Terms of Service

1. Agreement to these Terms

These Terms are a binding agreement between you and SmokyCoders, operated by Prabhat Kumar. Additional terms may apply to specific services, proposals, or product licenses. If there is a conflict between these Terms and a signed statement of work, master services agreement, or product license, the signed document controls for that engagement or product.

2. Eligibility and accounts

You must be able to form a binding contract to use the site for business inquiries. We do not currently provide public self-serve user accounts on this website. If accounts are introduced later, additional terms will apply.

3. Permitted use of the website

You may use the site for lawful purposes, including:

• Learning about our services, tools, and publications
• Submitting genuine project inquiries
• Using free developer utilities as provided

You agree not to:

• Attempt unauthorized access to systems or data
• Probe, scan, or attack the site or related infrastructure
• Disrupt the site with malware, floods, or abusive automation
• Misrepresent your identity or affiliation in inquiries
• Use the site to collect others’ personal data without a lawful basis
• Copy, scrape, or republish substantial site content for competing commercial use without permission

4. Professional services

Descriptions of services on the site are informational. Pricing is quote-based unless a written offer states otherwise. A binding client engagement begins only when both parties accept a clear scope (for example a proposal, statement of work, or contract).

Deliverables, timelines, fees, acceptance criteria, and intellectual-property ownership for paid work are defined in the engagement documents—not solely by marketing pages.

5. Authorized cybersecurity services

Any security assessment, testing, review, or related service requires written authorization and an agreed scope. We do not perform unauthorized testing, access systems without permission, or encourage unlawful activity.

You represent that you have authority to authorize testing of systems included in scope, and that you have obtained any required third-party permissions. Security findings and methods shared in an engagement are confidential according to the engagement terms.

Educational articles and lab concepts on this site are not permission to test third-party systems. Always obtain authorization first.

6. Free developer tools

Browser-based tools in the Developer Lab are provided free of charge for convenience. Unless a tool page expressly states otherwise, processing is intended to occur locally in your browser. Tools are provided “as is” without warranties of correctness for any particular purpose.

You are responsible for the data you paste into tools. Do not submit secrets, production credentials, or regulated data into client-side demos if your policies prohibit it. Hashing and encoding utilities are not substitutes for proper secret management or password storage designs.

7. Content, drafts, and portfolio materials

Articles, case studies, and portfolio entries may include editorial drafts, demonstration concepts, or lab explorations. Labels such as “Concept”, “Demo”, “Lab Project”, or “Editorial draft” mean the material is illustrative or pending further review—not a guarantee of production outcomes.

We do not invent client testimonials, metrics, or certifications. Where examples are fictional or simulated, they are marked as such.

8. Intellectual property

The site design, branding, text, graphics, and original code samples we publish are owned by SmokyCoders or used under license. You may not use our name, logo, or marks in a way that suggests endorsement without permission.

Short quotations for commentary or education with attribution are acceptable under applicable fair-use or similar doctrines. For other reuse, contact us.

Client project IP is governed by the applicable engagement agreement.

9. Digital products and payments

Digital downloads, templates, or paid products—if and when offered—will include specific license terms and a verified checkout flow. Until checkout is configured and tested, any catalogue pages are informational only and do not constitute an offer of sale.

10. Third-party links and services

The site may link to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. Review third-party terms before use.

11. Disclaimers

THE SITE, TOOLS, AND PUBLIC CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components, or that published guidance will meet your compliance or security requirements without professional review tailored to your situation.

12. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SMOKYCODERS AND ITS OPERATOR WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR FREE TOOLS.

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS OR THE PUBLIC SITE, TO THE EXTENT NOT EXCLUDABLE BY LAW, WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID US SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ITEM GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM IN THE THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM, OR (B) USD 100. THIS LIMIT DOES NOT OVERRIDE DIFFERENT LIABILITY TERMS IN A SIGNED CLIENT AGREEMENT FOR PAID SERVICES.

13. Indemnity

You agree to defend and indemnify SmokyCoders and its operator against claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your misuse of the site, your violation of these Terms, or your unauthorized testing or use of third-party systems in connection with information obtained from the site.

14. Privacy

Our handling of personal information is described in the Privacy Policy, which forms part of your understanding of how the site works when you use it.

15. Changes and suspension

We may update these Terms or modify the site at any time. The “Last updated” date will change when we revise this page. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. We may suspend or discontinue site features without liability where reasonable.

16. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws applicable to the operator of SmokyCoders, without regard to conflict-of-law rules that would require another jurisdiction’s law, except where mandatory consumer protections apply. Courts with competent jurisdiction over the operator may hear disputes, unless a signed engagement specifies a different venue or dispute process.

17. Contact

Questions about these Terms: smokycoders.com/contact.

These Terms are provided to set clear expectations for website use and professional engagements. They are not a substitute for tailored legal advice.