Project exam · Backend Development
Project exam: a college library backend
Project examintermediate· about 1.25 hours· 6 steps· 75 min · pass 60%
The brief
In 75 minutes, build the core of a college library's backend: two SQL reports (overdue loans, books with no free copy) and four JavaScript pieces (late fines, issuing a book with limits, pagination, returning a book).
Why it matters
A timed task like this is common in backend hiring rounds: read a small schema, write correct SQL, and implement business rules with the right status codes. Libraries, rental shops and equipment stores all run on these rules.
Skills you practise
- joins and date maths in SQL
- LEFT JOIN with GROUP BY and HAVING
- business rules in handlers
- 404 and 409
- pagination
- dates as YYYY-MM-DD
What you will have at the end
Two SQL reports and library.js, written and checked within 75 minutes.
How it is marked (rubric, 100 points)
| Tasks passedPoints for each checked task; 60% or more passes the exam. | 60 |
|---|---|
| Correct status codes201, 400, 404 and 409 used as the tasks ask. | 15 |
| Clean codeSmall helpers (days between dates, add days), no repeated logic. | 15 |
| Good SQLReadable joins with aliases; open loans filtered in the join, not lost by WHERE. | 10 |
- 6tasks
- 75 mintime limit
- 60%to pass
Rules: a project exam
- The exam opens full screen. Stay on this page until you hand it in.
- Opening another tab or app, or leaving full screen, counts as one time away. After 3 times the exam ends.
- No copy or paste during the exam.
- No hints and no answers. You can run your code, but the checks run only when you hand in.
- Every task is checked automatically when you hand in, or when the time is up.
- You see which tasks passed at the end. You can take it again.