Fix skill parsing for skill names containing commas

static/script.js

@@ -915,9 +915,6 @@ if (resetProgressBtn) {
     if (!skillsHidden) {
       var skillsHidden = document.getElementById("skills");
     }
-    // Keep the hidden <input> in sync for form serialisation
-    // The API expects a comma-separated string, so join the array that way
-    skillsHidden.value = selectedSkills.join(", ");
   }
 
   updateQuickPickState();

tests/test_basic.py

@@ -196,6 +196,32 @@ def test_parse_skills_single_entry():
     assert parse_skills("JavaScript") == ["javascript"]
 
 
+def test_parse_skills_valid_json_array():
+    """parse_skills should parse a valid JSON array of skills."""
+    result = parse_skills('["Python","React"]')
+    assert result == ["python", "react"]
+
+
+def test_parse_skills_malformed_json_handling():
+    """parse_skills should handle malformed JSON gracefully using fallback."""
+    # Should not crash, and parses via fallback comma-splitting behavior
+    result = parse_skills('["Python",]')
+    assert isinstance(result, list)
+    assert len(result) > 0
+
+
+def test_parse_skills_legacy_fallback():
+    """parse_skills should parse a legacy comma-separated string."""
+    result = parse_skills("Python,React")
+    assert result == ["python", "react"]
+
+
+def test_parse_skills_containing_commas():
+    """parse_skills should preserve skill names containing commas when using JSON."""
+    result = parse_skills('["HTML, CSS","JavaScript"]')
+    assert result == ["html, css", "javascript"]
+
+
 def test_score_single_project_full_match():
     """A project that matches all four criteria should receive the maximum score."""
     project = {

utils/recommender.py

@@ -45,18 +45,34 @@
 
 def parse_skills(skills_string):
     """
-    Convert a raw comma-separated skills string into
-    a normalized lowercase list.
+    Convert a skills string into a normalized lowercase list.
 
-    Example:
-    "JS, HTML5, CSS3" -> ["javascript", "html", "css"]
-    """
+    Accepts two formats:
+      1. JSON array (preferred): '["HTML, CSS", "JavaScript"]'
+         Handles skill names that contain commas without mis-splitting.
+      2. Comma-separated string (legacy fallback): "HTML, CSS, JavaScript"
 
-    raw_skills = [
-        s.strip().lower()
-        for s in skills_string.split(",")
-        if s.strip()
-    ]
+    Example:    
+    '["JS", "HTML5", "CSS3"]' -> ["javascript", "html", "css"]
+    """
+    import json
+
+    # Skills are serialized as JSON arrays.
+    # Legacy comma-separated values remain supported for compatibility.
+    try:
+        # Preferred path: frontend sends a JSON-serialized array
+        parsed = json.loads(skills_string)
+        if isinstance(parsed, list):
+            raw_skills = [s.strip().lower() for s in parsed if isinstance(s, str) and s.strip()]
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Parsed JSON is not a list")
+    except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError, TypeError):
+        # Fallback: handle plain comma-separated strings
+        raw_skills = [
+            s.strip().lower()
+            for s in skills_string.split(",")
+            if s.strip()
+        ]
 
     normalized_skills = []
     for skill in raw_skills: