Deployment - lesson 7 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

Make it reviewable

Your submission is not only your app. It is your live URL plus a public repo that explains how to run, build, and configure it.

Assume a recruiter opens it on a phone during a short break. They should understand the project in two minutes.

Your to-do

Final repo checklist

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.

Set your GitHub repository to public.
Push the latest working code to the default branch, usually main.
Add a README with setup steps, build command, and environment variable names.
Check that the live deployed URL uses the latest commit.
Open the app once on mobile data, not only college Wi-Fi.

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Example

README starter

Use this as a simple README structure. Do not paste secret values. Only write variable names and what they are for.

# Campus Mess Feedback

A web app for students to submit mess food feedback and for admins to view common issues.

## Live demo
https://your-app-url.com

## Tech stack
- React
- Node.js
- PostgreSQL

## Setup
1. Clone the repo
2. Install dependencies
3. Create a .env file using the variables below
4. Run the app locally

## Commands
npm install
npm run dev
npm run build

## Environment variables
DATABASE_URL=your_postgres_connection_string
JWT_SECRET=your_login_secret
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=your_app_url

## Test login
Student: [email protected] / password123
Admin: [email protected] / password123

## Notes
The deployed app uses a hosted PostgreSQL database.

Common mistake

Do not leak secrets

Never commit your .env file, database password, API keys, or JWT secret. Reviewers need the variable names, not your real values.

If you already pushed a secret, rotate it in the provider dashboard. Deleting the line later is not enough because Git history may still contain it.

Tip

Use AI safely

Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to improve your README. Paste your current README and say: “Make this clear for a recruiter. Keep setup steps, build command, env variable names, live demo, and test login.”

Check the output. AI may invent commands, tools, or features. Keep only what matches your actual project.

Your to-do

Submission check

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.

Open your GitHub repo in an incognito window and confirm it is public.
Click the live demo link from the README and confirm it opens.
Try the main user flow, such as signup, search, upload, checkout, or dashboard view.
Run a fresh clone locally if you have time, using only the README.
Take note of any known issue in the README instead of hiding it.

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Your to-do

Do this now

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.

Update your README with live URL, setup steps, build command, and env names.
Remove any committed .env file and confirm .gitignore includes it.
Push your final code to GitHub.
Open the deployed app on your phone and test the main flow.
Submit the public repo URL and live deployed URL on HackIndia.

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Submit your deployed repo

Make it reviewable

Final repo checklist

README starter

Do not leak secrets

Use AI safely

Submission check

Do this now

Quick check