The problem statement itself wasn't totally clear to me at first.
Start by clarifying the IME behavior and test cases, then design a state machine that tracks composition state and buffer. Implement incrementally, testing against provided cases, and discuss trade-offs like time/space complexity and edge cases.
Pro tip: Demonstrate maturity by proactively discussing how to handle edge cases like invalid input, buffer overflow, and Unicode, and by suggesting a test-driven approach.
Ask clarifying questions about the IME behavior, expected input/output, and test cases. Identify key operations like start composition, update, commit, and cancel.
Model the IME as a state machine with states (idle, composing) and transitions based on input events. Define the buffer and how it updates.
Write the function to handle each event, updating state and buffer accordingly. Ensure it passes the provided test cases incrementally.
Run the test cases, debug failures, and handle edge cases like empty input, invalid sequences, and buffer limits.
Analyze time/space complexity, alternative designs (e.g., using a stack vs. string buffer), and potential improvements.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.