LeetKick in Plain English: A Calm, End-to-End Guide for Busy Developers

A cup of coffee and a quiet terminal can replace panic-driven cramming.

Why Another LeetCode Tool?

Most engineers treat LeetCode as a stressful interview gate.
Few notice it can also be a daily code gym—if the setup is light enough.
LeetKick turns the gym metaphor into practice: no log-in, no copy-paste, no scattered folders.
This post walks through the exact steps I took to move from “I should practice” to “I just finished the next problem” without leaving the terminal.

What LeetKick Does in One Sentence

LeetKick is a small command-line program that pulls a LeetCode problem to your laptop, creates a ready-to-run test file, and lets you code immediately.

Installation Paths

Option 1: Install from npm (Recommended)

Prerequisite: Node.js 18 or newer.

npm install -g leetkick
leetkick --help   # Shows the command list

Option 2: Build from Source

For contributors or air-gapped environments.

git clone https://github.com/charliesbot/leetkick.git
cd leetkick
npm install
npm run compile
npm link            # Makes the local build globally callable
leetkick --help

Five-Minute Quick Start

1. Create a Workspace

mkdir my-practice && cd my-practice
leetkick init

The folder now contains:

• .leetkick.json – workspace settings
• README.md – project-level notes
• .gitignore – keeps repos clean

2. Add a Language

Today, TypeScript is fully supported; Python, Java, Go, and Rust are on the roadmap.

leetkick add typescript

This adds a typescript/ folder with a ready package.json, tsconfig.json, Prettier config, and its own .gitignore.

3. Fetch Your First Problem

leetkick fetch two-sum --language typescript

Console output:

✔ Fetched problem #1 Two Sum
✔ Generated typescript/0001_two_sum/two_sum.ts
✔ Generated typescript/0001_two_sum/two_sum.test.ts

4. Open the Files

two_sum.ts arrives with the starter code:

export function twoSum(nums: number[], target: number): number[] {
    // Your solution here
}

Add your hash-map or two-pointer solution.

5. Run the Test

From the project root, no need to cd into the problem folder:

leetkick test two-sum --language typescript

The first run warns that real test cases are missing.
Replace the placeholder in two_sum.test.ts:

import test from 'node:test';
import assert from 'node:assert';
import { twoSum } from './two_sum.ts';

test('twoSum', () => {
  assert.deepStrictEqual(twoSum([2, 7, 11, 15], 9), [0, 1]);
  assert.deepStrictEqual(twoSum([3, 2, 4], 6), [1, 2]);
});

Run the test again; green ticks appear, problem solved.

Daily Workflow: Turning Practice into Habit

Directory Layout

my-practice/
├── .leetkick.json
├── README.md
├── .gitignore
├── typescript/
│   ├── package.json
│   ├── 0001_two_sum/
│   ├── 0704_binary_search/
│   └── …
└── python/   # future

• Numbered folders keep problems in order.
• Each folder is self-contained—delete or retry at will.
• The root .gitignore ignores build artifacts; push to GitHub freely.

Three Ways to Address a Problem

Pair LeetKick with Git

git add .
git commit -m "solve(0001): two-sum hash map"
git push

Daily micro-commits create a living résumé and a backup at the same time.

Advanced: Adding a New Language

Suppose you want Python support today rather than waiting for the official release.

1. Scaffold the Template Folder

mkdir -p templates/python

2. Create the Files

• exercise_template.py
• test_template.py
• requirements.txt – lists pytest
• pytest.ini – configures test discovery

exercise_template.py

"""
[__PROBLEM_ID__] __PROBLEM_TITLE__

__PROBLEM_DESC__

Difficulty: __PROBLEM_DIFFICULTY__
"""

__PROBLEM_DEFAULT_CODE__

test_template.py

import pytest
from __EXERCISE_FILE_NAME__ import __PROBLEM_NAME_FORMATTED__

def test___PROBLEM_NAME_FORMATTED__():
    # TODO: add real test cases
    assert 1 == 1

3. Register File Extensions

Edit src/utils/file-operations.ts:

extensions: {
  typescript: 'ts',
  python: 'py',
}

4. Test the New Language

npm run compile
npm link
leetkick fetch two-sum --language python

If the folder and tests run, create a pull request.

Troubleshooting Common Hurdles

Node Version Too Old

Error ERR_REQUIRE_ESM or Cannot find module 'node:test' means Node < 18.
Fix with nvm:

nvm install 18
nvm use 18

Overwriting Existing Solutions

By default, LeetKick asks before overwriting.
To force:

leetkick fetch two-sum -l typescript --force

PowerShell Characters Garbled on Windows

Switch the terminal font to Consolas or Fira Code, then run:

chcp 65001

Real-World Case Study: 66 Problems in 14 Days

I adopted a morning-and-evening rhythm:

• Morning commute – skim the next problem on my phone, mentally outline the algorithm.
• Evening 30 minutes – run leetkick fetch, code, test, push.

LeetKick’s near-zero friction kept the streak alive.
After 14 days the repository held 66 numbered folders, all tests green.
During a later interview I simply shared the GitHub link; the interviewer browsed commit history instead of asking me to re-solve on the whiteboard.

Quick Reference Sheet

Closing Thoughts

LeetKick will not magically turn you into an algorithm wizard.
What it will do is remove every excuse between “I should practice” and “I just shipped the next solution.”

Install once, type a single command, and spend the rest of your time thinking, coding, and learning.
Happy practicing.