SQL - lesson 8 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

Repo proves the feature

Your project is not finished when it works on your laptop. It is finished when a reviewer can clone it, set up the database, run the app, and see the feature without asking you on WhatsApp.

For this track, your repo must show four things: schema files, seed data, parameterised queries, and a README with local run steps.

What to ship

Keep the feature small. A campus canteen order list, club event RSVP, hostel complaint tracker, or internship application tracker is enough.

Recruiters and hackathon judges look for proof that you can model data, query it, and protect inputs. A neat repo beats a half-working large app.

Your to-do

Use this structure

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Create a public GitHub repository for one SQL-backed feature.
Add a db folder with schema.sql and seed.sql.
Keep parameterised queries in your server code or a separate queries file.
Add a README with setup steps, screenshots or sample output, and sample queries.
Commit small changes with clear messages.

0 of 5 done

Example

Simple repo layout

Use names that make sense without explanation. If someone opens your repo on a phone, they should know where the database files are.

canteen-orders/
  README.md
  package.json
  src/
    server.js
    db.js
    orders.js
  db/
    schema.sql
    seed.sql
  .env.example

Example

README starter

Your README is the demo guide. Write it for a classmate who has Node.js and a database installed, but has never seen your code.

# Canteen Orders

A small SQL-backed feature to create and view canteen orders.

## Feature
Students can place an order with item name, quantity, and phone number.
The app stores orders in SQL and lists recent orders.

## Tech
Node.js, Express, PostgreSQL

## Run locally
1. Clone the repo
2. Run npm install
3. Create a local database named canteen_orders
4. Run psql -d canteen_orders -f db/schema.sql
5. Run psql -d canteen_orders -f db/seed.sql
6. Copy .env.example to .env and set DATABASE_URL
7. Run npm start

## Sample query
SELECT id, item_name, quantity, created_at
FROM orders
ORDER BY created_at DESC
LIMIT 10;

## Safety
User input is sent using parameterised queries, not string joining.

Common mistake

Do not hide SQL

A common mistake is shipping only screenshots and app code. That does not prove you can design the database.

Do not make reviewers guess your tables. Put CREATE TABLE statements in schema.sql. Put sample INSERT statements in seed.sql. Keep them runnable from a clean database.

Tip

Use AI carefully

You can ask ChatGPT or Gemini to review your README and setup steps. Paste your repo layout and ask: “Can a new developer run this locally? What is missing?”

Check the answer. AI may invent commands, database names, or files you do not have. Only keep steps you have tested yourself.