Assessment Security

File Organization

Assessment data is stored in individual files within the .guides/assessments folder. The .guides directory automatically contains the following subdirectories:

  • .guides/assessments - Assessment configuration files

  • .guides/img - Image assets

  • .guides/content - Content files

Student Workspace Limitations

When students receive an assignment, they only get access to:

  • The .guides folder

  • The .guides/img folder

If you have not enabled student access to the file tree in the page layout, the .guides folder will not be visible to them.

Using the .guides Folder

Benefits and Considerations

The .guides folder provides a secure location for storing bash scripts and data files, as students cannot easily delete them through the file tree interface. However, be aware that students with terminal access can view any files in their Linux container, including contents of the .guides folder.

Updating Published Assignments

Files stored in the .guides folder can be updated even after students have started an assignment. When you republish an assignment that students have already begun:

  • Files in .guides will be updated.

  • Pre-existing files in the student workspace (/home/codio/workspace) will not be updated to prevent overwriting student work.

For more information, see the modify assignments page.

Blocking Student Access to the Terminal

The terminal can be accessed through multiple methods:

  • From the file tree

  • From the menu

  • Via keyboard shortcuts (Shift+Alt+T on PC, Shift+Option+T on Mac)

To completely block student access to the terminal, you must:

  1. Hide the file tree in the page layout

  2. Customize the IDE menu to remove terminal access

  3. Block the keyboard shortcut in project preferences

The Secure Folder

Overview

The .guides/secure folder provides a protected location for storing testing scripts and unit tests. This folder offers enhanced security because it is not copied to the student version of the assignment.

How It Works

When a student runs a code test that references files in .guides/secure, an ephemeral container is created that combines:

  • The student workspace

  • The instructor’s .guides/secure folder

This container is called “ephemeral” because it only exists during assessment execution. If you open a student project to review their work, you will not see the secure folder—it does not exist in the student environment.

Important Limitations

Do not write to the secure folder during test execution, as changes will not persist. All output must be conveyed through:

  • Standard output (stdout)

  • The feedback buffer (described in individual assessment documentation)

Assessment Types Supporting Secure Folder

The following assessment types can access the secure folder:

Using Secure Folder with Standard Code Tests

Standard Code Tests do not have access to the secure folder by default. However, you can force a Standard Code Test to run in an ephemeral container by including a file path with .guides/secure in the Command field on the Execution tab.

Implementation Methods

You can trigger ephemeral container creation by:

  • Passing a secure folder file name as a parameter

  • Including the file name on the command line (it will be ignored by your program, but signals Codio to mount the secure folder)

Once the ephemeral container is created, you can specify files in .guides/secure as input parameters for your tests.