Alex Petrov

Case Studies 7 min

Alex Petrov • 4 months ago

What 4,200 Python Submissions Tell Us About Code Reuse

By aggregating similarity scores across 4,200 student Python submissions over three semesters, we uncovered distinct copy-paste behaviors tied to assignment type, submission deadline, and language features. This practical guide walks through the exact process of running a large-scale code reuse audit using Codequiry’s output and Python data analysis, then shows how to turn those numbers into actionable course design decisions.

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Tutorials 7 min

Alex Petrov • 4 months ago

Automated Code Similarity Checks in a CI Lab Pipeline

Setting up automated code plagiarism and similarity checks inside a CI pipeline cuts manual grading time and catches copying that individual reviewers miss. This practical guide walks through the architecture, tooling choices, and honest tradeoffs of running MOSS, JPlag, or Codequiry’s API on every lab push.

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Academic Integrity 9 min

Alex Petrov • 5 months ago

How Automatic Grading Evolved From Scripts to Integrity Pipelines

A retrospective on automatic grading in computer science education—from shell scripts comparing output strings to modern platforms combining unit tests, static analysis, and code similarity detection. What we gained, what we lost, and why integrity pipelines matter more than ever.

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Tutorials 10 min

Alex Petrov • 5 months ago

Building a Source Code Provenance Pipeline for Contractor Deliverables

When contractors deliver source code, verifying originality and license compliance is critical. This guide walks through building an automated provenance pipeline that checks for code similarity, license violations, and proper attribution before accepting deliverables into your codebase.

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Tutorials 12 min

Alex Petrov • 5 months ago

How to Build a Source Code Similarity Pipeline for Detection

A step-by-step guide to building a source code similarity detection pipeline from scratch. Covers tokenization, AST comparison, Winnowing fingerprinting, and heuristic scoring. Includes working Python code and configuration strategies used by universities and enterprises.

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General 6 min

Alex Petrov • 6 months ago

Your Open Source License Is a Social Contract, Not a Rulebook

We treat open source licenses like a tax code to be audited, scanning for SPDX tags and copyright headers. This legalistic approach is creating compliant but ethically bankrupt software. True compliance isn't about checking boxes—it's about understanding and honoring the social intent behind the GPL, MIT, or Apache licenses. It's time to scan for spirit, not just the letter.

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General 8 min

Alex Petrov • 6 months ago

Your Static Analysis Tool Is Missing the Real Code Smells

Most static analysis tools flag trivial style issues while missing the architectural rot that cripples productivity. This guide shows you how to detect the five structural code smells that genuinely predict development slowdowns and defect clusters. We'll walk through real code, build custom detection rules, and integrate findings into your CI/CD pipeline.

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General 6 min

Alex Petrov • 6 months ago

Your Static Analysis Tool Is Lying to You About Code Smells

A 2024 study of 12 million static analysis warnings found that the majority of flagged "code smells" have zero correlation with actual defects. We're drowning in false positives, wasting developer time, and missing the real architectural rot. It's time to audit your tool's configuration before it audits your team's productivity.

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General 5 min

Alex Petrov • 7 months ago

Your Website's CSS Was Stolen Last Week

Web code plagiarism isn't just about student assignments. It's a rampant, costly problem for businesses. Competitors routinely lift unique CSS, JavaScript architectures, and even entire page structures. Here’s how to find out if it’s happening to you and what to do about it.

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General 9 min

Alex Petrov • 7 months ago

Your Codebase Is a Ticking Legal Bomb

Your software is built on a foundation of open-source code you didn't write and licenses you haven't read. A single incompatible license can trigger lawsuits, force product recalls, or mandate open-sourcing your entire codebase. This isn't a theoretical risk—it's a daily operational hazard that most engineering teams are blind to.

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Academic Integrity 7 min

Alex Petrov • 7 months ago

The Code That Broke a University's Honor Code

When a single, cleverly obfuscated code submission exposed the limitations of traditional plagiarism checkers, Stanford's CS106B had a crisis. The incident forced a complete re-evaluation of how to teach and enforce code integrity in the age of GitHub and AI. This is the story of how they rebuilt their defenses.

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AI Detection 7 min

Alex Petrov • 8 months ago

Your AI Detection Tool Is Lying to You About False Positives

AI code detection reports a 95% match. Your gut says it's wrong. You're probably right. This guide shows you how to move beyond the confidence score and conduct a forensic code review that separates AI-generated patterns from legitimate student work. We'll walk through three real student submissions from UC Berkeley's CS 61A course and show you exactly what to look for.

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