{"id":10469,"date":"2021-10-29T16:40:18","date_gmt":"2021-10-29T14:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/?p=10469"},"modified":"2021-10-29T16:41:08","modified_gmt":"2021-10-29T14:41:08","slug":"what-is-a-hackathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerfoundry.inbearbeitung.de\/en\/blog\/web-development\/what-is-a-hackathon\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Hackathon? A Beginner\u2019s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re taking your first steps in web development, you\u2019ll have started to see this word pop up. \u201cAh, yes,\u201d you\u2019ll say, your head nodding confidently. \u201cA hackathon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But what is a hackathon actually? Are these mysterious events only for experienced coders, or can newbies also get involved? And how do you go about signing up to them in the first place?<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, what are participants hacking into? Can you get arrested for taking part in them? Will your mother be worried about what you\u2019re up to?<\/span><\/p>\n

This quick guide will answer all those questions\u2014well, as many as we can. Feel free to use the clickable menu to skip ahead.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What takes place in a hackathon?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. What is a hackathon for?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Are hackathons for beginners?<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Why junior web developers should take part in hackathons<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. How to find hackathons to join<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Final thoughts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"A What your mother thinks when you tell her “I’m doing a hackathon this weekend.”<\/p>\n

    1. What takes place in a hackathon?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The definition of a hackathon is actually quite broad: it\u2019s basically a design sprint for programmers, bringing developers together in teams to collaborate on various projects for a prize.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Hackathons are typically hosted by a tech company, organization, or collective. Having been around for more than twenty years, these events really took off in the mid-2010s. They have even spread beyond the web and software developer field, being seen as a fun and productive way of collectively tackling a problem in a short space of time.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Typically taking place over a limited time period\u2014usually over one day or a weekend\u2014hackathons involve an intense sprint to the finish. This is part of what makes them so fun! The brave participants often skip sleep for the duration, fuelled by a large amount of snacks and caffeine\u2014supplied by the host, of course.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A simple example of a hackathon would be that teams have a weekend to build a working prototype food app that creates recipes from the ingredients users have in their cupboards.<\/span><\/p>\n

    By participating in a hackathon you\u2019ll learn to produce code in a focused way and to a tight deadline, as well as learning a new web framework to help with the project. Outside of that it\u2019s also a great networking opportunity, giving you the possibility to meet new friends and contacts in the field.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"A What a hackathon looks more like in reality.<\/p>\n

    2. What is a hackathon for?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Essentially, the goal of a hackathon is to have produced functioning software (or hardware) by the end of the event. The team with the most convincing project is judged to be the winner and takes home the prize.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Hackathon projects aren\u2019t just a weekend fling\u2014sometimes whole apps, features, and even companies have been born from these competitions. <\/span>Zaarly<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>GroupMe<\/span><\/a> (bought by Skype within a year of creation), <\/span>Easy Taxi<\/span><\/a> (now part of Cabify), and <\/span>Carousell<\/span><\/a> all originated in hackathons, and received funding in the tens of millions.<\/span><\/p>\n

    These days, quite a lot of hackathons are hosted by companies looking not just for new features or to source new talent, but also to improve collaborations within their own tech departments. The range of firms now hosting these events is staggering, with their value spreading from industry to industry. There’s even now a <\/span>Hasbro-a-thon<\/span><\/a>, hosted by the global toy manufacturer!<\/span><\/p>\n

    3. Are hackathons for beginners?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    In short: yes, they are. With the competitive aim of these events balanced out by the social and collaborative aspect, most hackathons are open to different skill levels. It doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re not a <\/span>Python<\/span><\/a> pro, nor a <\/span>Django<\/span><\/a> don\u2014all that matters is that you\u2019re interested in technology.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Think of a hackathon as an intense\u2014but fun!\u2014crash course in development. The amount you will learn in such a short time is surprising, but can be invaluable when you\u2019re getting used to learning the ropes.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Lastly, if you aren\u2019t feeling confident enough about your ability to contribute at a certain point of a hackathon, you\u2019re welcome to merely observe proceedings. It\u2019s a great chance to learn how these events work and ask questions, as well as to work out where you will be able to fit in and help out.<\/span><\/p>\n

    4. Why junior web developers should take part in hackathons<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Hackathons provide the perfect opportunity to practice your skills and meet new people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We always hear about the importance of meeting like-minded people, but working intensely with others who care about the same thing you care about\u2014whether that\u2019s building APIs or working with a particular framework\u2014can work wonders for your life in web development.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If the prospect of participating in a hackathon alone isn\u2019t enticing enough for you, maybe one of these adjacent perks will be:<\/span><\/p>\n

    Meeting potential mentors<\/span><\/h3>\n

    If that person sitting next to you is a more experienced coder than you, then you can learn from them and perhaps even ask them to be your mentor. We\u2019ve talked before about <\/span>the importance of having a mentor <\/span><\/a>to your career in tech, and hackathons can be incredibly useful for making these kinds of connections in an informal environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Meeting other junior web developers<\/span><\/h3>\n

    On the other hand, if that person is a fellow junior developer, that\u2019s great too! Even more than getting to know other classmates in a coding school<\/a> or bootcamp, it\u2019s always good to meet others at the same point as you in your journey, even if you just want to compare notes on <\/span>which programming language you found easiest to learn<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Recruitment<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Another benefit for joining hackathons as a junior web developer is the prospect of potential recruitment. While having a <\/span>sharp developer portfolio website<\/span><\/a> is great for showcasing the work you\u2019ve done, these events are perfect for showing how you work with others.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Working collaboratively is essential to being a successful developer. If you prove to be a great teammate over a hackathon you\u2019ll impress not only potential employers, but also your fellow hackers, who may recommend you to their own companies.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A resume boost<\/span><\/h3>\n

    What\u2019s more, if you manage to win a hackathon, it\u2019s an impressive achievement to include on your coding resume<\/a>! Particularly the experience-light CVs of those who are still only starting out in web development can benefit from listing the events they\u2019ve competed in. You don\u2019t even have to have won it\u2014taking part also sends all the right signals to potential employers.<\/span><\/p>\n

    5. How to find hackathons to join<\/span><\/h2>\n

    It should come as no surprise that these days, hackathons are taking place worldwide. They\u2019re being hosted everywhere from university campuses to coworking spaces, with most of them costing nothing to participate.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the offering of in-person hackathons has reduced greatly. If you look at this data from 2015 to October 2021, you\u2019ll see a huge drop in developers searching for the topic from April 2020 onwards.<\/span><\/p>\n