👎 These are bad:
- commit history is <5 commits or has an “Add files via upload” message
- fork of a popular project with hardly any changes
- obvious template project from a stupid webdev or other online course
- idea that was obviously built for the purpose of filling out a resume rather than solving a real problem
- no instructions on how to run it locally, best case is if it’s actually deployed somewhere
- no small writeup about the intention and future plans
- has 5 collaborators and everyone claims all the work on their resumes
- massive faux pas for whatever language you’re using. like committing node_modules or venv
- if you’re applying to an e.g. python role and your most recent python repos demonstrate unfamiliarity with language features, standard libraries, etc. it’s usually not a good sign
- abstraction slop like using langchain when it’s absolutely unnecessary
💚 my green flag is if
- it’s an idea inspired by a real problem the person has,
- has clear shell scripts/bash commands for how to run it,
- is committed to over a period of a few months which tells me it’s a project they’re actually interested in,
- shows knowledge of modern libraries (like uv for envs), and
- has clear modular commits that demonstrate problem solving and design skills