The open curriculum for learning web development
This report presents the forensic synthetic code analysis of TheOdinProject/curriculum, a JavaScript project with 12,771 GitHub stars. SynthScan v2.0 examined 69,503 lines of code across 622 source files, recording 128 pattern matches distributed across 6 syntactic categories. The overall adjusted score of 3.1 places this repository in the Likely human-written band.
The scanner applied 160+ deterministic lexical heuristics, multi-line block detectors, abstract syntax tree depth profilers, and a cross-file Jaccard similarity matrix to construct a statistically normalised synthetic code estimate. All matches are individually weighted by severity coefficient and contextual multiplier before summation, and the resulting headline score is temporally discounted to account for the repository's development history relative to the commercial emergence of large language model coding tooling (November 2022 onward).
This chart maps the temporal evolution of the adjusted synthetic code score across successive scan runs. An upward trajectory indicates ongoing incorporation of AI-generated code or expanding LLM-assisted scaffolding; a stable or declining trajectory may reflect active human refactoring, code removal, or the adoption of stricter authorship policies. The dashed secondary line (right axis) independently tracks total raw pattern hit count, which can diverge from the normalised score when codebase size changes significantly between scans.
Classifies detected patterns by their diagnostic confidence and structural impact. CRITICAL patterns (coefficient 10) represent definitive synthetic signatures — hallucinated imports, explicit LLM attribution metadata — virtually never produced by human authors. HIGH (5) indicates strong structural tells such as cross-file repetition or cross-linguistic idioms. MEDIUM (2) covers recognisable conversational padding and AI-specific vocabulary. LOW (1) captures subtle indicators like tautological comments and generic boilerplate that require density to carry independent signal.
This horizontal bar chart decomposes the repository's raw synthetic code score by top-level directory, allowing you to pinpoint precisely which modules or components carry the highest AI authorship density. Directories with disproportionately high scores relative to their size warrant targeted manual review: concentrated AI signatures often trace back to mass-generated configuration layers, auto-ported test suites, LLM-scaffolded boilerplate classes, or entire subsystems authored under heavy copilot assistance. Use this view to prioritise your human code-review effort.
The scanner identified 128 distinct pattern matches across 6 syntactic categories. Each entry below represents a discrete location in the source code where the engine recorded a statistically significant AI authorship indicator. Expand any category row to inspect the individual file paths, line numbers, code snippets, and the lexical context (CODE, COMMENT, or STRING) in which each match was detected.
Reading the findings table: The Severity column indicates the diagnostic confidence level (CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW). The Context column identifies whether the match occurred inside executable code, an inline comment, or a string literal — comment-context matches receive a ×1.5 weight because LLMs systematically over-annotate. The ⚡ bolt icon marks clustered matches: three or more patterns within a 10-line window, each receiving an additional ×1.5 density multiplier as dense clusters constitute far stronger evidence of synthetic authorship than isolated hits.
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW⚡ | advanced_html_css/responsive_design/project_homepage.md | 13 | #### Step 1: Set up and planning | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | advanced_html_css/responsive_design/project_homepage.md | 18 | #### Step 2: Gather assets | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | advanced_html_css/responsive_design/project_homepage.md | 25 | #### Step 3: Some tips! | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | advanced_html_css/responsive_design/project_homepage.md | 32 | #### Step 4: Give your feedback | COMMENT |
| LOW | nodeJS/express/installation_guides/postgresql/linux.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Make sure the system is up to date | COMMENT |
| LOW | nodeJS/express/installation_guides/postgresql/linux.md | 11 | #### Step 2: Install the PostgreSQL packages | COMMENT |
| LOW | nodeJS/express/installation_guides/postgresql/linux.md | 29 | #### Step 3: Setting up PostgreSQL | COMMENT |
| LOW | nodeJS/express/installation_guides/postgresql/macos.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Make sure the system is up to date | COMMENT |
| LOW | nodeJS/express/installation_guides/postgresql/macos.md | 14 | #### Step 2: Install PostgreSQL via PostgresApp | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | archive/installing_node.md | 14 | #### Step 0: Prerequisites | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | archive/installing_node.md | 21 | #### Step 1: Downloading and Installing `nvm` | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | archive/installing_node.md | 31 | #### Step 2: Initializing `nvm` | COMMENT |
| LOW | archive/installing_node.md | 88 | #### Step 1: Installation | COMMENT |
| LOW | archive/installing_node.md | 104 | #### Step 2: Setting the Node Version | COMMENT |
| LOW | …int/TOP004_lessonHeadings/tests/_guides/guide_valid.md | 5 | ### Step 1: Download software | COMMENT |
| LOW | …int/TOP004_lessonHeadings/tests/_guides/guide_valid.md | 13 | ### Step 2: Install | COMMENT |
| LOW | …t/TOP004_lessonHeadings/tests/_guides/guide_invalid.md | 5 | ### Step 1: Download | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | foundations/javascript_basics/loops_and_arrays.md | 56 | // Step 1: If the element is an even number | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | foundations/javascript_basics/loops_and_arrays.md | 58 | // Step 2: Multiply this number by three | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | foundations/javascript_basics/loops_and_arrays.md | 61 | // Step 3: Add the new number to the total | COMMENT |
| LOW | …tions/javascript_basics/project_rock_paper_scissors.md | 27 | #### Step 1: Setup the project structure | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/javascript_basics/project_rock_paper_scissors.md | 39 | #### Step 2: Write the logic to get the computer choice | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/javascript_basics/project_rock_paper_scissors.md | 49 | #### Step 3: Write the logic to get the human choice | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/javascript_basics/project_rock_paper_scissors.md | 59 | #### Step 4: Declare the players score variables | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/javascript_basics/project_rock_paper_scissors.md | 66 | #### Step 5: Write the logic to play a single round | COMMENT |
| LOW | …tions/javascript_basics/project_rock_paper_scissors.md | 89 | #### Step 6: Write the logic to play the entire game | COMMENT |
| LOW | …dations/javascript_basics/installation_guides/linux.md | 3 | #### Step 0: Prerequisites | COMMENT |
| LOW | …dations/javascript_basics/installation_guides/linux.md | 17 | #### Step 1: Downloading and installing nvm | COMMENT |
| LOW | …dations/javascript_basics/installation_guides/linux.md | 25 | #### Step 2: Initializing nvm | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …installations/installation_guides/text_editors/wsl2.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Install VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …installations/installation_guides/text_editors/wsl2.md | 7 | #### Step 2: Delete the installer file | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …installations/installation_guides/text_editors/wsl2.md | 13 | #### Step 3: Install WSL Extension | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …installations/installation_guides/text_editors/wsl2.md | 19 | #### Step 4: Ensure that WSL2 can correctly open VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/linux.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Download VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/linux.md | 11 | #### Step 2: Install VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/linux.md | 51 | #### Step 3: Delete the installer file | COMMENT |
| LOW | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/linux.md | 59 | #### Step 4: Using VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/macos.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Download VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/macos.md | 7 | #### Step 2: Install VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/macos.md | 13 | #### Step 3: Delete the installer file | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …nstallations/installation_guides/text_editors/macos.md | 19 | #### Step 4: Using VSCode | COMMENT |
| LOW | …ations/installations/installation_guides/linux/wsl2.md | 15 | ### Step 1: Installations | COMMENT |
| LOW | …allations/installation_guides/linux/virtual_machine.md | 5 | ### Step 1: Download VirtualBox and Xubuntu | COMMENT |
| LOW | …allations/installation_guides/linux/virtual_machine.md | 27 | ### Step 2: Install VirtualBox and set up Xubuntu | COMMENT |
| LOW | …allations/installation_guides/linux/virtual_machine.md | 116 | ### Step 3: Begin Xubuntu installation | COMMENT |
| LOW | …allations/installation_guides/linux/virtual_machine.md | 192 | ### Step 4: Updates and Guest Additions | COMMENT |
| LOW | …allations/installation_guides/linux/virtual_machine.md | 272 | ### Step 4: Understand your new VM | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …s/installations/installation_guides/linux/dual_boot.md | 5 | ### Step 0: BitLocker | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …s/installations/installation_guides/linux/dual_boot.md | 15 | ### Step 1: Download Ubuntu | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …s/installations/installation_guides/linux/dual_boot.md | 19 | ### Step 2: Create a bootable flash drive | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …s/installations/installation_guides/linux/dual_boot.md | 25 | ### Step 3: Install Ubuntu | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/wsl2.md | 5 | #### Step 1: Download Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/wsl2.md | 10 | #### Step 2: Install Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …tions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/wsl2.md | 15 | #### Step 3: Using Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW | …ions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/linux.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Download Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW | …ions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/linux.md | 20 | #### Step 2: Install Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW | …ions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/linux.md | 50 | #### Step 3: Delete the installer file | COMMENT |
| LOW | …ions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/linux.md | 56 | #### Step 4: Using Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …ions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/macos.md | 3 | #### Step 1: Download Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | …ions/installations/installation_guides/chrome/macos.md | 8 | #### Step 2: Install Google Chrome | COMMENT |
| 32 more matches not shown… | ||||
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | nodeJS/express/forms_and_data_handling.md | 24 | <input placeholder="John Doe" type="text" name="fullName" id="fullName"> | CODE |
| LOW | databases/databases/databases_and_sql.md | 60 | INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES ('foobar', 'foo@bar.com'); | CODE |
| LOW | databases/databases/databases_and_sql.md | 72 | WHERE email='foo@bar.com'; | CODE |
| LOW | archive/html_css/project_design.md | 23 | 1. Add in some meaningless text to those divs (whether copied from the homepage or a [lorem ipsum generator](http://gene | CODE |
| LOW | …dations/html_css/html_foundations/working_with_text.md | 24 | Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor | CODE |
| LOW | …dations/html_css/html_foundations/working_with_text.md | 24 | Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor | CODE |
| LOW | …dations/html_css/html_foundations/working_with_text.md | 209 | 1. To get some practice working with text in HTML, create a plain blog article page which uses different headings, uses | CODE |
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/forms_and_authentication/form_basics.md | 42 | Parameters: {"utf8"=>"✓", "authenticity_token"=>"jJa87aK1OpXfjojryBk2Db6thv0K3bSZeYTuW8hF4Ns=", "email"=>"foo@bar.com" | CODE |
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/forms_and_authentication/form_basics.md | 63 | Now another thing we talked about in the controller section was nesting data. You'll often want to tuck submitted data n | CODE |
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/forms_and_authentication/form_basics.md | 78 | Parameters: {"utf8"=>"✓", "authenticity_token"=>"jJa87aK1OpXfjojryBk2Db6thv0K3bSZeYTuW8hF4Ns=", "user"=>{"first_name"= | CODE |
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/forms_and_authentication/project_forms.md | 58 | Parameters: {"utf8"=>"✓", "authenticity_token"=>"jJa87aK1OpXfjojryBk2Db6thv0K3bSZeYTuW8hF4Ns=", "email"=>"foo@bar.com | CODE |
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/forms_and_authentication/project_forms.md | 67 | Parameters: {"authenticity_token"=>"WUaJBOpLhFo3Mt2vlEmPQ93zMv53sDk6WFzZ2YJJQ0M=", "username"=>"foobar", "email"=>"fo | CODE |
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/forms_and_authentication/project_forms.md | 94 | Parameters: {"authenticity_token" => "WUaJBOpLhFo3Mt2vlEmPQ93zMv53sDk6WFzZ2YJJQ0M=", "user" =>{ "username" => "foobar | CODE |
| LOW | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 35 | [#<User id: 1, email: "foo@bar.com">] | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 89 | 1. `User.where(email: "foo@bar.com")` | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 90 | 1. `User.where("email" => "foo@bar.com")` | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 91 | 1. `User.where("email = 'foo@bar.com'")` | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 92 | 1. `User.where("email = ?", "foo@bar.com")` | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 93 | 1. `User.where("users.email" => "foo@bar.com")` | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 101 | The key thing to note is that `#find` returns the actual record while `#where` returns an `ActiveRecord::Relation` which | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …vanced_forms_and_activerecord/active_record_queries.md | 103 | `#find_by` is a really neat method that basically lets you build your own finder method. It's an alternative to using `# | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …tml_css/intermediate_css_concepts/custom_properties.md | 87 | <p class="cool-paragraph">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p> | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …tml_css/intermediate_css_concepts/custom_properties.md | 87 | <p class="cool-paragraph">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p> | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …tml_css/intermediate_css_concepts/custom_properties.md | 89 | <p class="exciting-paragraph">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p> | CODE |
| LOW⚡ | …tml_css/intermediate_css_concepts/custom_properties.md | 89 | <p class="exciting-paragraph">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p> | CODE |
| LOW | ruby/basic_ruby/methods.md | 179 | "Jane Doe" | CODE |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIGH | …ails/advanced_forms_and_activerecord/forms_advanced.md | 122 | There are a couple new aspects to this process. With `#fields_for`, you basically create a form within a form (which sh | CODE |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | …kdownlint/TOP012_headingLevels/TOP012_headingLevels.js | 26 | function getAssignmentPanelLineRange(lines) { | CODE |
| LOW | …_defaultSectionContent/TOP003_defaultSectionContent.js | 168 | function getAssignmentSectionErrors(sectionTokens) { | CODE |
| LOW | …P013_descriptiveHeadings/TOP013_descriptiveHeadings.js | 31 | function removeTrailingPunctuation(text) { | CODE |
| LOW | foundations/javascript_basics/clean_code.md | 244 | function extractTextWithinBrackets(text) { | CODE |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEDIUM | ruby_on_rails/rails_sprinkles/turbo.md | 353 | - Check out this tutorial on [Turbo Frames and Turbo Stream](https://www.hotrails.dev/turbo-rails/turbo-frames-and-turbo | CODE |
| MEDIUM | ruby/testing_ruby_with_rspec/introduction_to_rspec.md | 196 | At this point, refactoring isn't necessary. The `#add` method is essentially a one line method. As you progress in your | CODE |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | ruby_on_rails/rails_basics/routing.md | 141 | # code to grab the proper Post so it can be | COMMENT |
| LOW | ruby/basic_ruby/nested_collections.md | 161 | end | COMMENT |
| LOW | ruby/basic_ruby/nested_collections.md | 181 | teacher_mailboxes.flatten.each do |teacher| | COMMENT |