Show HN: Recruit web developers by having them build a web app

Hi HNers, OP here. Cull.io is similar to top coder or interviewstreet but focussing just on recruiting web developers. It works by asking candidates to develop a web app on localhost instead of presenting a textarea where candidates types the code.

Advantages:

1) Candidates can virtually choose any language, framework, libraries or IDEs to solve the challenge. (Since they are developing on localhost with their own setup)

2) Because of 1) you need not limit your challenge to be overly algorithmic. You can for example ask questions like 'Pick the most popular article on hacker news today'

Disadvantages: Limited to candidates who can develop a web application

A Few things:

1) For some requests, the correct response can be hidden and just reply 'pass' or 'fail'.

2) You can use javascript to randomize the requests. For example create a random expression and ask it to be evaled

3) Candidates submit the code after completing the challenge.

Thanks for checking out!

I think you'll have traction problems on the developer side.

Doesn't matter what kind of job it is, you can be pretty much 100% guaranteed that the job will be listed on the company website without any of the extra hoops to jump through.

Requiring someone to build a web app just to apply is a huge requirement. It's fine if you gave someone an interview, and this is the final step before you hire...but requiring someone to code just to submit an application is abuse.

Yes! I think the complexity should be reasonable too. I've listed why I built it here: http://www.cull.io/why.html

To start with, if you are recruiting a web developer it can be an simple alternative which lets candidates choose any framework, language or library.

P.s: It is another reason why cull.io never tracks the time a candidates take to complete the challenge. Honestly I think services like this will merely be a way to filter out candidates not select them. To select candidates you still need to work with them on a project and see their previous projects

It dosent have to be a complex web app. It's can be the same problems you would solve on topcoder if you need. but it can be more than that too.