Hackathons? What are Hackathons? Why do I need to participate in Hackathons? And, is it really important?
We will answer all of these questions, if you don't have time, you can just read the parts you are interested in to don't waste your precious time.
What are Hackathons?
A hackathon is a design sprint-like event, in which often computer programmers and others involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers, product managers, project managers, domain experts, and others collaborate intensively on software projects.
Source: Wikipedia
Just to conclude it, it is like an event which computer programmers and other involved in software development, graphic designers, etc. come to team together to work on an exclusive software project, you can also participate alone in a Hackathon!
How Hackathons started?
On June 4, 1999, Niels Provos who is an German-American researcher in security engineering, malware, and last but not the least cryptography coined the work Hackathon when OpenBSD organized a cryptographic development.
Why should I (you) participate in a Hackathon?
1. Improve Reasoning and Problem-Solving Skills
Hackathons offer an excellent coding environment which can last more than a few weeks! Teams work around the clock to find the best optimal solution for a problem.
2. Team-work
Hackathon teaches you how to work as a team and to be humble about letting go of your ideas once in a while.
Karen Malzoni, Developer
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Just like many areas in life, real team-work is the secret to real success.
3. Leadership
It’s the best place to learn, teach, challenge, test, and share everything! Ideas, technologies and methodologies. Hackathon is for those who believe that collaborating we can transform.
– Tuxu, UX Designer
A Hackathon is an ideal environment to leverage your skills and achieve good results in the developing of the challenge. In addition to testing your patience, when working as a team you will feel the need to set goals for each activity, find creative alternatives to overcome obstacles and keep the team motivated.
4. Self-confidence
[Had it not been for hackathon] I would not believe in my ability to develop something innovative or that I could actually contribute to my teammates even though I did not have much experience. My self-confidence and creativity have certainly increased a lot!
Letícia Pedroso, Developer
If you have never participated in a Hackathon, it is very common that, at some point, you think you are not good enough for your team. But, do not let the anxiety of the first time and your superficial view of hacking marathons decrease your potential!
Usually, the best solutions are thought by teams with different levels of knowledge, but that has a lot of creativity and harmony. Your skills will be useful, whether in pitch, idealization of proposal, brainstorms or simple HTML coding.
Delivering a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) at the end of the event creates such a rewarding feeling that your self-confidence levels will be automatically raised!
5. Innovation
We all live in social bubbles, whether in the: family, university or at work. “Getting out of this bubble” facilitates the participant to have new looks about old problems and thus create new solutions.
– Renato Rodrigues, Researcher in digital innovation
During a hackathon, innovation is in the air! This is the time to use the latest technologies, learn new programming languages and, especially, take risks!
It is suggested that the groups be formed by developers, designers, communicators, and business specialists, coming from the most diverse areas of formation. Imagine how many revolutionary ideas can come out of this whole merger with so much input around you!
Innovation is the keyword to rethink society’s problems and the great challenges of modern times.
6. Portfolio
It’s been 8 months since my 1st hackathon and I already went from an intern to an Educator in Technology and Arts at SESC. All I got was thanks to the hackathons I took part in.
– Jéssica Rampim, Designer
Are you looking for a job or want to increase the field of expertise in your resume? The MVP that you create during a hackathon is perfect to upgrade your portfolio!
Even if you don’t win the challenge, having a prototype developed during a real (and often proposed for large companies) challenge is a great way to show off what you are capable of. This is one more reason to take seriously the work you do during the marathon, after all, it will be a way to expose your skills to potential contractors.
Participating in a hackathon is a no-return and no-loss path!
What is everyone waiting for - Prizes 🎉
Most Hackathons provide prizes for winners, if you don't also win, some Hackathons provide free swag, etc. for participants (with a valid project).
Want to start participating in a Hackathon?
Hey fellow developers!
I am inviting you to:
🔥 Hashnode Linode Hackathon - June 2022
You can win awesome prizes 🚀
How to participate?
👩💻 Build an open-source project in June
✍️ Blog about it - No blog yet? Set it up https://www.linode.com/lp/try/?ifso=hashnode
🤑 5x Grand Prizes: $1000 each
💰 10x Runner up: $500 each
More info is here:
https://townhall.hashnode.com/build-with-linode-hackathon-june-2022
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