Detective Work: Solving HNG's Ghost Endpoints & Surviving Hultz Prize

Chapter 1: The CI/CD Conundrum

FastAPI Implementation
@app.get("/stage2")
async def stage2():
    return {"message": "welcome to stage 2"}

The Ghost Endpoint: Implemented but mysteriously disappeared in production

βœ… Initial Commit

  • Commit: e25ac36
  • Endpoint working locally
  • CI pipeline passed

❌ Breaking Change

  • Commit: f33d3c5
  • Automated reversion
  • 404 errors in production

Chapter 2: The Hultz Prize Experience

StudentPad Pitch
Presenting StudentPad at Hultz Prize

πŸ“ˆ Preparation

  • 1 month development
  • 60 waitlist users
  • Bootstrap funded

πŸ“‰ Reality Check

  • Demo connectivity issues
  • Audio technical problems
  • Audience engagement drop

Chapter 3: Lessons Learned

πŸ‘¨πŸ’» DevOps Truths

  • Verify CI/CD pipelines
  • Assume automation failures
  • Prioritize rollbacks

πŸš€ Founder Insights

  • Practice pitches relentlessly
  • Always have backup plans
  • Communicate confidence
"No matter how great your tech is, it won’t matter if you can’t make people care."