From Localhost to Live: Building GateBooster — A Real CBT-Style GATE Practice Platform

The Problem: Authentic Exam Simulation Gap

Most GATE preparation platforms fail to replicate the actual Computer-Based Test (CBT) environment crucial for effective exam readiness. Common issues include:

• Visual clutter and unnecessary UI elements
• Distracting advertisements and popups
• Poor navigation flow mismatched with actual GATE interfaces
• Inadequate time pressure simulation

This creates a significant gap since the actual GATE exam emphasizes:

1. Minimalist interface design
2. Precise time management
3. Efficient question navigation
4. Uninterrupted focus

GateBooster's Solution Approach

GateBooster implements a production-ready architecture focused exclusively on CBT simulation:

Core Technical Components:

• Frontend: Next.js (App Router) with TypeScript and Tailwind CSS, deployed on Vercel
• Backend: Fastify-based Node.js API server hosted on Railway
• Authentication: JWT with HttpOnly/Secure/SameSite cookies
• Database: Structured storage for users, exams, and responses

Key Functional Features:

• Full-length timed exams with auto-submission
• Realistic question palette with status indicators
• Section-based navigation mirroring actual GATE workflow
• Post-test performance analytics
• Zero-advertisement interface

Production Deployment Challenges

The transition from local development to live environment surfaced critical distributed systems challenges:

Cross-Domain Authentication Issues

• Cookie conflicts between Vercel (frontend) and Railway (backend) subdomains
• Inconsistent SameSite policy enforcement across browsers
• Debugging silent authentication failures requiring Chrome DevTools' Application tab inspections

CORS Complexities

• Preflight request failures for credentialed requests
• Dynamic origin configuration based on environment (dev vs prod)
• Security-vs-functionality tradeoffs in Access-Control-Allow-Origin settings

Environment-Specific Failures

• Discrepancies between local environment variables and cloud provider configurations
• Build-time vs runtime variable injection differences
• Third-party service API key permission mismatches

SEO Implementation Hurdles

• Dynamic sitemap generation for exam pages
• Search Console verification delays
• Indexing priority management for public vs authenticated routes

Architectural Tradeoffs

Design Choice	Benefit	Compromise
JWT Cookies	Stateless auth simplifies scaling	Requires strict cookie policies
Multi-cloud Deployment	Optimal performance for global users	Cross-origin complexity
Monolithic Backend	Faster initial development	Scalability limitations at high load
SSR for SEO	Public page discoverability	Increased server resource consumption

Lessons from Production

1. Environment Parity: Maintain identical configuration management across dev/staging/prod
2. CORS as Feature: Implement automated CORS configuration tests in CI pipeline
3. Observability Gap: Added logging middleware for auth flow visibility
4. Cookie Consistency: Standardized cookie settings across all environments

Conclusion

GateBooster demonstrates that shipping production systems requires solving problems beyond core functionality. The platform now serves real users at gatebooster.com, providing authentic CBT simulation while continuously evolving based on user feedback. The project highlights how production deployments expose distributed systems challenges rarely encountered during local development, particularly around cross-domain security, environment consistency, and third-party service integration.

For GATE aspirants, it offers exam-realistic practice. For developers, it provides concrete examples of overcoming deployment hurdles in modern web applications.