How I Spot a Copy-Pasted Full Stack Developer Project in Minutes

# How does your history look to an interviewer?
git log --reverse --format="%ad %s" --date=short | head -10

# Unused dependencies in a Node project
npx depcheck

# Is a package really imported anywhere?
grep -rn "from 'redux'" src/ || echo "redux never imported"

# Leftover default text from a generator?
head -5 README.md

# ShopLite

A small store app where users browse products,
add them to a cart and place orders. Admins can
add products and update order status.

## What I built myself
- Order status flow (PLACED -> PACKED -> SHIPPED)
- Product search with category filter
- Admin dashboard with daily order count

## Run locally
1. cp .env.example .env and fill in values
2. npm install in /server and /client
3. npm run dev in both folders

## Stack
React, Express, MongoDB (Mongoose), JWT auth

// models/Order.js (Mongoose)
const orderItemSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
  product:  { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'Product', required: true },
  name:     { type: String, required: true },   // copied at order time
  price:    { type: Number, required: true },   // copied at order time
  quantity: { type: Number, required: true, min: 1 }
}, { _id: false });

const orderSchema = new mongoose.Schema({
  user:   { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User', required: true },
  items:  { type: [orderItemSchema], validate: v => v.length > 0 },
  status: { type: String, enum: ['PLACED', 'PACKED', 'SHIPPED', 'DELIVERED'], default: 'PLACED' },
  total:  { type: Number, required: true }
}, { timestamps: true });

module.exports = mongoose.model('Order', orderSchema);

"I copy name and price into each order item,
because if the admin changes the product price
next week, old orders must still show what the
customer actually paid.

I keep the product reference too, so I can link
back to the product page.

Status is an enum so a typo like 'SHIPED' is
rejected by validation.

timestamps gives me createdAt for the admin
dashboard's daily order count."

// GET /api/products?maxPrice=500&category=books
router.get('/products', async (req, res, next) => {
  try {
    const filter = {};
    const max = Number(req.query.maxPrice);
    if (Number.isFinite(max) && max > 0) {
      filter.price = { $lte: max };
    }
    if (req.query.category) {
      filter.category = String(req.query.category);
    }
    const products = await Product.find(filter)
      .select('name price category')
      .sort({ price: 1 })
      .limit(50);
    res.json(products);
  } catch (err) {
    next(err);
  }
});

// ProductList.jsx (fetch part only)
const [maxPrice, setMaxPrice] = useState('');
const [products, setProducts] = useState([]);

useEffect(() => {
  const params = new URLSearchParams();
  if (maxPrice) params.set('maxPrice', maxPrice);
  fetch(`/api/products?${params.toString()}`)
    .then(res => res.json())
    .then(setProducts)
    .catch(() => setProducts([]));
}, [maxPrice]);

// A number input calls setMaxPrice(e.target.value).
// Filtering on the server means we never download
// products the user will not see.

ADD AT LEAST TWO OF THESE YOURSELF

[ ] A new field with validation (e.g. order notes)
[ ] A filter or search on the server side
[ ] A status flow with allowed transitions
[ ] Pagination on a list API
[ ] An admin-only route with its own middleware
[ ] Form error messages from the API shown in the UI
[ ] One API test for a success and an error case
[ ] A seed script for demo data

Commit each one separately with a clear
message. Your history now tells the story.

FIVE DECISIONS I CAN DEFEND

1. Decision: _____________________________
   Because:  _____________________________

2. Decision: _____________________________
   Because:  _____________________________

3. Decision: _____________________________
   Because:  _____________________________

4. Decision: _____________________________
   Because:  _____________________________

5. Decision: _____________________________
   Because:  _____________________________

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

[ ] Fresh clone runs with the README steps
[ ] .env.example lists every variable needed
[ ] Seed script fills demo data
[ ] I can find any feature's file in seconds
[ ] I made one small practice change and reverted it
[ ] README has a 'What I built myself' section
[ ] I can say honestly which parts came from a course