HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN A HACKATHON

Teamos
4 min readOct 28, 2021

IF YOU DO NOT BELONG TO THE IT SECTOR, YOU MUST BE UNDOUBTEDLY WONDERING:

What is a hackathon? What exactly it is?

The popularity of hackathons is growing among students, novice programmers, and seasoned experts alike. Popularity is on the increase for a good reason. Participating in these programming projects is not only entertaining but also has several practical benefits.
But before you sign up for one, let us tell you a little bit about this new trend in the IT industry. Find out how hackathons operate and how they may help you acquire expertise in your field by reading on!

What is a hackathon, and how does it work?

In a hackathon, programmers get together for a short amount of time to work on a project, generally hosted by a tech business or group. These activities usually span 24 hours or a weekend and require participants to work quickly and frequently without sleep to complete their tasks.

According to Levent Gurses, founder of Movel, a mobile app design and development business, hackathons are frequently competition-style events where a product must be finished in a limited amount of time. Members of the group create software programs such as software or mobile applications.

People participate in hackathons for a variety of purposes.
Moore says that computer programmers and software designers work together to solve an issue utilizing technology. According to Sean Hsieh, co-founder and chief product officer of Flowroute, participants in a hackathon will collaborate with like-minded individuals to employ new technologies and hack together lots of code from diverse sources to achieve the aim.

How to find hackathons in your area

Hackathons are held regularly throughout the world. You may discover a hackathon near you by visiting websites that list upcoming events.

Among them are:

- Searching on Google for hackathons at schools or institutions around you.

- It’s possible to participate in a virtual hackathon from anywhere if you’re having difficulties discovering local hackathons

- Or you can find virtual hackathon events on Teamos app, we have simplified the interface for you to participate

. Road to hackathon

1.Understand your goals- It is possible to utilize a hackathon in a variety of ways?
Are you ready to complete a job you’ve been putting off?
Interested in learning how to use a new technology stack?
Do you only wish to network with other professionals?
Are you there in order to succeed?
Most likely, a hackathon won’t be able to assist you to achieve every single one of these goals all at once. Clarifying your goals well in advance of the hackathon can help you plan your preparation and manage your time when you’re at the event.

2. Create a team of people

Coming prepared with a team will give you more control over your experience at the hackathon. Several hackathons set up Slack channels, Facebook groups, etc. before of time to help participants locate collaborators.
At a hackathon, many individuals create teams. However, you’ll start off behind those who’ve already established their team, idea, and technology before the event, which might be beneficial if you’re there to network!

3. Select a project.

Some hackathons have a specific topic, while others are more open-ended in their approach to development. Immediately after registering to participate in the hackathon, start thinking about what you’d like to create.
Incorporate a firm’s product into the hackathon if it’s being sponsored by that company Keep an eye on who the judges are, and utilize their areas of expertise to guide your project selection.

4. time taken to prepare for a hackhathon

Depending on your aims, you’ll utilize the time differently.
Are you interested in networking? Make a list of individuals you wish to meet by doing some research on who will be there. Is there anything to be gained? Then, rehearse presenting the pitch so that you can be confident at the moment.

5. Timebox

As a general rule, hackathons last 24 to 48 hours.
-Find out who on your team will work on what, and how long you anticipate it taking. Schedule tasks so that you may “move on” if things don’t go well.
-A hackathon is no exception. When you know in advance how much time you’ll allocate for each stage of your project, and when you’ll switch to plan B, you’ll be more prepared when it comes time to pitch.

Conclusion

-Hackathons are won by teams, not individuals. For several hours, you’ll be in close contact with these folks, therefore it’s vital to be someone they want to work with.
Even if you disagree with their beliefs, show people respect. Please be courteous to your colleagues, no matter how badly you want to win. Remind yourself that it’s only a hackathon — it’s not life or death here. Have fun and enjoy the challenge!
No one should be frightened by the prospect of participating in a hackathon if they are a novice. You can’t go wrong as long as you’re prepared and remember to have fun! Hack away with your computer!

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