sim:progressive

Progressive Coding Assessment Simulator

Interactive test proctor for progressive coding assessments modeled on the CodeSignal Industry Coding Assessment (ICA) format. Generates levels one at a time, tracks time, verifies test results, and advances automatically. See references/problem-bank.md for domain provenance and source links.

What this skill produces

A progressively-built project with:

• package.json with vitest (test scripts added per-level)
• tsconfig.json
• .node-version set to 22.14.0 (matches CodeSignal's Node environment)
• An interface file with abstract methods (grows per level)
• A scaffolded implementation file with throw new Error("Not implemented") stubs (grows per level)
• A vitest test file with describe blocks (grows per level)

Files start with only L1 content. Each subsequent level is appended via Edit when the user completes the current level.

State files

.session.json — Active proctor state

Location: ~/.claude/skills/sim-progressive/.session.json

Tracks the active session. Created on new sim, cleared on final completion or abandon.

{
  "domain": "in-memory-database",
  "domainLabel": "In-Memory Database",
  "projectDir": "/Users/kellymears/code/anthro/in-memory-database",
  "maxLevel": 4,
  "currentLevel": 1,
  "startedAt": "2026-03-07T14:30:00.000Z",
  "levels": {
    "1": {
      "startedAt": "2026-03-07T14:30:00.000Z",
      "completedAt": null,
      "methods": ["set", "get", "delete", "keys"],
      "targetMinutes": 15
    },
    "2": {
      "startedAt": null,
      "completedAt": null,
      "methods": ["scan", "scanByValuePrefix", "count", "getRange"],
      "targetMinutes": 20
    },
    "3": {
      "startedAt": null,
      "completedAt": null,
      "methods": ["setAt", "setAtWithTTL", "getAt", "scanAt", "deleteAt"],
      "targetMinutes": 25
    },
    "4": {
      "startedAt": null,
      "completedAt": null,
      "methods": ["backup", "restore", "listBackups", "compact"],
      "targetMinutes": 25
    }
  }
}

All levels are pre-populated at session start (methods come from the problem bank), but only the current level has content generated in the actual files.

.history.json — Completed domain tracking

Location: ~/.claude/skills/sim-progressive/.history.json

Tracks completed sessions to avoid repetition. Append after final completion.

{
  "generated": [
    {
      "domain": "in-memory-database",
      "timestamp": "2026-03-07T16:00:00.000Z",
      "levels": "L1-L4",
      "totalMinutes": 78.88,
      "levelTimes": { "1": 12.25, "2": 17.38, "3": 28.17, "4": 21.08 }
    }
  ]
}

Backward-compatible — old entries without timing data still work for domain avoidance.

Trigger map

User says	Workflow
"new sim", "generate a problem", "practice problem", etc.	New Simulation
"done", "finished", "next", "tests pass", "I'm done"	Done / Verify
"status", "timer", "how am I doing", "where am I"	Status Check
"abandon", "cancel sim", "start over"	Clear .session.json, confirm
Any skill trigger while .session.json exists with active level	Session Resume -> Status Check

Workflow: Session check (always first)

On any trigger, before doing anything else:

1. Read ~/.claude/skills/sim-progressive/.session.json
2. If it exists with a currentLevel and projectDir:
   • Verify the project directory exists (use ls via Bash)
   • If directory exists -> treat as resume (show status dashboard, say "Resuming your session")
   • If directory is gone -> clear .session.json silently, proceed as no session
3. If the trigger is "new sim" and an active session exists -> warn and ask the user to either abandon or continue
4. If no session exists -> proceed to New Simulation workflow

Workflow: New simulation

Step 1: Pick a domain

Read references/problem-bank.md (in this skill's directory) to see available domains and their level breakdowns. Read .history.json and avoid the most recent 3 domains. Pick one the user hasn't done recently, or invent a new one that follows the same structural pattern.

If the user requests a specific domain, honor that regardless of history. If they request specific levels (e.g., "just L1-L3"), set maxLevel accordingly.

Step 2: Generate L1 only

Create the project directory (kebab-case) inside the current working directory.

File: .node-version

22.14.0

File: package.json

{
  "name": "<domain-name>",
  "type": "module",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "vitest run",
    "test:watch": "vitest",
    "test:l1": "vitest run -t L1"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "typescript": "^5.0.0",
    "vitest": "^3.0.0"
  }
}

Only the test:l1 script is included. Additional level scripts are added via Edit when levels are unlocked.

File: tsconfig.json

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "ES2022",
    "module": "ES2022",
    "moduleResolution": "bundler",
    "strict": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true
  },
  "include": ["*.ts"]
}

File: <DomainName>Interface.ts

Abstract class with L1 methods only:

• Header comment identifying this as a progressive assessment
• Types/interfaces needed for L1
• Abstract method declarations with full JSDoc (what it does, returns, edge cases)
• Level section comment: // --- L1: <description> ---

Do NOT include L2-L4 methods. They will be appended when those levels are unlocked.

File: <DomainName>.ts

Implementation scaffold with L1 stubs only:

• Extends the interface
• Constructor includes private now: () => number = Date.now for injectable clock (used later by L3/L4)
• L1 methods stub with throw new Error("Not implemented")
• Level section comment matching the interface

File: <DomainName>.test.ts

Vitest tests with L1 describe block only:

• describe("L1", () => { ... })
• 8-15 tests covering happy path, edge cases, empty state, nonexistent ids, duplicates, sorted output
• Uses beforeEach to set up fresh instances
• L1-L2 tests do NOT need the injectable clock in beforeEach

Step 3: Install dependencies

Run cd <projectDir> && npm install via Bash.

Step 4: Write .session.json

Create ~/.claude/skills/sim-progressive/.session.json with all level metadata pre-populated. Set currentLevel: 1 and level 1's startedAt to the current ISO timestamp.

Step 5: Present Level 1 Dashboard

Show the Level Dashboard (see Terminal display formats below).

Workflow: Present level (dashboard)

Output clean, tree-structured text. No boxes. Minimal and readable — feel like Claude Code's own terminal output.

<DomainLabel> -- Level <N> of <maxLevel>

  Started   <time>
  Target    <targetMinutes> minutes

  Implement:
  ├── method1(args)
  ├── method2(args)
  ├── method3(args)
  └── method4(args)

  Run    npm run test:l<N>
  Done   say "done" when tests pass

Workflow: Done / verify

1. Read .session.json -> get currentLevel (N), projectDir
2. Run cd <projectDir> && npx vitest run -t "L<N>" via Bash
3. Parse vitest output for pass/fail counts and failing test names

If all tests pass:

1. Update .session.json: set level N's completedAt to now
2. Show completion report (see Terminal display formats)
3. If N < maxLevel:
   • Append next level content to existing files using Edit (see Incremental file generation)
   • Add test:l<N+1> script to package.json via Edit
   • Update .session.json: set currentLevel to N+1, set level N+1's startedAt to now
   • Present next Level Dashboard
4. If N === maxLevel:
   • Show Final Completion Summary (see Terminal display formats)
   • Append to .history.json with timing data
   • Delete .session.json

If tests fail:

1. Show failure report with failing test names (see Terminal display formats)
2. Do NOT advance — keep currentLevel at N, timer keeps running
3. Encourage user to keep working

Workflow: Status check

1. Read .session.json
2. Calculate elapsed time for current level (now - level N startedAt)
3. Calculate total elapsed time (now - session startedAt)
4. Show the Status Dashboard (see Terminal display formats)

Workflow: Abandon

1. Read .session.json
2. Confirm with user: "This will end your session. Continue?"
3. If confirmed: delete .session.json, output "Session cleared."
4. If denied: show current status dashboard

Incremental file generation

Files grow level-by-level using Edit, not Write. This is the core behavioral difference from the old skill.

Before generating L2+ content

Always read the existing interface, implementation, and test files first to:

• Confirm Edit anchors (closing braces, last describe block) are correct
• Reference existing types and patterns in new content
• Ensure new methods reference the data model as it has evolved

Appending a new level

Interface file — Insert new level's abstract methods before the final closing } of the abstract class:

old_string: the final "}" of the abstract class (with its surrounding context to be unique)
new_string: new level section comment + abstract method declarations + closing "}"

Implementation file — Insert new level's stubs before the final closing } of the class:

old_string: the final "}" of the class (with surrounding context to be unique)
new_string: new level section comment + stub methods + closing "}"

Test file — Append new describe block at the end of the file, after the last });. For L3+ test blocks, set up the injectable clock: let clock = 0; instance = new Thing(() => clock); in beforeEach.

package.json — Add the new test:l<N> script via Edit on the scripts object.

Terminal display formats

Style: No boxes. Use tree-style branching for lists, status indicators for levels, and clean spacing. Minimal and readable.

Status indicator convention (plain text, no color emoji):

• Completed: ●
• Active / in progress: ▸
• Over target: ● with "over target" suffix
• Not started: ○

Completion report (tests pass)

Level <N> complete -- <elapsed> / <target>

  Tests   <passed>/<total> passed

  ● L1   12:34 / 15:00
  ● L2   17:23 / 20:00
  ○ L3   --:-- / 25:00
  ○ L4   --:-- / 25:00

  Total   <totalElapsed> / <totalTarget>

  Loading Level <N+1>...

Completed levels show ●. Levels over target show ● with "over target" suffix. Not-started levels show ○.

Failure report (tests fail)

Level <N> -- <passed>/<total> passing

  Failing:
  ├── <test name 1>
  ├── <test name 2>
  └── <test name 3>

  Elapsed   <elapsed> / <target>

  Keep going -- say "done" when ready.

Final completion summary

<DomainLabel> -- Complete

  ● L1   12:15 / 15:00
  ● L2   17:23 / 20:00
  ● L3   28:10 / 25:00  over target
  ● L4   21:05 / 25:00

  Total    78:53 / 85:00  (+5:00 buffer = 90:00)
  Result   Pass -- within 90 minute window

All completed levels show ●. Levels over target append "over target" suffix.

Status check (mid-level)

<DomainLabel> -- Level <N> of <maxLevel>

  ● L1   12:15 / 15:00
  ▸ L2   8:32 elapsed / 20:00 target
  ○ L3   --:-- / 25:00
  ○ L4   --:-- / 25:00

  Total   <totalElapsed> elapsed

Active level shows ▸. Completed levels show ●. Not-started levels show ○.

Design principles

Follow these rules when designing problems:

Progressive complexity must be structural, not just additive.

• L1: Basic CRUD -- 3-4 core operations on a simple data model (add, get, remove, list).
• L2: Filtering & querying -- scan, prefix/suffix match, typed collection returns over L1's data.
• L3: Time-awareness -- timestamps on operations, TTL/expiration, time-parameterized variants of L1-L2 methods.
• L4: State management -- backup/restore, snapshots, compression, or derived state operations.

Each level should require extending the data model, not rewriting it. The candidate who uses Map<string, string> at L1 and switches to Map<string, { value: string, tags: Set<string> }> at L2 should not have to restructure their L1 code. The test suite enforces this -- L1 tests must still pass at L4.

L4 should be the hardest but not tricky. Difficulty comes from managing more state and more interactions, not from algorithmic puzzles or gotcha edge cases.

Use idiomatic TypeScript return types. Methods should return native types: boolean for success/failure, string | null for lookups that may miss, typed arrays or tuples for collection returns. Define small interfaces or type aliases (e.g., type KeyValue = { key: string; value: string }) for structured returns. Avoid returning formatted strings or stringified booleans -- the tests and interface should feel like real TypeScript code.

L2 is about operations over L1's data, not new entity types. L2 methods should scan, filter, or query L1's data in new ways. Avoid introducing entirely new entity types at L2.

L3 adds time-parameterized variants, not new entities. L3 should add time-parameterized variants of existing L1-L2 methods (e.g., set_at_with_ttl, get_at, scan_at). Timestamps and TTL/expiration are the core L3 pattern.

L4 is the state snapshot pattern. L4 should test backup/restore/transform of the full data state. Avoid making L4 about analytics or computed aggregates.

Include at least one sorted-output method per level.

Time-dependent behavior belongs in L3 or L4, not earlier. Keep L1 and L2 time-independent. L1-L2 tests don't need the injectable clock in beforeEach. L3+ tests should set up let clock = 0; instance = new Thing(() => clock);.

When generating L2+ content, read the existing interface and implementation files first to ensure Edit anchors are correct and new content references existing types/patterns.

Tests should catch common mistakes:

• Using break instead of continue in loops
• Forgetting to sort output
• Reference vs copy bugs (mutating stored objects)
• Falsy value traps (0, empty string)
• Off-by-one in pagination or indexing
• Forgetting to clean up related data on delete

Edge cases

1. Session resume across conversations -- .session.json is the persistence mechanism. Always check it on any trigger.
2. Abandoned directory -- If projectDir doesn't exist, clear session silently.
3. New sim while active -- Warn and require explicit "abandon" before starting fresh.
4. Partial levels -- "Give me L1-L3" sets maxLevel: 3. L3 completion triggers final summary.
5. No hints -- If user asks for help during a session, remind them it's a timed simulation. Offer to show current test failures or the interface spec, but give no implementation guidance.

Important notes

• Always include the .node-version file. The CodeSignal platform runs Node 22.14.0.
• All test blocks should be self-contained -- no shared test utilities across levels.
• Never generate problems that require knowledge of specific algorithms (no DP, no graph algorithms, no tree rotations). The progressive format tests engineering judgment and extensible design, not algorithmic knowledge.
• Every problem should be solvable using only: Map, Set, Array, basic iteration, sorting, and simple arithmetic. No external libraries.
• Target times per level: L1 = 15 min, L2 = 20 min, L3 = 25 min, L4 = 25 min, +5 min buffer = 90 min total.