Leetcode #2215: Find the Difference of Two Arrays
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #2215 Find the Difference of Two Arrays in Python and focus on the core idea that makes the solution efficient.
You will see the intuition, the step-by-step method, and a clean Python implementation you can use in interviews.
Problem Statement
Given two 0-indexed integer arrays nums1 and nums2, return a list answer of size 2 where: answer[0] is a list of all distinct integers in nums1 which are not present in nums2. answer[1] is a list of all distinct integers in nums2 which are not present in nums1.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Easy
- Premium: No
- Tags: Array, Hash Table
Intuition
Fast membership checks and value lookups are the heart of this problem, which makes a hash map the natural choice.
By storing what we have already seen (or counts/indexes), we can answer the question in one pass without backtracking.
Approach
Scan the input once, using the map to detect when the condition is satisfied and to update state as you go.
This keeps the solution linear while remaining easy to explain in an interview setting.
Steps:
- Initialize a hash map for seen items or counts.
- Iterate through the input, querying/updating the map.
- Return the first valid result or the final computed value.
Example
Input: nums1 = [1,2,3], nums2 = [2,4,6]
Output: [[1,3],[4,6]]
Explanation:
For nums1, nums1[1] = 2 is present at index 0 of nums2, whereas nums1[0] = 1 and nums1[2] = 3 are not present in nums2. Therefore, answer[0] = [1,3].
For nums2, nums2[0] = 2 is present at index 1 of nums1, whereas nums2[1] = 4 and nums2[2] = 6 are not present in nums1. Therefore, answer[1] = [4,6].
Python Solution
class Solution:
def findDifference(self, nums1: List[int], nums2: List[int]) -> List[List[int]]:
s1, s2 = set(nums1), set(nums2)
return [list(s1 - s2), list(s2 - s1)]
Complexity
The time complexity is , and the space complexity is . The space complexity is .
Edge Cases and Pitfalls
Watch for boundary values, empty inputs, and duplicate values where applicable. If the problem involves ordering or constraints, confirm the invariant is preserved at every step.
Summary
This Python solution focuses on the essential structure of the problem and keeps the implementation interview-friendly while meeting the constraints.