How I implement features, handle edge cases, and write production-ready code — compare my implementation to typical approaches.
A flexible middleware that secures routes by checking httpOnly cookies first, then falling back to Bearer headers. This supports both browser sessions and mobile/API clients seamlessly.
module.exports = async function (req, res, next) {
// 1. Prioritize secure, httpOnly cookie
let token = req.cookies.token;
// 2. Fallback to Authorization Header for API clients
if (!token && req.headers.authorization?.startsWith('Bearer ')) {Implementing strict hackathon business rules (e.g., gender diversity requirements) directly into the API logic to ensure compliance before database commits.
// Helper: Enforce Diversity Rule
function violatesFemaleRule(teamMembers, newUser) {
if (teamMembers.length === 5) {
const hasFemale = teamMembers.some(m => m.gender === 'Female');
// If team is full (5->6) and no female yet, new user MUST be female
if (!hasFemale && newUser.gender !== 'Female') {Handling edge cases where referenced data (like a Team) might be deleted by a leader while an Invitation is still pending for a user.
router.post('/:id/accept', requireAuth, async (req, res) => {
const invitation = await Invitation.findById(req.params.id);
// Check if the referenced team still exists
const team = await Team.findById(invitation.teamId).populate('members');
Advanced Admin feature allowing dynamic filtering and streaming of database records into downloadable Excel files using Streams.
router.get('/users/export', adminAuth, async (req, res) => {
const { verified, role, q } = req.query;
// Dynamic Filtering
const filters = {};
if (q) filters.$or = [{ name: new RegExp(q, 'i') }, { email: new RegExp(q, 'i') }];Handling file uploads cleanly by wrapping stream-based cloud APIs in Promises and ensuring old assets are garbage-collected (deleted) before new ones are linked.
// 1. Promisify the stream upload for clean async/await usage
const uploadToCloudinary = (fileBuffer) => {
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
const stream = cloudinary.uploader.upload_stream(
{ resource_type: 'auto' },
(err, result) => (err ? reject(err) : resolve(result))A dedicated logging system that silently tracks critical administrative actions (like deleting users or changing roles) to ensure accountability and traceability.
// Route: Delete User (Admin Only)
router.delete('/users/:id', adminAuth, async (req, res) => {
const user = await User.findById(req.params.id);
// 1. Perform the critical action
await User.findByIdAndDelete(req.params.id);A powerful, unified search API that allows admins to find users by Name, Email, or Roll Number simultaneously using regex patterns and logical OR operators.
router.get('/users', adminAuth, async (req, res) => {
const { q } = req.query;
const filters = {};
// Dynamic Search Logic
if (q) {