MVC Simple Guestbook to Test Full-Stack Skills

• Full-Stack Development: A guestbook application requires both front-end and back-end development, allowing me to evaluate a contractor’s skills in each area. From user interface design to database management, the project showcases whether a developer can handle all aspects of an application.
• Starting from Scratch: Building the guestbook from scratch tests a contractor's understanding of application structure, coding best practices, and familiarity with various technologies. This process also reveals their ability to write clean, efficient, and modular code.
• User Interaction: A guestbook requires creating, reading, updating, and deleting entries (CRUD operations), which are fundamental in any web application. This helps me evaluate the contractor’s ability to implement core functionalities and handle common operations.
• Front-End Styling and Usability: The appearance and usability of the guestbook allow me to assess a contractor's understanding of front-end design principles. A simple interface with pagination, entry forms, and clear navigation tells me how well they can create user-friendly experiences.

Key Requirements for the Guestbook

When assigning this project, I outline a few basic requirements to ensure the contractor covers all aspects of a full-stack application:

• Add New Entries: Users should be able to add new guestbook entries with a name and message. This requires a form on the front end and a back-end API to handle the data submission.
• Display Entries with Pagination: The guestbook should display entries, showing details such as the name, message, creation date, and the ability to reply to posts. Pagination should be implemented to allow smooth browsing through a large number of entries.
• Edit and Delete Options: Each entry should have options to edit or delete, enabling CRUD operations. This tests the contractor's skill in handling data manipulation and permissions.
• Database Integration: The guestbook must store data in a database, which is a critical skill for back-end developers. I expect contractors to set up tables and manage data efficiently, ensuring data integrity and performance.
• Basic Styling and Responsive Design: Although functionality is the main focus, I like to see contractors implement some styling to make the application user-friendly and visually appealing. It’s a great way to gauge their knowledge of CSS and responsiveness.

Benefits of This Approach

By giving new contractors a task to build a simple guestbook application, I gain insight into their abilities in several key areas:

• Coding Skills: The project reveals their technical proficiency, coding style, and approach to problem-solving.
• Project Structure: I can see how they organize the project, including folder structure, modularity, and overall project architecture.
• Efficiency and Attention to Detail: How quickly they complete the project and the level of detail they apply show me how thorough and efficient they are as developers.
• Communication: This project also allows me to see how well they can communicate progress and address questions or issues. Working remotely requires effective communication, especially when discussing technical challenges.
• Independence: Lastly, I can assess their ability to work independently, follow requirements, and troubleshoot on their own.

Conclusion