PrepPal – AI-Powered Interview Simulator

PrepPal is a full-stack AI-driven mock interview platform that simulates realistic interview conversations using Google's Gemini API. It dynamically generates follow-up questions based on user responses and provides feedback to help candidates prepare effectively.

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System Architecture

Explanation:

• The user answers a question through the interface.
• The response is sent to the backend API route.
• The backend forwards the message to Gemini API.
• A follow-up question is generated and returned.
• The new question is rendered and React state is updated.

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Features

• Real-time mock interview experience with dynamic question generation
• Contextual follow-up questions powered by Gemini API
• One-question-at-a-time interface for focused answering
• Seamless session flow with auto-generated feedback
• Responsive, minimal UI built for clarity and performance

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Tech Stack

• Frontend: React.js, Next.js, Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Node.js (via Next.js API routes)
• AI: Google Gemini API

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Setup Instructions

Prerequisites:

• Node.js (v16 or later)
• Gemini API key

Steps:

git clone https://github.com/Shlokmonster/PrepPal-AI-Powered-Interview-Simulator.git
cd PrepPal-AI-Powered-Interview-Simulator
npm install
cp .env.example .env
# Add your Gemini API key to the .env file
npm run dev

App will run at http://localhost:3000.

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Project Structure

/pages
  index.js           # Main interview UI
  /api
    interview.js     # Backend API route to handle GPT interaction
/components
  QuestionBox.jsx    # Renders current question
  AnswerInput.jsx    # Accepts user response
/lib
  gemini.js          # Gemini API wrapper

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Usage Flow

1. User starts a new interview session
2. Initial question is generated
3. User submits answers in real-time
4. Gemini API returns follow-up questions based on context
5. Process continues until the user ends the session

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE file for details.