Using Github For Your Hackathon

by Kin Lane on 11/13/2012

Hackathons are a fertile environment for generating code based upon the ideas of its attendees. However, much of the innovative programming that occurs at these events is forgotten the day after the event ends. This process tends to leave developers working on the same ideas over and over, without much continuity.

To help remedy this, hackathon organizers can use Github to store code that is generated by all attendees. Organizers can encourage all developers to commit their code through-out the hackathon, and wrap up the event with a README file of their project as part of the presentation process.

Github can be a great way to showcase what was built over the weekend, make the intellectual property open and accessible for other people to use, and make it easier for other hackathon participants to build off what has already been created in the past.

Using Github for a hackathon can generate extra marketing for the event as well as the hackathon organizers.