Feature Request: Option to Hide Problem Difficulty Levels

[mahdy-nasr]

Description:

I would like to request the ability to hide the difficulty level of problems (e.g., easy, medium, hard) on NeetCode. The visibility of difficulty levels acts as a hint and can influence problem-solving approaches, which doesn't align with real interview scenarios. In actual interviews, interviewers do not disclose the difficulty level of problems. Therefore, hiding the difficulty level would provide a more realistic preparation experience.

Rationale:

1. Avoiding Bias: Knowing a problem is labeled "easy" might lead to assumptions about the solution's complexity, such as expecting a simple sliding window or two-pointer approach for array problems, and avoiding more complex strategies like dynamic programming or backtracking.

2. Realistic Practice: In real-life interviews, candidates do not have the benefit of knowing the problem difficulty beforehand. Not knowing the difficulty level would train candidates to evaluate problems independently and think critically, enhancing their problem-solving skills.

3. Improved Focus: If a candidate knows a problem is "hard" beforehand, they might prematurely discard simpler approaches, whereas in an actual interview, they would be more likely to explore all possible solutions.

Suggested Implementation:

Add a toggle option in the user interface to show or hide problem difficulty levels.
When the toggle is set to hide, difficulty labels should be removed from the problem list and individual problem pages.
Implementing this feature would make NeetCode a more effective tool for interview preparation by simulating a more authentic interview environment.

Thank you for considering this request.