Getting Started

The Gradescope Submitter is a web application that integrates D2L Brightspace LMS with Gradescope for automated code grading. It provides students with an in-browser code editor that allows them to write, test, and submit Python code directly from their D2L quizzes.

How It Works

Student in D2L → Opens Quiz → Iframe loads Code Editor → 
Student writes code → Runs locally (Pyodide) → Submits to Gradescope → 
Gradescope autogrades → Results displayed

System Components

The system consists of:

• Express.js server — Handles authentication and Gradescope API calls
• CodeMirror editor — In-browser code editor with syntax highlighting
• Pyodide — Real Python execution in the browser for testing code
• LTI 1.3 integration — Secure connection between D2L and the platform

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

Requirement	Version	Notes
Node.js	18.x or higher	Download
npm	9.x or higher	Comes with Node.js
Git	Any recent version	For cloning the repository
Gradescope Account	Instructor access	Must be able to create assignments
D2L Brightspace	Admin access	For LTI tool registration

Server Requirements

• Hosting: Any server that can run Node.js (AWS, Heroku, DigitalOcean, university server, etc.)
• Domain: A domain name with HTTPS (required for D2L iframe embedding)
• Ports: 3000 (HTTP) and 3443 (HTTPS) or configure as needed

Next Steps

• Quick Start — Get up and running in 5 minutes
• Features — Explore all the features
• Instructor Setup — Full setup guide for instructors