hackathon

noun

hack·​a·​thon ˈha-kə-ˌthän 

plural hackathons

: an event in which computer programmers collaborate intensively with one another and sometimes with people in other specialties over a relatively short period of time to create code usually for a new software product or service

The goal of a hackathon is to create a prototype of an idea in record time—often over a single weekend. For the ambitious software developer, that usually means no rest or leafy greens.

—Kristen V. Brown

It's a hackathon—a contest to pitch, program, and present a functioning Android mobile application in 48 hours.

—Steven Leckart

In the past, she's led students in accessibility hackathons where they designed sensor systems for wheelchairs and a game for the blind.

—Brittany Britto

Examples of hackathon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Governments and businesses should work together to host such hackathons to identify the right talent with the right skill sets for their vacancies. —Somdip Dey, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

Rohan Mittal was named High School Student of the Year for helping organize Saint Francis High School’s seventh annual 12-hour hackathon. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2024

Their efforts fostered a culture of innovation and teamwork on campus by sparking the university’s first hackathon in six years. —Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 11 June 2024

Intel runs an annual hackathon to get its team members to think harder about security and how hackers think. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

hack entry 1 + -athon

First Known Use

1990, in the meaning defined above