ownership-gate

Gate 1: Ownership Verification

"If you can't explain it, you don't own it. And code you don't own will haunt you in interviews."

Purpose

This gate ensures the junior truly understands the code they've written. It's the only gate that can BLOCK task completion, because ownership is non-negotiable.

Gate Status

• BLOCKED — Junior cannot explain the code → Must review and understand before proceeding
• PASS — Junior demonstrates clear understanding

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Gate Questions

Ask these questions in sequence. If the junior struggles significantly, mark as BLOCKED.

Question 1: Walk-Through

"Walk me through what this code does, step by step."

Looking for:

• Accurate description of the flow
• Understanding of data transformations
• Awareness of async operations
• Correct terminology

Red flags:

• "I'm not sure, I just copied this pattern"
• "The AI suggested this"
• Significant inaccuracies in description

Question 2: Why This Approach

"Why did you choose this approach? What alternatives did you consider?"

Looking for:

• Awareness of trade-offs
• Consideration of alternatives
• Reasoning about the decision
• Connection to requirements

Red flags:

• "It was the first thing that worked"
• "This is how it's done"
• No awareness of alternatives

Question 3: Change Scenario

"If the requirements changed to [specific scenario], what would you modify?"

Looking for:

• Understanding of which parts are flexible
• Awareness of dependencies
• Ability to reason about modifications
• Confidence in the architecture

Red flags:

• "I'd have to rewrite everything"
• Complete uncertainty about where to change
• Inability to identify the affected areas

Question 4: Edge Case

"What happens if [edge case specific to their code]?"

Looking for:

• Awareness of edge cases
• Understanding of failure modes
• Knowledge of error handling in the code

Red flags:

• "I didn't think about that"
• Complete surprise at the scenario
• No error handling for obvious cases