Terms of Service

Last updated 18 July 2026 · draft, pending owner review

These terms cover your use of Hotshard (“the site”). By using the site you agree to them. They are written plainly and kept short on purpose.

What the site is

Hotshard is a learning tool for system design: written explainers, interactive simulations, and practice interview rooms. It is an educational resource, not professional advice, and it makes no guarantee about interview or job outcomes.

Accounts

You can use most of the site without an account. Some features use a sign-in provided by Clerk, our authentication provider. You are responsible for keeping your login secure and for activity under your account. Do not misuse the site, attempt to break it, scrape it at scale, or resell access.

Payments and subscriptions

Paid plans, when available, are recurring subscriptions billed through Razorpay, our payment provider. Payment methods include UPI and cards. You can cancel at any time; cancellation stops future renewals and you keep access until the end of the period you have already paid for. Refunds are handled under our refunds policy. At the time of writing the whole site is free and no plan is being sold yet.

Content and intellectual property

The explainers, diagrams, simulations, and code that make up the site are ours or used with permission. You may use them for your own learning. You may not republish or redistribute the content as your own.

Availability and changes

The site is provided “as is.” We may change, pause, or remove features, and we may update these terms; material changes will be reflected by the date above. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated terms.

Contact

Questions about these terms? Use the feedback page to reach us.