two platforms have different data, discussion forums, and even question sets. Sometimes problems appear earlier or are categorized more clearly on the China site. But if you're aiming to land a job in North America, my advice is that it's generally not necessary to sync with the Chinese site—and here’s why.
First, most North American companies reference LeetCode.com for their interview questions. The question order and updates are tailored to the local interview process. If you mainly use LeetCode.cn and later switch to the international site, you may notice mismatches in question numbers, difficulty levels, and even naming conventions. This makes it harder to review and target specific problem types closer to interviews.
Second, syncing between the two platforms isn’t smooth. I’ve tried multiple times, and LeetCode.cn and LeetCode.com are not fully integrated. Your progress, comments, favorites, and history don’t transfer seamlessly. You might complete a lot of problems on the China site thinking the progress will carry over—only to find it doesn’t. You’ll have to manually mark them, which becomes disorganized over time.
That said, LeetCode.cn does have value, especially if your English is still developing. The Chinese explanations can make it easier to grasp concepts when you’re starting out, and some solution discussions are genuinely helpful. But as you get closer to applying for jobs—particularly one to two months before sending out resumes or attending interviews—I strongly recommend switching fully to LeetCode.com. It's important to get used to English problem statements and the international discussion forum.
One more thing: the LeetCode.com discussion section updates frequently and often includes real interview experiences from major tech companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon. This kind of first-hand, high-quality content is less common on the China site, and it plays a significant role in shaping your interview strategy.
In summary, if your goal is simply to build problem-solving skills, it doesn’t matter much which site you use. But if you're aiming for internships or full-time roles in North America, LeetCode.com is where you should focus your energy. There’s no need to go through the hassle of syncing platforms—staying consistent and focused is what really matters.
Release time:2025-05-14
