🛡️ Investec Developer Quest

A local-first CLI game for learning Investec API patterns, Programmable Banking card logic, and secure fintech engineering.

This is a community playground, not an official Investec product.

You will:

• fix intentionally flawed integration code
• run behavior tests to prove the feature works
• run attack tests to prove the exploit is blocked
• unlock references, debriefs, case files, and a completion certificate

Current content: 19 playable levels across Seasons 1 to 4.

🏆 See who has completed the quest so far in the Community Completion Leaderboard. Completed the game? Submit your completion through the swag claim process below.

🚀 Start Here (5 minutes)

🧰 1) Prerequisites

• Node.js 20+
• pnpm 9+

Quick check:

node -v
pnpm -v

Windows players should read Windows Setup first (PowerShell policy can block scripts).

📦 2) Install and start the Quickstart Path

git clone https://github.com/Investec-Developer-Community/investec-dev-quest.git
cd investec-dev-quest
pnpm install
cp .env.example .env
pnpm game map
pnpm game level 1 --season 1

The Quickstart Path is the recommended first route:

1. Season 1 Level 1: First Contact
2. Season 2 Level 1: Merchant Mirage
3. Season 4 Level 1: Tool Gatekeeper

To claim swag, you still need the Grandmaster Run: all 19 levels.

🧪 3) Run once, then edit once

pnpm game test

Edit this file:

seasons/season-1/level-1/solution.js

🔁 4) Tight feedback loop

pnpm game test
# or
pnpm game watch

• Stuck? Use pnpm game hint
• Failures unclear? Use pnpm game explain
• Journal and case files become richer after solved levels record evidence: pnpm game journal

✅ 5) Confirm you are on track

pnpm game status

Behavior tests prove the feature works. Attack tests prove the exploit is blocked. A level is complete only when both pass. XP is a bragging-rights score derived from how cleanly you solve completed levels; swag eligibility still requires 19/19 levels complete.

🧭 Player Paths

These are suggested learning tracks. To claim swag, you must complete all 19 levels.

Path	Recommended levels	Best for
Quickstart path	Season 1 Level 1, Season 2 Level 1, Season 4 Level 1	First-time players learning the edit-test-hint loop
API foundations path	Season 1 Levels 1-6	OAuth2, pagination, token reuse/refresh, beneficiaries, idempotent payments
Card code path	Season 2 Levels 1-6	beforeTransaction rules, MCCs, budgets, velocity limits
Security path	Season 2 Level 1, Season 3 Level 1, Season 4 Levels 1, 4, 5	Validation, HMAC verification, exact allowlists, injection defense
Grandmaster Run	All 19 levels	Swag eligibility

Run pnpm game map to see path progress and the next incomplete mission.

⌨️ Commands

Most-used commands

pnpm game level 1 --season 1
pnpm game test
pnpm game watch
pnpm game hint
pnpm game explain
pnpm game status
pnpm game map

More command examples

pnpm game level <n> --season <n>   # load a level
pnpm game test --verbose            # full failure traces
pnpm game hint --topic auth         # topic-focused hint mode
pnpm game reference --season 2 --level 1
pnpm game reset --yes
pnpm game journal --all-evidence

For complete CLI options, run:

pnpm game --help
pnpm game <command> --help

The CLI header auto-reflects mission count and CLI version from current repo state.

Progress is stored at ~/.investec-game/progress.json.

Reset all progress:

rm ~/.investec-game/progress.json

🧠 How the Game Works

Level structure

Each level lives in seasons/season-N/level-N/.

File	Purpose
story.md	Scenario and context
starter/solution.js	Starter template copied to working file
solution.js	Your working solution
tests/behavior.test.js	Behavior checks
attack/exploit.test.js	Exploit checks
hints/hint-1.md	First hint
hints/hint-2.md	Second hint
reference/solution.js	Reference implementation after completion
debrief.md	Required post-solve explanation

🏁 Win condition

Both suites must pass:

1. Behavior tests
2. Attack script

This enforces dual validation: no over-restricting and no under-fixing.

📓 Carry-forward consequences

Quality of earlier fixes carries into later narrative and debrief output.

On completion, each level writes a case file entry with:

• adversary blocked
• production habit learned
• downstream consequence change

Case files and consequence context are surfaced via status, journal, and reference.

For architecture and consequence internals, see docs/architecture-overview.md.

📚 Seasons

Season	Theme
1	API Foundations: OAuth2, accounts, transactions, pagination
2	Card Code and Rules Engine
3	Secure Fintech Workflows
4	Intelligent Banking Automation

🔌 Mock API

The local mock API is auto-started by the CLI for API-required levels.

• Base URL: http://localhost:3001
• Credentials from .env: game_client_id, game_client_secret, game_api_key

Troubleshooting and health-check steps are in docs/troubleshooting.md.

🎁 Claim Your Prize

Swag eligibility requires 19/19 levels complete.

Claim flow:

1. Run pnpm game status and confirm 19/19 levels complete.
2. Run pnpm game certificate.
3. Check your total XP, no-hint solves, and low-attempt solves for bragging rights.
4. Open the swag claim issue directly: Swag claim template.
5. Include your pnpm game status screenshot and certificate text.
6. A maintainer shares the claim form link directly.

🏆 Community Completion Leaderboard

This leaderboard shows publicly submitted completion claims. There may be additional players who completed the game without submitting an issue.

Rank	Player	Reported time	Feedback	Submission
1	limanindou	2 hours	—	Issue #15
2	sean-gordon	8 hours	“That was a fun challenge! Thanks!”	Issue #67
3	lungilemooketsi	~30 hours	“This was quite the learning experience for me, great fun and an even better challenge.”	Issue #66
—	EstherSewlall	Not provided	—	Issue #9
—	Kimmicorn-glitch	Not provided	—	Issue #29

🤝 Contributing a Level

See docs/authoring-guide.md.

Architecture guide: docs/architecture-overview.md.

Quick checklist:

1. Scaffold a level:

pnpm create-level -- --season <n> --level <n> --name "<Level Name>" --difficulty beginner --attackName "Exploit Name"

2. Write scenario in story.md.
3. Implement buggy/incomplete starter/solution.js.
4. Add behavior tests and attack script.
5. Add two hints and a debrief.md.
6. Verify starter fails and reference passes.
7. Open a PR.

For full validation parity (including API-required levels), run:

node scripts/validate-levels.mjs --strict

🗂️ Project Structure

investec-developer-game/
├── packages/
│   ├── cli/
│   ├── mock-api/
│   ├── webhook-emitter/
│   └── shared/
├── seasons/
│   ├── season-1/
│   ├── season-2/
│   ├── season-3/
│   └── season-4/
├── templates/
│   └── level-template/
└── docs/
    ├── authoring-guide.md
    └── architecture-overview.md

🙌 Inspired by

Inspired by GitHub Secure Code Game: https://securitylab.github.com/secure-code-game/