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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about the Vibe Coding Hackathon. Can't find what you're looking for? We're here to help!

🚀 Getting Started

Do I need programming experience? +

Absolutely not! Vibe coding is for everyone. We welcome participants of any background - whether you're a complete beginner who has never written a line of code, or a seasoned developer looking to explore new possibilities with AI.

All you need is curiosity, creativity, and your favorite AI chatbot to help bring your ideas to life!

What AI tools can I use? +

You can use any Large Language Model (LLM) of your choice! Popular options include:

  • ChatGPT (OpenAI)
  • Claude (Anthropic)
  • Gemini (Google)
  • GitHub Copilot
  • Any other AI assistant that can help with coding

The key is leveraging AI to turn your ideas into reality, regardless of your technical background.

How do I register for the hackathon? +

Registration details will be announced closer to the kickoff date (September 25, 2025). Keep an eye on our community channels for updates!

Join our Discord server to be the first to know about registration opening and get all the latest updates.

👥 Team & Participation

Can I participate solo or do I need a team? +

Both options are great! You can participate solo or with a teammate (maximum 2 members per team).

Flying solo? Perfect! Working with a friend? Even better! The choice is yours.

Can we form a team of 3 people? +

No, teams are limited to a maximum of 2 members. The hackathon was originally designed for solo participants to encourage individual learning and creativity with AI tools. We later expanded to allow pairs to foster collaboration, but we're keeping the limit at 2 to maintain the original spirit of the event.

If you have a group of 3 interested people, we recommend splitting into a solo participant and a pair, or forming two separate teams.

How do I find a teammate? +

Our Discord server has dedicated channels for team formation! You can:

  • Post about your skills and interests
  • Browse other participants looking for teammates
  • Connect with people who share similar ideas
  • Join based on complementary skills (e.g., design + development)
What if my teammate drops out? +

No worries! You can continue solo, or find a new teammate through our community. Life happens, and we understand that sometimes plans change.

The asynchronous format makes it easier to adapt to these situations.

⏰ Format & Timeline

How does the asynchronous format work? +

Perfect for busy schedules! Work on your project whenever and wherever you want within the deadline periods. You are only required to submit your code by 11:59 PM in your time zone on the deadline date.

The track durations (2 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours) are recommendations for how long we believe it will take to complete a project. You can take more or less time as needed!

Code at your own pace, in your own time zone, at your own vibe! ✨

The key deadlines are:

  • Spark Track: October 24, 2025 (11:59 PM your local time)
  • Build & Launch Tracks: October 31, 2025 (11:59 PM your local time)
Can I switch tracks during the hackathon? +

Absolutely! You can start with Spark and upgrade to Build or Launch if you have time and want to expand your project.

However, you can only submit to one track for judging. Choose the track that best represents your final project's complexity and completeness.

What if I can't finish in time? +

That's totally okay! The goal is to learn, experiment, and have fun. Even an incomplete project is valuable if it demonstrates your learning journey with AI.

Consider submitting to a lower track (e.g., Spark instead of Build) or document what you learned for future reference.

🆘 Support & Help

What if I get stuck during the hackathon? +

Don't worry! Our community is here to help. Join our Discord server where you can:

  • Ask questions and get help from other participants
  • Share your progress and get feedback
  • Find potential teammates
  • Get support from organizers and mentors
  • Share debugging tips and AI prompts that work
Are there mentors or workshops? +

Yes! We have a workshop scheduled for October 10, 2025 to help you get started and answer questions.

Additionally, experienced participants and organizers will be available in the Discord community to provide guidance and support throughout the hackathon.

📝 Submission Process

How do I submit my project? +

Submissions are now open! Use our submission form to submit your project. You'll need to provide:

  • Link to your website/demo
  • Source code (GitHub repo or ZIP file)
  • Prompt history (how you worked with AI)
  • Performance and functionality report
  • 1-minute demo video

You can check with the organizers to confirm that your submission was received.

Will I receive a confirmation email after submitting? +

No, you won't receive an automatic confirmation email after submitting your project. However, you can reach out to the organizers on Discord or via email to confirm that your submission was successfully received.

We recommend taking a screenshot of your submission confirmation page for your records.

What should be in my performance report? +

Your performance report should include:

  • App speed and responsiveness metrics
  • Any loading or performance issues
  • List of working features
  • List of non-working or partially working features
  • Known bugs or limitations

The format is flexible - you can present this information in a way that makes sense for your project.

🏆 Judging & Prizes

How are prizes distributed for teams? +

For 2-person teams, the prize money will be split equally between both team members.

For example, if a team wins the $300 Launch track prize, each member receives $150.

What are the judging criteria? +

We're currently finalizing the detailed judging criteria and rubric to ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process. The criteria will be released soon and shared via Discord, email, and updated here.

We want to make sure the criteria align well with the spirit of vibe coding and properly evaluate both technical achievement and creative use of AI tools. Stay tuned for updates!

When will winners be announced? +

Winners will be announced shortly after the final submission deadline (October 31, 2025). We'll need some time to review all submissions fairly.

All participants will be notified via email and Discord when judging is complete.

💻 Technical Questions

What programming languages can I use? +

Any language you're comfortable with! Popular choices include:

  • Web: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python (Flask/Django), Node.js
  • Mobile: React Native, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin
  • Desktop: Python (Tkinter), JavaScript (Electron), C#, Java
  • AI/ML: Python (highly recommended for AI integration)

Remember, you'll be using AI to help with the coding, so choose something you're curious about!

Do I need to deploy my project? +

It depends on your track:

  • Spark: Not required, but hosted demos are impressive
  • Build: Not required, but recommended
  • Launch: Yes! Must be deployed or production-ready

Free hosting options include GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel, and Heroku.

Can I use existing code or libraries? +

You must start your project from scratch during the hackathon. You can use:

  • Open source libraries and frameworks
  • APIs and third-party services

However, you cannot use:

  • Existing projects (yours or others')
  • Templates or boilerplates as starting points
  • Manual code tweaks or edits

If you encounter bugs or issues, use AI prompts to fix them instead of editing the code manually. The core functionality and creativity should be developed entirely through AI assistance during the hackathon period.

Still Have Questions? 🤔

Don't hesitate to reach out! We're here to help make your vibe coding experience amazing.