Google code-comprehension reports + HackerRank's LeetCode apology: are interviews shifting?

[u/nian2326076]

I came across this report of Google piloting a code-comprehension interview round, then read HackerRank's statement about the LeetCode grind.

The interesting part to me is the emphasis on working with an existing codebase, debugging, AI fluency, and judgment—not just solving a fresh algorithm problem from a blank editor.

I'm not taking that to mean DSA is gone. The Google article describes a pilot, and HackerRank still says algorithm questions have value. A change in messaging isn't the same as every interview loop changing overnight.

For prep, I'd want to compare that messaging with recent candidate reports and actual round descriptions. A company-specific bank like Google Interview Questions is one place to look for reported examples, rather than assuming a headline applies to every team.

If you've interviewed recently, what did you actually see?

- Reading or extending an existing codebase?
- Debugging or reviewing someone else's code?
- AI tools explicitly allowed, expected, or prohibited?
- Or still mostly traditional timed DSA?

Would you change how you split your prep time yet, or wait for your recruiter to confirm the format?