Hackathons are becoming increasingly popular in the technology scene. If you have been living under a rock, a hackathon is an event where people come together to build something using technology. Some people refer to them as computer programming marathons because they are typically long events, lasting 24-48 hours or even longer. People come with their laptops and sit in one room, working on cool new projects. Often times companies will sponsor these events, providing food, t-shirts and prizes for the winners.
While some people view hackathons as fun ways to experiment with new technologies and meet other like-minded developers, I see them as opportunities to learn and get ahead in my career. With that in mind, here are my top three reasons why you should be attending a hackathon:
1) You can take over the world
It’s no secret that many of the most successful startups got their start at a hackathon. Facebook was originally created at Harvard in a few days for a school project. GroupMe was created during TechCrunch Disrupt 2010 Hackathon and was later acquired by Skype for $85 million. Hackathons are a great way to quickly validate ideas with real customers. By the end of the weekend, you’ll know if your idea is going
It’s a weekend in October. It’s cold, and the sky is gray. The leaves are finally starting to turn, and the rain is starting to fall. It sounds like the perfect day to binge-watch your favorite Netflix show for 8 hours straight. It sounds like the perfect day to stay cooped up indoors, but it’s not!
Here at Hack The Code, we believe that this is the perfect day to attend our hackathon! In fact, here are three reasons why you should be attending our hackathon:
Reason
As a student or professional, it can be easy to feel like you are in a bubble, surrounded by the same people. It’s important as a programmer to get out of your comfort zone. Doing so will help you develop skills that you may not even know you need. With this in mind, here are my top three reasons why you should attend a hackathon.
1. Meet other programmers – Attendees of a hackathon are at all different levels of experience. You will get to talk with people who have worked on projects that you don’t understand; and they will get to talk with you about things they haven’t learned yet!
2. Learn new tools – Whether it’s a new programming language or framework, developers at hackathons are always willing to share their knowledge of the latest technologies. Go ahead and chat with that guy who came up with some crazy new code; he will be happy to show you what he is working on!
3. Gain experience – Experience is more than just coding, participating in a hackathon will help you learn how to work as part of a team to overcome challenges and meet deadlines. These are skills that no one teaches in school, but that every company needs from their employees.
1. Gain valuable skills
The most obvious reason to attend a hackathon is to gain valuable skills. Whether you know how to code or not, you can learn something from being at a hackathon. If you are new to coding, attending a hackathon is an excellent way to take your first steps into the software world. If you are already familiar with programming, attending a hackathon is a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest technology and trends. Hackathons are also an opportunity for experienced coders to give back by mentoring those who are newer to programming.
2. Meet interesting people
One of the best parts about going to a hackathon is meeting interesting people who share your passion for technology and innovation. At hackathons, you will meet developers, designers and entrepreneurs from different backgrounds, industries and countries. You will get a chance to network with people in your local tech community as well as individuals in other cities and countries via online hackathons.
3. Be part of something exciting
Whether you come out of the weekend with a finished product or not, being part of a new hackathon is exciting! It’s fun to see what everyone ends up creating in such a short period of time and it’s always cool
A hackathon is a programming event where people come together to solve a problem. These events are common in the tech community, often producing some of the greatest ideas and innovations. So why attend one?
Here are my top three reasons:
1. They’re fun!
2. You can make new friends!
3. You can learn something new!
These are just my top three reasons to attend a hackathon, but there’s so much more you can get out of attending one!
Hackathons are a great way to get out of your comfort zone and meet people in the tech community. I’ve attended several hackathons, and in every single one I’ve met someone who is now a close friend that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. People are interested in learning about your skills, and there are many opportunities to learn from others as well.
You get to make something cool! Some of my favorite projects started out as wild ideas I had at a hackathon. These events provide you with the motivation to start building something you’ve always wanted to do, but never found the time for. It can be anything from an Android app to a website to hardware, and you’re bound to have fun working on it with so many like-minded people around.
Hackathons are fun! There’s a lot of free food, swag, and caffeine at these events. You can listen to guest speakers and watch demos when you need a break from coding. And sometimes there are prizes!
Why attend a hackathon?
Hackathons are a great way to learn, build your personal network, and even land a job! Whether you’re an aspiring developer or designer; a novice or expert programmer; or just looking for a fun, collaborative environment, hackathons have something for everyone.
Top 3 reasons to attend a hackathon:
1. Learn new skills. Many hackathons focus on specific educational themes. HackRU is one of the largest collegiate hackathons in the nation, and focuses on teaching attendees new coding and design skills through workshops and events. They offer workshops on everything from learning how to make your first mobile app to building a robot car with Arduino.
2. Build community through collaboration. Sometimes it can be hard to break into the developer community as a beginner because you don’t feel equipped enough to contribute yet. Hackathons are a great place for beginners because many of the attendees are also at an intermediate level and will help you out if you get stuck on something!
3. Enhance your resume/portfolio with real experience. Having actual experience writing code and designing products will look great on your resume when applying for internships or jobs! Many companies that attend hackathons