Success @ Hackathons

Kamilla Khabibrakhmanova

Software Engineer, GlamSquad

What is a hackathon?

 

Hacking = exploratory programming, finding creative solutions to a problem (no connection to criminal hacking)

Hack

Marathon

Why?

Job opportunities

Add a project to your portfolio

Make new friends and connections

Learn a new technology

Prizes

Preparing for Success

  • Have an idea of what you're going to build before you come into the hackathon
    • Make sure it fits into one of the stated tracks on the event website
  • Research the best APIs and technologies to use for your idea
  • Ask Fullstack instructors for advice
  • Try to get a team together with your classmates
  • Get plenty of sleep the night before
  • Bring everything you will need with you: laptop, charger, phone charger, and toiletries you might need

Getting busy

  • Don't build from scratch! 
  • Create a minimum viable presentable product
  • Talk to the organizers
  • Delegate tasks and check in with your team regularly
  • Ask someone to pair with you whenever you get stuck
  • Don't feel pressured to pull an all nighter
  • Most importantly.....

take regular breaks and have fun!

Getting busy

  • Don't build from scratch! 
  • Create a minimum viable presentable product
  • Talk to the organizers
  • Delegate tasks and check in with your team regularly
  • Ask someone to pair with you whenever you get stuck
  • Don't feel pressured to pull an all nighter
  • Most importantly.....

take regular breaks and have fun!

Best practices to forget

  • Test driven development
  • Considering all possible edge cases
  • Faking data
  • Pull requests and code reviews

The finish line: Design and Presentation

  • Have a team reassessment a few hours before
  • Don't quit or go home!
  • Delegate design to one or two people
  • Make sure that you have ample time to create a slideshow and talk about the presentation
  • Don't be modest!

Go forth and hack!

NYC Hackathon Resources:

Gary's guide

Startup Digest

NYHackathons.com

Eventbrite

DevPost.com

 

....and follow me on Twitter! 

@kabibster

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