<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Stavleak Hackathon Guides]]></title><description><![CDATA[Stavleak Hackathon Guides]]></description><link>https://stavleak.hashnode.dev</link><image><url>https://cdn.hashnode.com/uploads/logos/6abd5a60c9492db792c02d10/11617bc8-d5b8-438d-8821-d2f7d718fbdb.png</url><title>Stavleak Hackathon Guides</title><link>https://stavleak.hashnode.dev</link></image><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:36:35 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/rss.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[Your first hackathon: prepare well and get your project to a working demo]]></title><description><![CDATA[Go into your first hackathon with a task you can finish and explain. For a beginner, a good result is concrete: your team builds a working user flow, submits the required materials on time and underst]]></description><link>https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/your-first-hackathon-prepare-well-and-get-your-project-to-a-working-demo</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/your-first-hackathon-prepare-well-and-get-your-project-to-a-working-demo</guid><category><![CDATA[hackathon]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Stavleak]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:41:25 GMT</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://api.stavleak.com/storage/v1/render/image/public/covers/articles/info-2026-09-29/pervyy-hakaton-55e5560a4ef5.webp?width=2560&amp;quality=75" alt="First hackathon preparation — Stavleak" /></p>
<p>Go into your first hackathon with a task you can finish and explain. For a beginner, a good result is concrete: your team builds a working user flow, submits the required materials on time and understands what to improve. The judges decide who wins. The scope of your project, access to your files and readiness to demonstrate it depend largely on you.</p>
<p>A hackathon is usually a time-limited event where participants build solutions and present the result. Requirements vary: some events expect working code; others accept research, a hardware prototype or a mockup. Preparation starts with the rules of your chosen event, rather than a list of popular technologies.</p>
<h2>Start with the participation rules</h2>
<p>Open the event page and save the rules. Look for requirements covering age, team composition, place of residence and attendance in person. Check the start time, the submission deadline's time zone and the presentation format. A multi-day online round and a short in-person final may have different conditions.</p>
<p>Write down exactly what you need to submit. A repository link, a deployed application, slides and a video each require different preparation. If the organizer expects a video, test your microphone and recording setup before the event. For a hardware project, ask about bringing equipment and the available power supply.</p>
<p>Ask the organizer a specific question with enough context: "We want to use a library we wrote earlier. Do we need to list it separately?" Save the answer with the rules. A verbal agreement with a volunteer may never reach the person reviewing submissions.</p>
<h2>Set up your tools before building the solution</h2>
<p>Before the event, install the tools you already know how to use. Check that you can sign in to your editor, repository and hosting service. Make a test screen recording, open it on another device and listen to the audio. None of this requires solving the competition task in advance.</p>
<p>You can practise by building a small learning project. Whether you can reuse its code at the hackathon depends on the rules. Learning a tool, preparing a template and developing the competition entry ahead of time are different activities. If the boundary is unclear, ask before starting the work.</p>
<p>Bring your charger and any adapters you need. For an in-person event, find out where you can rest and eat, how to reach the venue and when it closes. Do not make an unfamiliar laptop, someone else's account or temporary access to a paid service the foundation of your project.</p>
<h2>Describe your skills honestly</h2>
<p>"I can build two screens and connect a form to an existing API" is more useful to your team than "I'll handle the entire frontend." Explain what you have done independently, what you have followed in a tutorial and what you want to learn. This helps you choose a scope that does not rely on discovering a missing skill in the middle of the night.</p>
<p>A participant without programming experience can research the problem, test the interface, prepare data, record the demo or write the project description. Each task needs a result the team can check. "Helping with the product" is hard to assess; "I'll prepare five examples of user errors by lunchtime" can go into the plan.</p>
<p>If you are coming alone, find the team-matching channel and any meetup for prospective teammates. Introduce your skills, available time and the problem you want to work on. Do not promise to work all night just to get an invitation. Agree on realistic participation before the event rather than disappearing after the first stage.</p>
<h2>Choose one path from problem to result</h2>
<p>Consider a practice example: your team is building a consultation-booking tool. A complete product might include a calendar, payments, messages, reviews and user accounts. For the first demo, one path is enough: a person picks an available time, sends a request and receives a clear confirmation.</p>
<p>Write down that path and sketch a few screens. Then identify the riskiest part. The calendar might look simple, but your team may not know how to retrieve available time slots. Test that dependency before designing an attractive landing page.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/hackathon/comments/1rbq3qx/my_first_ever_online_hackathon_experience_was_an/">Reddit discussion about a first online hackathon</a>, a participant describes a project that the rest of the team could not run. It is one person's account, but it suggests a useful check: at least two teammates should be able to run the working version well before the presentation.</p>
<h2>Agree on checkpoints</h2>
<p>Replace a long feature list with a few visible results. First, the team can explain the problem. Next, the application completes the main flow using test data. Then another person checks the startup instructions, and the presenter rehearses the demo with a timer.</p>
<p>Give each checkpoint an owner. They do not have to do all the work themselves, but they know its status and report blockers. Keep the discussion short: what is ready, what prevents the next step and which part of the idea you should drop.</p>
<p>If you are behind, cut additional flows. Removing an optional filter is usually safer than skipping a link check or rehearsal. The <a href="https://info.stavleak.com/ru/guides/plan-hakatona-48-chasov">48-hour hackathon plan, in Russian</a> gives a more detailed example of time allocation. Adapt its intervals to your event's schedule.</p>
<h2>Start submitting before the final hour</h2>
<p>Create a draft submission once you know the project's name and purpose. Update the description as you work. <a href="https://help.devpost.com/article/125-tips-for-planning-your-project">Devpost's project-planning guide</a> also recommends starting with the rules and a draft entry. Check the actual fields and submission confirmation process for your hackathon.</p>
<p>Leave time to upload the video, process files and fix access. Open every link in a browser without signing in to your account. If the materials must remain private, test the organizer's approved access method for judges rather than making them public.</p>
<p>After submitting, save the confirmation. Then have a short team debrief: which step was harder than expected, what did you learn and what small project could you build again on your own? That will help at your next hackathon more than a vague promise to "prepare better next time."</p>
<p>For your first attempt, choose an event in the <a href="https://www.stavleak.com/en/hackathons?utm_source=hashnode&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=pervyy-hakaton">Stavleak hackathon catalog</a>: read the participation rules and check the application deadlines.</p>
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Алғашқы хакатонды қалай таңдауға болады: тіркелмей тұрып тексеретін 5 нәрсе]]></title><description><![CDATA[Хакатонға тіркеліп, кейін оның уақыты сабақпен қабаттасатынын немесе тапсырмасы өзіңе тым қиын екенін білу жағымсыз. Алдымен іс-шараның шарттарын өз мүмкіндігіңмен салыстыр. Осылай нақты қатыса алатын]]></description><link>https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/first-hackathon-selection-kk</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/first-hackathon-selection-kk</guid><category><![CDATA[hackathon]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Stavleak]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:51:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://cdn.hashnode.com/uploads/covers/6abd5a60c9492db792c02d10/126aae65-7b4e-4873-bd21-4f577ac57b86.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Хакатонға тіркеліп, кейін оның уақыты сабақпен қабаттасатынын немесе тапсырмасы өзіңе тым қиын екенін білу жағымсыз. Алдымен іс-шараның шарттарын өз мүмкіндігіңмен салыстыр. Осылай нақты қатыса алатын хакатонды таңдайсың және командаға орындай алмайтын уәде бермейсің.</p>
<p>Хакатонда команда шектеулі уақытта тапсырманы шешіп, нәтижесін көрсетеді. Бір іс-шарада код қажет, екіншісінде идея мен жұмыс үлгісі жеткілікті болуы мүмкін. Нақты талапты ұйымдастырушының ережесінен қара. «Хакатон» деген атаудың өзі барлық іс-шараның бірдей өтетінін білдірмейді.</p>
<h2>1. Қай күні жұмыс істей алатыныңды жаз</h2>
<p>Күнтізбеңнен бос уақытты белгіле. Тіркелу мерзімі, жұмыстың басталуы және жобаны тапсыру уақыты бөлек болуы мүмкін. Әрқайсысының күні мен уақыт белдеуін жазып ал. Онлайн іс-шарада да ашылу немесе қорытынды көрсету кезінде міндетті қатысу талап етілуі мүмкін.</p>
<p>Ойдан алынған мысал: сен сенбі күні түске дейін сабақтасың, ал команда жұмысты таңертең бастамақ. Оны басында айт. Команда сенің бөлігіңді түстен кейін жоспарлай алады. Белгілі уақыттың орнына «қолым босай қалса кіремін» деп жазсаң, ортақ жоспар құру қиындайды.</p>
<h2>2. Тапсырманы өз сөзіңмен түсіндір</h2>
<p>Іс-шара сипаттамасын оқып, үш сөйлем жаз: кімнің мәселесін шешесің, адам қазір неге қиналады, соңында қандай нәтиже көрсетесің. Егер мұны жаза алмасаң, түсініксіз тұсын ұйымдастырушыдан сұра.</p>
<p>«Білім беру саласына инновация енгізу» тым кең. «Студент бос аудиторияны таба алады» деген нәтиже түсініктірек. Бұл ойдан алынған тапсырма. Нақты хакатонда ұсынылған бағыт пен бағалау шартын сақтау керек.</p>
<h2>3. Қатысу талабын тексер</h2>
<p>Жас, оқу орны, ел, команда құрамы немесе қолданылатын технология бойынша шектеу бар ма? Жеке өтінім қабылдана ма? Команданың ең аз және ең көп мүшесі қанша? Бұрын басталған жобаны жалғастыруға бола ма?</p>
<p>Жауабы жоқ сұраққа өзің ереже ойлап таппа. Ұйымдастырушыға нақты хабарлама жібер: «Мен жалғыз тіркелсем, команда табуға арналған кезең бар ма?» Жауапты сақтап қой, кейін командаға дәл сол шартты көрсетесің.</p>
<h2>4. Көрсететін нәтиженің түрін анықта</h2>
<p>Презентация, бейне, код сақталған орын, жұмыс істейтін сілтеме немесе файл қажет болуы мүмкін. Не тапсыратыныңды алдын ала білсең, қажет құралды басталғанға дейін дайындайсың. Жобаны бағалауға берілген уақытты да қара: қысқа көрсетуге арналған үлгі мен ұзақ таныстырудың жоспары әртүрлі.</p>
<p>Алғаш рет қатыссаң, өзің білетін құралмен бір түсінікті әрекетті орындауға болатын тапсырманы таңда. Жаңа технологияны үйренуге уақыт бөлуге болады, бірақ оны командамен алдын ала келіс.</p>
<h2>5. Таңдауды бір парақта салыстыр</h2>
<p>Екі немесе үш іс-шараға мына жолдарды толтыр: тақырып, формат, бос уақытым, қатысу талабы, қажет нәтиже, сұрағым. Бос тұрған жол сол іс-шараны бірден қабылдау керек дегенді білдірмейді. Әуелі жауабын тап.</p>
<p>Іс-шараларды <a href="https://www.stavleak.com/kk/hackathons">Stavleak-тің қазақша хакатондар каталогынан</a> қарауға болады. Каталогтағы карточкадан баста, кейін нақты ережені және соңғы хабарламаны тексер. Мәртебе мен мерзім өзгеруі мүмкін.</p>
<p>Тіркелмей тұрып бір адамға таңдауыңды түсіндір. «Осы уақытта қатысамын, осы мәселені шешемін, соңында мына нәтижені тапсырамын» деп айта алсаң, команда іздеуге көш.</p>
<p>Материал Stavleak атынан AI көмегімен дайындалды. Мысалдар ойдан алынған; нақты іс-шараның ережесі басым.</p>
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to rehearse a hackathon demo without internet access]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your hackathon app can work on your laptop and still fail during the pitch. A remote API might stop responding, a token might expire, or the room's Wi-Fi might connect without reaching the internet. P]]></description><link>https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/how-to-rehearse-a-hackathon-demo-without-internet-access</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://stavleak.hashnode.dev/how-to-rehearse-a-hackathon-demo-without-internet-access</guid><category><![CDATA[hackathon]]></category><category><![CDATA[JavaScript]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Stavleak]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:06:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://cdn.hashnode.com/uploads/covers/6abd5a60c9492db792c02d10/e8056a86-728e-4de7-8f08-13957c97376b.jpg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Your hackathon app can work on your laptop and still fail during the pitch. A remote API might stop responding, a token might expire, or the room's Wi-Fi might connect without reaching the internet. Prepare a small set of labelled sample data and rehearse the same demo with the network unavailable.</p>
<p>That gives you a way to explain your interface and workflow while you diagnose the live service. It does not prove that the remote service works. Tell the judges which parts are live, which use sample data, and which are incomplete. Check the event's rules before using a recorded or sample-based demonstration.</p>
<h2>Pick one path through the project</h2>
<p>Choose a task that a person can finish on screen. For a hypothetical campus lost-and-found app, the path could be: enter an item description, inspect three possible matches, then open the contact screen. A catalogue of every feature will give you more ways to get stuck.</p>
<p>Write the starting state and expected result before recording or rehearsing. Decide who speaks, who controls the laptop, and what you will do if the live service fails. Keep the backup path short enough to run within the actual pitch limit.</p>
<p>Use a made-up scenario. Do not place real student names, phone numbers, private photographs, API credentials, or customer records in a public fixture. For the example below, the item descriptions and scores are invented for a rehearsal. They are not measured search quality.</p>
<h2>Keep live and sample data separate</h2>
<p>A fixture is a small file containing a known input or result. You can keep one in the project and load it during a rehearsal. It lets you show the same state each time, including an empty result or a failed operation.</p>
<p>Make the mode an explicit choice. Put a visible label near the result, such as “Sample data: rehearsed result”. Avoid switching to sample data silently after an error. A judge could otherwise mistake an invented answer for a live model response.</p>
<p>This small JavaScript adapter makes the distinction explicit:</p>
<pre><code class="language-js">export async function loadDemoData({ mode, fixture, requestLive }) {
  if (mode === 'fixture') {
    return { source: 'fixture', data: structuredClone(fixture) };
  }
  if (mode !== 'live') throw new TypeError('Choose live or fixture');
  return { source: 'live', data: await requestLive() };
}
</code></pre>
<p>The function does two jobs: it selects the requested data source and returns the source label with the data. In fixture mode it does not call the network adapter. It also copies the fixture so changes made during one rehearsal do not leak into the next.</p>
<p>It does not authenticate users, cache real responses, handle browser storage, or make a whole application available offline. Your app still needs its pages, fonts, scripts, images and any local server to be available.</p>
<h2>Show a result that you can explain</h2>
<p>Here is a fixture for the hypothetical lost-and-found project:</p>
<pre><code class="language-js">const fixture = {
  query: 'Black notebook near the library',
  matches: [
    { id: 'sample-1', description: 'Black notebook', score: 0.82 },
    { id: 'sample-2', description: 'Dark blue folder', score: 0.41 }
  ]
};

const result = await loadDemoData({ mode: 'fixture', fixture });
// Render result.source next to the result, not only in the console.
console.log(result.source, result.data.matches);
</code></pre>
<p>The decimal scores are sample values. If the team has not evaluated the live matching system, say so. A deterministic screen is useful for explaining a flow; it is not evidence of model accuracy, uptime or production readiness.</p>
<p>Add an empty fixture too. Show what happens when there are no matches. Then test a malformed response from your live adapter. Judges should be able to see the error and understand the next action instead of staring at a spinner.</p>
<h2>Test the backup independently</h2>
<p>Save the adapter as <code>demo-data.mjs</code>, then save this test as <code>demo-data.test.mjs</code>. Run it with Node.js 22 or later:</p>
<pre><code class="language-js">import test from 'node:test';
import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
import { loadDemoData } from './demo-data.mjs';

test('fixture mode does not need the network adapter', async () =&gt; {
  const result = await loadDemoData({
    mode: 'fixture',
    fixture: { matches: [] },
    requestLive: () =&gt; { throw new Error('No network'); }
  });
  assert.deepEqual(result, {
    source: 'fixture',
    data: { matches: [] }
  });
});
</code></pre>
<pre><code class="language-sh">node --test demo-data.test.mjs
</code></pre>
<p>This test confirms a narrow property: fixture mode does not depend on the provided network adapter. It does not replace opening the actual demo and following the participant's steps.</p>
<p>For a live adapter using <code>fetch</code>, check <code>response.ok</code> before decoding the body. An HTTP error such as 404 does not by itself reject the fetch promise. See the <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/fetch">MDN fetch reference</a>.</p>
<h2>Rehearse from a clean start</h2>
<p>First open the project through the same route that you will use during the pitch. Use a fresh browser context or a colleague's machine where practical. Follow the README. Check that the demo does not depend on your personal account or a secret sitting in your shell.</p>
<p>Next, make the remote service unavailable in a controlled rehearsal. Select fixture mode and repeat the task. Do not infer API availability from <code>navigator.onLine</code>: a connection to a local network does not guarantee that a particular service can be reached. <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Navigator/onLine">MDN explains the limits of this signal</a>.</p>
<p>Finally return to live mode and trigger an error. It should remain an error until the presenter deliberately chooses another mode. Keep a short local recording if the rules allow it, and label the recording with its date and the version it shows.</p>
<p>In the README, record the command to start the project, the sample mode, the tested route and the remaining dependencies. Give a teammate those instructions and watch them run the demo without hints.</p>
<h2>Give the organizer a clear handover</h2>
<p>Submit the required project materials through the event's official channel. Add a short note explaining how to reproduce the live and sample paths. The backup demo does not extend the deadline or change the judging rules.</p>
<p>Stavleak publishes practical resources for hackathon teams and organizers in Kazakhstan. Organizers can use the <a href="https://org.stavleak.com/en#toolkit">Stavleak toolkit</a> to prepare the event workflow and judging materials. Participants can <a href="https://www.stavleak.com/en/hackathons">browse hackathons on Stavleak</a> and read each event's current rules before registering.</p>
<p>Editorial note: this is a teaching example prepared with AI assistance and checked by Stavleak. The cover is an AI-generated conceptual illustration. It does not show a real event or customer. The adapter and the test above were executed locally; the example is not a claim about Stavleak's product implementation.</p>
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