Product Release Notes

Version 1.0

•

November 2025

•Initial Release

1. Release Overview

Version 1.0 marks the first official release of SolviQ AI, an AI-powered placement simulator platform that replicates real company-style assessments and helps students and job seekers practice job-role-specific tests, interviews, and career journeys.

This release delivers the core foundation of the platform, enabling end-to-end functionality for early users and partners. It establishes the baseline architecture, workflows, and experience that subsequent versions will build upon.

Mission Statement:

SolviQ AI empowers students and professionals to become truly placement-ready through intelligent, job-role-specific simulations, real-time feedback, and actionable analytics that drive continuous improvement.

Target Audience:

Engineering students preparing for campus placements
Job seekers preparing for technical and HR interviews
Students practicing aptitude and soft skills assessments
Career guidance seekers looking for personalized recommendations

2. Key Highlights

Launch of complete core module(s)

Assessment Skills Practice (Aptitude & Soft Skills)
Technical Skills Practice (Multi-branch engineering)
Interview Practice (Technical & HR)
Group Discussion Practice (AI-simulated)
Coding Round Practice (for software engineering roles)
Career Guidance Module
Resume ATS Scoring and Analysis
Job Application Automation
Playlist Generation for Skill Development

Secure and scalable backend architecture

FastAPI-based RESTful API with async support
PostgreSQL database with Alembic migrations
JWT-based authentication and authorization
Role-based access control (Student, Admin, etc.)
Redis integration for caching and session management
Docker containerization for easy deployment

Clean, intuitive user interface

Modern, responsive design with Tailwind CSS
Professional blue and white theme
Exam-style interface for realistic practice experience
Smooth animations and transitions
Mobile-first responsive design
Sliding indicator animations for enhanced UX

Foundational API framework

RESTful API endpoints for all practice modules
AI-powered question generation using Cohere LLM and OpenAI GPT
Real-time audio transcription and analysis
Comprehensive evaluation and feedback system
OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
Rate limiting and request validation

Compliance-ready design for future integrations

Modular architecture for easy feature additions
Extensible question generation system
Scalable user management and analytics
GDPR-compliant data handling
Secure authentication and authorization

3. New Features (Initial Feature Set)

Feature	Description	Impact
Assessment Skills Practice	AI-generated aptitude and soft skills questions with difficulty levels (Easy/Medium/Hard). Supports custom topics or AI-curated mix. Real-time scoring and detailed feedback.	Enables comprehensive assessment preparation with personalized question sets, improving confidence
Technical Skills Practice	Multi-branch engineering practice (CS, IT, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, etc.) with topic-specific or mixed questions. MCQ format with instant feedback and explanations.	Provides targeted technical skill development for engineering students across 18+ branches
Interview Practice	Real-time interview simulation for Technical and HR interviews. Audio input via Web Speech API, live transcription, AI-powered feedback with actionable suggestions.	Offers realistic interview experience and detailed feedback on communication and technical depth
Group Discussion Practice	AI-simulated GD sessions with 3 AI participants. Sequential dialogue via TTS, user audio recording, and comprehensive evaluation.	Simulates real GD scenarios for practice, accessible anytime
Career Guidance	AI-powered career guidance and recommendations tailored to user profile, skills, and preferences. Personalized job role and career path suggestions.	Helps users make informed career decisions based on strengths and market opportunities
User Dashboard	Real-time overview of practice history, scores, performance metrics, and visual progress tracking. Analytics and performance trends.	Improves visibility and decision-making with learning progress insights
User Onboarding	Simple, guided onboarding with role selection (Student/Admin), profile setup, and preference configuration.	Faster activation for new users with intuitive setup
Authentication Module	Secure login, signup, password reset, session management with JWT tokens. Role-based access and secure password hashing.	Ensures safe and compliant access with enterprise-grade security
AI Feedback System	Comprehensive feedback: mistakes, fixes, improved answers, scores, criteria breakdown (communication, relevance, technical depth), improvement suggestions.	Delivers actionable insights and specific skill recommendations
Results Review	Review page with explanations, correct/incorrect answers, statistics, and learning recommendations.	Detailed learning from mistakes and post-practice analysis
Responsive Design	Mobile-first approach, adaptive layouts, and touch-friendly interfaces for desktop, tablet, and mobile.	Ensures accessibility and seamless practice across all devices
Resume ATS Scoring	AI-powered resume analysis with ATS (Applicant Tracking System) scoring, keyword analysis, and improvement recommendations. Supports PDF and DOCX formats.	Helps students optimize their resumes for better job application success rates
Job Application Automation	Automated job application submission on popular job portals (Naukri, FoundIt, LinkedIn, Unstop) with intelligent matching and application tracking.	Streamlines job search process and increases application efficiency
Coding Round Practice	Dedicated coding assessment rounds with code editor, real-time evaluation, and AI-powered feedback for software engineering roles.	Provides hands-on coding practice with instant feedback for technical roles
Playlist Generation	AI-curated YouTube playlists for skill development based on job role requirements and identified skill gaps.	Offers personalized learning resources to bridge skill gaps
College Admin Dashboard	Comprehensive dashboard for college administrators to monitor student performance, generate reports, and track department-wise analytics.	Enables institutions to track and improve student placement readiness
System Admin Panel	Centralized administration panel for managing colleges, creating student accounts, and monitoring platform-wide analytics.	Provides platform management and oversight capabilities

4. Enhancements / Improvements

(Since this is the first release, these represent refinements during development)

UI/UX Polishing

• Implemented sliding indicator animations for assessment type and difficulty selection
• Added professional exam-style interface with gradient backgrounds and modern card designs
• Enhanced visual feedback with hover effects, scale transforms, and smooth transitions (500ms duration)
• Improved responsive design for mobile, tablet, and desktop views
• Added backdrop blur effects and glass-morphism design elements
• Color-coded difficulty indicators (Blue for Easy, Green for Medium, Dark for Hard)
• Professional question number badges with gradient backgrounds
• Enhanced option buttons with circular letter indicators and selection states

Performance Tuning

• Optimized API response times for question generation (reduced from 30s to 15-20s)
• Implemented caching for frequently accessed questions
• Reduced frontend bundle size with code splitting
• Optimized database queries with proper indexing
• Lazy loading for large question sets
• Efficient state management to reduce re-renders

Basic Analytics Integrated

• User practice session tracking
• Score history and performance trends
• Question difficulty analytics
• User engagement metrics
• Time spent per question tracking
• Practice completion rates

Improved API Response Structures

• Standardized response formats across all endpoints
• Comprehensive error handling with detailed error messages
• Consistent data models for questions, feedback, and evaluations
• Proper HTTP status codes and error responses
• Request/response validation using Pydantic models

Better Error Handling

• User-friendly error messages for API failures
• Graceful fallbacks for browser compatibility issues
• Comprehensive validation for all user inputs
• Network error recovery mechanisms
• Database connection error handling
• Microphone permission error handling with clear instructions

Audio Input Enhancements

• Web Speech API integration for live transcription
• Microphone permission handling with clear error messages
• Audio recording with MediaRecorder API
• Browser compatibility checks and fallbacks
• Real-time transcript display in textarea
• Clear response functionality that stops recording

AI Feedback Optimization

• Enhanced LLM prompts for more detailed feedback
• Added "suggestions" field for what more users can say
• Improved scoring criteria (Communication, Relevance, Technical Depth)
• Better structured feedback with actionable tips
• Context-aware suggestions based on job role and topic
• Multi-criteria evaluation for comprehensive assessment

Code Quality Improvements

• TypeScript for type safety in frontend
• Pydantic models for data validation in backend
• Comprehensive error logging
• Code documentation and comments
• Consistent coding standards
• Modular component architecture

5. Bug Fixes

All major blockers identified during internal QA and UAT have been resolved for Version 1.0, including:

✅ Fixed Audio Input Issues

• Resolved microphone permission handling with proper error messages
• Fixed speech recognition initialization errors
• Improved browser compatibility checks
• Fixed audio recording start/stop functionality
• Resolved textarea sync with live transcript

✅ Fixed Clear Response Functionality

• Now properly clears live transcript, interim transcript, and saved responses
• Stops recording when clearing response
• Resets all related state correctly

✅ Fixed UI Responsiveness

• Resolved layout issues on mobile devices
• Fixed sliding indicator positioning calculations
• Improved button touch targets for mobile
• Fixed grid layouts for different screen sizes
• Resolved text overflow issues

✅ Fixed Tailwind CSS Errors

• Resolved `@apply` directive issues in globals.css
• Fixed custom CSS class definitions
• Corrected slider styling for range inputs
• Fixed animation keyframes

✅ Fixed API Authentication

• Resolved JWT token refresh issues
• Fixed session expiration handling
• Improved error messages for authentication failures
• Fixed password reset functionality

✅ Fixed Question Generation

• Resolved timeout issues for large question sets
• Fixed caching problems
• Improved error handling for AI generation failures
• Fixed question format inconsistencies

✅ Fixed Database Connection Issues

• Improved connection pooling
• Better error messages for database failures
• Fixed migration issues
• Resolved connection timeout problems

✅ Fixed Frontend State Management

• Resolved state synchronization issues
• Fixed component re-rendering problems
• Improved data flow between components
• Fixed memory leaks in event listeners

6. Performance & Security Updates

✅ Role-Based Access Controls

• Student role for practice access
• Admin role for system management
• Proper permission checks on all endpoints
• Secure route protection
• Token-based authentication

✅ API Rate Limits & Validations

• Request validation using Pydantic models
• Input sanitization to prevent injection attacks
• Rate limiting on authentication endpoints
• Request size limits
• File upload validation

✅ Optimized Backend Queries

• Database indexing on frequently queried fields
• Efficient joins and query optimization
• Caching for question generation results
• Connection pooling for better performance
• Query result pagination

✅ Logging & Monitoring

• Comprehensive logging for API requests and errors
• User activity tracking for analytics
• Performance monitoring for critical endpoints
• Error tracking and alerting
• Audit logs for security events

✅ Security Enhancements

• JWT token-based authentication with refresh tokens
• Password hashing using secure algorithms (bcrypt)
• CORS configuration for frontend access
• Input validation and sanitization
• SQL injection prevention through ORM
• XSS protection in frontend
• CSRF protection measures

✅ Data Privacy

• Secure storage of user responses
• No storage of sensitive audio data
• GDPR-compliant data handling practices
• User data encryption at rest
• Secure API communication (HTTPS ready)

✅ Performance Optimizations

• Lazy loading of components
• Code splitting for faster initial load
• Image optimization
• CSS minification
• JavaScript bundling and minification
• Database query optimization

9. Technical Specifications

Frontend Technology Stack

• Framework: Next.js 14+ (React 18+)
• Styling: Tailwind CSS 3+
• Language: TypeScript 5+
• State Management: React Hooks (useState, useEffect, useContext)
• API Communication: Fetch API with async/await
• Audio: Web Speech API (SpeechRecognition, SpeechSynthesis)
• Recording: MediaRecorder API
• Icons: Lucide React
• Build Tool: Next.js built-in bundler
• Package Manager: npm

Backend Technology Stack

• Framework: FastAPI (Python 3.10+)
• Database: PostgreSQL 14+
• ORM: SQLAlchemy 2.0+
• Migrations: Alembic
• Authentication: JWT (python-jose)
• Password Hashing: bcrypt (passlib)
• AI/LLM: Cohere API and OpenAI GPT-4/GPT-3.5
• API Documentation: OpenAPI/Swagger
• Validation: Pydantic V2
• Async Support: asyncio, aiofiles
• Caching: Redis
• Background Tasks: Celery with Redis
• File Storage: AWS S3 (boto3)
• Web Scraping: Playwright, Selenium, BeautifulSoup
• PDF Processing: PyPDF, python-docx, ReportLab
• Monitoring: Sentry SDK, Structlog

Infrastructure

• Deployment: Docker containers
• Server: Production-ready ASGI server (Uvicorn)
• Database: Managed PostgreSQL instance
• File Storage: AWS S3
• CDN: CloudFront (AWS)
• Monitoring: Sentry SDK, Structlog for structured logging
• Environment: Environment-based configuration (.env)
• Background Jobs: Celery workers with Flower monitoring

Development Tools

• Version Control: Git
• Code Quality: ESLint, Prettier (frontend)
• Code Quality: Black, Flake8 (backend)
• Testing: Jest (frontend), Pytest (backend) - planned
• Documentation: Markdown, Swagger/OpenAPI

10. Installation & Setup

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ and npm
• Python 3.10+
• PostgreSQL 14+
• Redis (optional, for caching)
• Docker (optional, for containerized deployment)

Quick Start Guide

Backend Setup:

# Navigate to backend directory
cd solviqai-server
# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Set up environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your database credentials and API keys
# Run database migrations
alembic upgrade head
# Start server
uvicorn main:app --reload

Frontend Setup:

# Navigate to frontend directory
cd solviqai-ui
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Set up environment variables
cp .env.example .env.local
# Edit .env.local with your API URL
# Start development server
npm run dev

Environment Variables

Backend (.env):

DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/solviqai_db
SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here
COHERE_API_KEY=your-cohere-api-key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key
REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-aws-access-key
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-aws-secret-key
AWS_S3_BUCKET_NAME=your-bucket-name

Frontend (.env.local):

NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:8000

Docker Deployment (Optional):

# Build and run with Docker Compose
docker-compose up -d

11. Support & Documentation

Documentation Resources

• API Documentation: Available at `/docs` endpoint (Swagger UI) when server is running
• User Guide: Available in the application help section
• Developer Documentation: Available in repository README files
• Architecture Documentation: Available in `/documents` directory

Support Channels

• Email Support: support@hirekarma.in
• Issue Tracker: GitHub Issues
• Community Forum: [Link to forum - to be added]
• Knowledge Base: [Link to KB - to be added]

Training Resources

• Video tutorials for each practice module
• Best practices guide for interview preparation
• FAQ section addressing common questions
• Sample practice sessions
• Tips and tricks for maximizing practice effectiveness

Getting Help

• Check the FAQ section first
• Review the user guide
• Search existing issues on GitHub
• Contact support for critical issues
• Join the community forum for discussions

12. Acknowledgements

Development Team

• Backend Developers: For building a robust, scalable API architecture
• Frontend Developers: For creating an intuitive and beautiful user interface
• AI/ML Engineers: For integrating advanced AI capabilities
• QA Team: For thorough testing and bug identification
• DevOps Team: For infrastructure and deployment support

Beta Testers

• All early adopters who provided valuable feedback during the testing phase
• Engineering students who participated in beta testing and provided insights
• Career counselors who validated the career guidance features
• Interview coaches who reviewed the feedback quality

Open Source Community

• Next.js Team: For the amazing React framework and developer experience
• FastAPI Team: For the high-performance Python framework
• Tailwind CSS Team: For the utility-first CSS framework
• Cohere: For the powerful LLM API that powers our AI features
• PostgreSQL Community: For the robust database system
• All Contributors: To the open source libraries that made this project possible

Special Thanks

• All early adopters who provided feedback during the development phase
• Engineering students who participated in beta testing across multiple branches
• Career counselors who validated the career guidance features
• University partners who provided testing environments
• Mentors and advisors who guided the product development

Technology Partners

• Cohere for AI/LLM capabilities
• PostgreSQL for reliable data storage
• Redis for caching and performance
• AWS (if applicable) for cloud infrastructure

7. Known Issues

No major known issues at launch. Minor cosmetic items will be addressed in Version 1.1:

•Browser Compatibility: Some browsers may require manual microphone permission grants. Chrome and Edge are recommended for best experience.
•TTS Quality: Text-to-Speech (TTS) quality varies by browser. Chrome provides the best TTS experience for Group Discussion practice.
•Large Question Sets: Very large question sets (50+ questions) may take 20-30 seconds to generate. Progress indicators are shown during generation.
•Long Question Texts: Very long question texts may require scrolling on smaller screens. This is expected behavior.
•Network Latency: In areas with slow internet, audio transcription may have slight delays. This is dependent on network speed.
•Mobile Audio: Some mobile browsers may have limitations with audio recording. Desktop browsers are recommended for best audio experience.

Workarounds:

• Use Chrome or Edge for best compatibility
• Ensure stable internet connection for AI features
• Grant microphone permissions when prompted
• Use desktop for audio-intensive features

8. Roadmap (Next Release)

Version 1.1 (Planned for Q1 2025)

Feature Refinements:

• Enhanced AI feedback with more personalized suggestions
• Additional question types (coding challenges, case studies, scenario-based)
• Practice history and analytics dashboard with detailed insights
• Performance comparison with peer averages
• Custom practice session creation
• Bookmark favorite questions

Workflow Automations:

• Automated practice reminders via email
• Smart question recommendations based on weak areas
• Progress tracking and milestone achievements
• Email notifications for practice completion
• Weekly progress reports
• Personalized learning paths

Advanced Reporting:

• Detailed performance analytics with charts and graphs
• Skill gap analysis with visualizations
• Improvement trajectory charts over time
• Exportable practice reports (PDF)
• Comparative analysis with industry standards
• Career readiness score

Third-Party Integrations:

• Integration with popular job portals (Naukri, LinkedIn, etc.)
• LinkedIn profile analysis and recommendations
• Resume builder integration
• Calendar integration for practice scheduling
• Google Calendar sync for practice reminders
• Slack/Teams notifications for team practice sessions

Additional Features:

• Mock interview scheduling with AI
• Video interview practice with webcam support
• Peer practice sessions (multi-user)
• Certification badges for completed modules
• Leaderboards and competitions
• Social sharing of achievements

Version 1.2 (Planned for Q2 2025)

Advanced AI Features:

• Advanced AI coaching with personalized learning paths
• Adaptive difficulty adjustment based on performance
• AI-powered resume optimization
• Interview question prediction based on job role
• Personalized study plans

Platform Expansion:

• Multi-language support (Hindi, regional languages)
• Mobile app (iOS & Android)
• Offline practice mode
• Advanced analytics and insights
• AI-powered career path recommendations

Enterprise Features:

• Organization/college-level dashboards
• Bulk user management
• Custom branding
• Advanced reporting for institutions
• API access for integrations

Community Features:

• Discussion forums
• Peer review system
• Study groups
• Mentorship matching
• Success stories and testimonials

13. Contact Information

Product Team

• Product Manager: Swapnajit Mohanty
• Technical Lead: Lokanath Panda
• Design Lead: Lokanath Panda
• AI/ML Lead: Lokanath Panda

14. Changelog Summary

Version 1.0.0 (November 2025) - Initial Release

Core Features:

✅ Assessment Skills Practice (Aptitude & Soft Skills)
✅ Technical Skills Practice (18+ engineering branches)
✅ Interview Practice (Technical & HR)
✅ Group Discussion Practice (AI-simulated)
✅ Coding Round Practice (for software engineering roles)
✅ Career Guidance Module
✅ Resume ATS Scoring and Analysis
✅ Job Application Automation (Naukri, FoundIt, LinkedIn, Unstop)
✅ Playlist Generation for Skill Development
✅ User Authentication & Authorization
✅ AI-powered Question Generation (Cohere & OpenAI)
✅ Comprehensive Feedback System
✅ Results Review & Analytics
✅ College Admin Dashboard
✅ System Admin Panel
✅ Responsive UI/UX Design

Technical Implementation:

✅ FastAPI backend with PostgreSQL
✅ Next.js frontend with TypeScript
✅ JWT authentication
✅ Cohere LLM and OpenAI GPT integration
✅ Web Speech API integration
✅ Docker containerization
✅ Alembic migrations
✅ Redis caching and Celery background tasks
✅ AWS S3 file storage
✅ API documentation

UI/UX Enhancements:

✅ Professional exam-style interface
✅ Sliding indicator animations
✅ Responsive design (mobile, tablet, desktop)
✅ Modern gradient designs
✅ Smooth transitions and animations
✅ Color-coded status indicators