What is a hackathon? A Developer's point of view

Technology always push for faster more easy to build and efficient products. The same goes to software developing. Developers need to be very adaptive to new technologies without the need of directions. This is critical as more Startups Companies trying to emerge without the need of a senior or an architecture Engineer.

How Hackathons works

This is a view by a developer without any concept of manage and support operations.

Hackathons give a rare opportunity for developers to try something new using the tools already know. Sometimes there is a theme to help teams work in the same direction. Teams have all the freedom to design and develop the idea into a product or a service. Teams can also have a chance to talk with professionals that came as mentors and further improve the work process.

Participating

Hackathons can allow developers to register both in teams or as individuals. Register as a team often means an idea already exist and the developer have to implement it. Now the same can go also to teams forming in spot but with some key differences. Hackathon managers can randomly pick and assign developers into teams of few persons like a designer, a business analyst, a marketer and developer but most of the time organizers give time to people without teams to speak with each other and make some quick introductions or even present an idea that may have.

With newly created teams there are some issues referring the acceptance of an idea and the communication between the team. People often disagrees with lots of things, now put persons that just meet and you can realize how small disagreements can lead to a major incident inside the team.

Coding language

Coding is the core of the developer building process for that reason, the majority of hackathons allow to develop in every language that developer knows without the need to learn a new language just for the sake of hackathons.

Gains of creating a team in hackathons

Socialize and improve communication skills. Be part of a new team means a lot of speaking and explain different parts of the application. A developer may have to talk in front of lots of people to present and answer questions regarding technical parts. 

Collaborating with people never seen and work with before can be very challenging and often be a negative factor for choosing to participate in a hackathon. A developer most of the time work in an environment with limited or non-direct communication with clients and also colleagues from different departments. That's why working with a new team can help a developer improve managing and business skills both very important in the new highly versatile role of Software Developer.

Opportunities

• Working hard transforming ideas into code can attract people from human resource and recruiting services.
• Talking with professionals from all parts of the industry.

Drawbacks

• Participating in hackathons means that team members have little or no sleep.
• Limited free time. 
• If a developer needs to be on standby to answer critical tickets from his/her work.

Conclusion

Hackathons are a great way for a developer to sharpen his/her skills and socialize. It may be physical and psychological demanding but the gains suppress the losses.

Enjoy life and keep coding!