Overview
What this challenge is about.
Refactor a Big-Ball-of-Mud Java Servlet Application. Advanced challenge in code. Writing production code that solves real engineering problems, earn a blockc...
The Brief
What you'll do, and what you'll demonstrate.
Refactor 2 critical workflows out of a 15-year-old servlet application and produce a playbook the in-house team can use for the remaining 7.
This is not a coding exercise. It is the work a software engineer does between a Jira ticket and a merged PR. That distinction matters to every hiring manager who has seen candidates solve LeetCode problems and none who have shipped production code under real constraints.
When you finish, you will have something most graduates do not: a real-world deliverable, verified by Ewance, that you can show to a hiring manager and say "I did this. Here is the proof."
Earning criteria — what you'll demonstrate
- Apply Michael Feathers' legacy-code techniques to a real servlet codebase
- Reach meaningful branch coverage on workflows that have never been tested
- Extract service layers without changing JSP-visible behavior
- Author a playbook the rest of the team can execute without further coaching
Program Fit
Where this fits in your program.
Sharpens the same skills your degree expects you to demonstrate.
Software Evolution and Maintenance
Master · Software Engineering
Strong alignment
This challenge maps to Software Evolution and Maintenance at the Master level. It sharpens the same practical skills your coursework expects — but in a real industry context with actual constraints and deliverables.
Skills
Skills you'll demonstrate.
Each one shows up on your verified credential.
- Refactoring
Apply refactoring to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Characterization Testing
Apply characterization testing to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Legacy Systems
Apply legacy systems to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Sprout Class
Apply sprout class to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Playbook Design
Apply playbook design to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
- Code Review
Apply code review to solve real industry problems and demonstrate production-level capability.
Careers
Career paths this challenge builds toward
Completing this challenge demonstrates skills that transfer directly to these roles: