Add a Coding Test to a Job
You can attach a coding test to any job position in Alva. This allows you to assess candidates’ technical skills alongside personality and logic tests.
To add a coding test:
Open your job in Alva.
Go to the Assessments tab.
Click Add assessment → Coding Test.
Select the coding test you want to include and click Save.
Once the coding test is added, you can start inviting candidates by clicking Add Candidate on the job page.
💡Note: If a job has both psychometric and coding tests configured, all selected tests will be included in a single candidate invite. You can also choose to send the coding test later in the process - for example, after reviewing candidates’ personality and logic results.
👉 Learn how in Inviting Candidates to Coding Tests.
Set a Tech Stack for the Coding Test
After selecting your coding test, you can optionally define the tech stack - that is, which coding languages, tools, or frameworks candidates are expected to use for the assignment.
To set a tech stack:
In the Assessments tab, after adding your coding test, click Choose tech stack.
Under Choose coding languages, select one or more programming languages relevant to the role (for example, JavaScript, Python, or C++).
Optionally, under Choose tools/frameworks, specify tools such as React, Docker, or REST API if familiarity with them is part of the job requirements.
Click Set tech stack to save.
Choosing a tech stack is optional. If you leave it blank, candidates can use any language or framework they prefer.
💡Note: Changes to the tech stack will only apply to candidates who have not yet received the coding test.
Set a Time Limit for the Coding Test
You can control how long candidates have to complete their coding assignment by applying a time limit.
To set a time limit:
Go to the job’s Assessments tab.
Under your selected coding test, click Set time limit.
Choose the desired number of hours and minutes.
Click Save to apply the change.
How the time limit works:
The timer starts when the candidate opens their coding test.
Candidates can still submit results after the limit has passed, but these will be marked as late.
You can view late submissions in the candidate’s details view.
Good to know: Setting a very short time limit can create unnecessary stress and negatively impact the candidate experience. Consider allowing enough time for candidates to complete the task comfortably.
💡Note: Changes to the time limit only apply to candidates who have not yet received the coding test.
Get a Recommended Coding Test
If you’re unsure which test to select, Alva Architect can recommend one based on your role’s technical requirements.
To get a recommendation:
In the Assessments tab, click Get assessment recommendation.
Add details such as the expected years of experience and key technical skills (for example: Java, REST API, or Algorithms).
Click Get Coding test recommendations to generate a tailored suggestion.
Alva Architect will automatically recommend a suitable coding test based on your input and the current role setup. If you don’t add any technical skills, Alva will apply commonly used ones for the role automatically. You can adjust or replace the recommended test later.
Change or Remove a Coding Test
If you need to update your setup later, you can change or remove the coding test from your job’s assessments.
To change the coding test:
Go to the job’s Assessments tab.
Click the three dots (⋮) next to the current coding test.
Select Change coding test from the menu.
Choose a new coding test and click Save.
To remove the coding test:
Go to the job’s Assessments tab.
Click the three dots (⋮) next to the current coding test.
Select Remove.
Click Save to confirm the change.
💡Note: Changes only affect candidates who have not yet received the coding test. Those already invited will keep the original setup.
Adjusting the Importance Between Assessments
Once you’ve added your coding test, you can decide how much it should influence the overall Role Fit score compared to other assessments such as interviews, logic, and personality tests.
You can adjust this directly in the Assessments tab by setting the importance level for each assessment. This lets you control how strongly each result contributes to the total evaluation.
👉 For more details, see How to Change the Importance of Assessments.
Any Questions?
Use the chat in the bottom right corner to connect with a member of our support team.
