A hackathon is a social coding event among programmers and enthusiasts designed to improve and refine existing software or create something new. In this context, “hacking” refers to clever and creative demonstrations to solve problems or develop software. They’re occasionally organised with a specific objective in mind. Still, they often allow companies to explore innovative ideas their employees propose within a low-risk setting. 

Overall, it's a sprint-like collaborative project set up by a company or organisation that aims to get a high-quality solution (or the beginning of one) in a brief stint. Most have a theme specifying the type of software expected to be produced. These events are primarily intended as technical challenges and meet-up opportunities for developers and programming enthusiasts. It’s a great place to interact, learn from others who share the same passion for tech…, and scarf down some free food. 

What’s it like at a hackathon? 

Before focusing on what it will be like, you must consider what you want to take from this experience. Whether it’s a €10K cash prize or an expanded contact list for future interviews, there’ll be something down for you each time.

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Here are some different takes you could have on these events:

1. “I’m coming here to win”

Are you looking forward to clinching the first prize? Besides being an opportunity to sharpen your coding skills and learn from others, you’ll need to take the most out of your showmanship skills. Be prepared to play the field. Your social skills will improve, whether you’re actively working on them or not. Almost all hackathon websites showcase their prizes. However, some are far better than others… remember to check them out. 

Visit the hackathons' website to check for any technology requirements or themes. Some hackathons may require you to build an app or site for a particular industry. Others might award extra points for using a specific API. Take advantage of these opportunities and make sure to participate in those that focus on the particular frameworks at which you excel. For instance, if you’re backend-based, look for hackathons that focus on Java or Python, where the main challenges may revolve around managing large datasets or optimising server performance. Some web pages offer exercises to prepare for specific hackathons. Do some research to stay a step ahead of others when the day arrives! 

2. “I’m making the most out of the experience”

Although you can make the most of the experience as a winner who walks in with a penny and walks out with a bag loaded with cash, it’s important to highlight that it's not just the winner who gets a shot at landing a contract or having a blast, for what is worth. While winners receive a prize, everyone can benefit from hackathons. Most companies closely monitor hackathon activities and may purchase products or recruit new members on the spot. 

Hackathons provide opportunities for developers to step out of the usual constraints that hold back projects, allowing for complete creative freedom. Most don't require a strict methodology or the following of harsh company rules.

These events are splendid for newer students. They’ll gain valuable insights into developing a functional software app and receive exposure to different frameworks, tools, and APIs. Hackathons can be a learning opportunity to have fun with people in the CS and adjacent communities, network, engage with sponsors and just create a cool project that’s held together with gum and rubber bands. 

3. “I want to quickly highlight my resume”

Hackathons are great opportunities to highlight your resume — after all, they involve 8 straight-up hours of tech experience! 

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Many attend hackathons to swiftly add a project to their CV. They’re also valuable talking points during interviews. Treating them as opportunities to learn and add a few projects to your resume is brilliant. If you need to start digging into AI to have it on your resume, and you’ve already tried some open-source projects, then attending a hackathon is a complimentary, sly move.

An overview of the typical hackathon structure

Hackathons are usually theme-based, depending on the organisers' business goals. Here’s what you’ll be expecting to happen at one of the events:

1. Introduction and rule overview
2. Product pitches 
3. Collaboration on project ideas 
4. Presentation of the finished (or unfinished) product 
5. Judging and distribution of prizes

(Yes, it does look a lot like a TV singing competition)

At the end of the event, the organiser frequently arranges a closing program that helps participants find networking opportunities — here’s where you’ll need to be especially fast. Stay alert for potential meetups, discussions and contact opportunities. The truth is that hackathons are as competitive as you make them. You can treat it more as a startup pitch rather than a coding competition. This way, you’ll be able to focus on creating a cool demo rather than creating a complex full-stack app. 

Many of the organisations that host hackathons are good at setting up succinct conversations with the “speed dating” model, in which you go around rotating tables and speak with plenty of companies in around an hour. Depending on what you want and how you feel about meetings, this could work out in your favour.

Where to find hackathons?

Hackathons are continually happening, all over the world. There are web articles to watch out for when researching online. You could also stay updated by following websites committed to posting upcoming hackathons, such as Devpost, Major League Hacking and Hacker League. 

Before beginning your thorough search, take a glance at the top 3 hackathons to keep an eye out for in 2024: 

1. CODE100

This is our very own hackathon. After an epic premiere in Berlin in 2023, CODE100 is set to come to various cities across Europe. Part a live show, part a hackathon, this event will see participants from all over the world competing for various prizes. With an array of coding challenges, CODE100 is not just a hackathon. It's a unique live competition where the audience can watch the participants solve problems that assess a diverse range of skills, including problem-solving, creativity and effective teamwork — in real time! Sign up for updates and be the first to know about our very own hackathon at WeAreDevelopers.

CODE100 has a reigning champion. Felix Wotschofsky was crowned Europe's first Ultimate Coding Champion at the WeAreDevelopers World Congress 2023 in Berlin, after competing against 99 other coders in six rounds. The combined prize pool was a whopping €100,000. Not bad.

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2. QIA Hackathon 

Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA) is organising a Pan-European Quantum Internet Hackathon happening in February 2024 in Delft, Dresden, Paris and Poznań. This hackathon aims to pioneer applications that leverage quantum mechanics for communication and offer a sneak peek into the quantum internet. It sounds too exciting to miss out on it.

3. NERSC Open Hackathon 

NERSC will host an Open Hackathon starting on August 13 and concluding on August 22. This hackathon is open to everyone interested in accelerating their AI research, but priority acceptance will be given to NERSC collaborators.

Do you need to know how to code to attend a hackathon?

We’re making the best effort not to answer “it depends,” but it really does. Some hackathons are more beginner-friendly. Others are more advanced, and you won’t stand out from the competition. We advise first learning to code at least a bit with some fun options, like playing games, before signing up for most hackathons. This is unless you come across one that is as beginner-welcoming as possible, but that would be almost a coding bootcamp.

Which hackathon one are you signing up for? 

Fuelled by the excitement of competition and constrained by a limited timeframe, developers have been generating high-quality solutions that have allowed them to be some of the best-earning professionals out there. Now it’s your turn to give it a shot. Participating in a hackathon will help you gain valuable experience and make your applications stand out from others.

So, what’s holding you back? Mega rewards such as €10K cash prizes or a test ride in the Rimac Nevera, the fastest car ever, a friendly global community and legendary coding challenges are some offerings you’ll find when joining CODE100. If you attend a hackathon and participate in slick projects, you’ll also have better arguments for landing a job after checking our job boards. Good luck!