>without tests: Clone the repo, install deps, download testing database, achieve homeostasis with your dev environment, learn the entire system, build up the state you require to write your feature, iterate on it by hand over and over again.

My first job out of college was like that. I had been doing professional-ish (I was paid and employed but I basically worked alone with no other engineers around) work for two years but this still didn't raise any flags.

You basically quoted exactly the setup.