01
Real problem
Someone would actually use this. Clear person, clear problem, demo shows it helping.
SYSTEM ONLINE // 100% REMOTE // DEC 14 2026 → JAN 17 2027
SYNTAX
HACKS
// 2026 — the online hackathon for high school + college students
Got an idea? Perfect. Got nothing? Even better. Build anything, ship the link, and win prizes.
01 > cat ./briefing.txt
One job: build real software
and ship it before deadline.
A website, an app, a game, an AI tool, a browser extension — or the first thing you have ever coded. Solo is fine. Teams are fine. Any language, framework, or API, including AI tools. If you use code, assets, or libraries you didn't write, say so in your submission.
Projects must be built during the hackathon. Work started before the event is not eligible.
- Beginner-friendly. Never coded? You belong here. Judges reward a working thing that helps someone, not senior-engineer polish.
- Fully remote. No venue, no travel, no lunch lines. Your setup is your battlestation — just ship a link judges can open.
- Real stakes. Five winners. Cash, gift cards, scholarships, free domains, merch, internship looks, and credits.
02 > ./run_protocol.sh
A month-long sprint,
not a one-day rush.
Submissions open soon. The window runs Dec 14, 2026 → Jan 17, 2027. Pace yourself: prototype early, get something live mid-window, polish and record your demo before the deadline.
-
PHASE 01 // DEC 14
Kickoff
Register on Devpost, form your squad (or go solo), pick a problem worth solving.
-
PHASE 02 // DEC 14 → JAN 16
Build
Hack from anywhere. Ship early, iterate often. Ask for help — that's the sport.
-
PHASE 03 // JAN 17, 5PM ET
Ship deadline
Submit on Devpost: description, live link, code link. Video highly recommended.
-
PHASE 04 // AFTER JAN 17
Judging + winners
Judges review every submission. Five winners take the prize manifest.
03 > cat ./ship_checklist.md
What "shipped" means.
One Devpost submission before the deadline. Every teammate added to it. That's the whole game.
$ required --all-three
- Project description. What it does, who it's for, how to try it. Cover every important aspect here.
- Live link. A URL where judges open the project — deployed site, live demo, or hosted build. It must actually run.
- Code link. Public GitHub / GitLab / Replit with a README and setup steps. Private key needed? Include a test key or a recorded path.
$ optional --worth-it
- Video (≤ 3 min). Show it working, then explain what you built. Judges watch this first.
- Pitch deck. Short PDF or slides: problem, what you built, how it works.
04 > ./judge --criteria
How you get scored.
Four things. No secret rubric, no pedigree points.
02
The build
It works. Code, live link, and features hold together — the hard parts are real, not a costume on a template.
03
Originality
It has its own idea. A familiar concept is fine if you took it somewhere specific.
04
The demo
A judge who's never seen it can tell what it does, who it's for, and how to try it.
Judges TBD — announced before kickoff on Devpost ↗.
05 > decrypt ./prize_manifest.enc
Prize manifest: decrypting…
Exact prizes are still being locked in. What's confirmed: five winners, and a mix across these channels.
- cash prizes
- gift cards
- scholarships
- free domains
- merch
- internship opportunities
- free credits
06 > man syntaxhacks
Frequently asked.
Who can participate?
High school and college students, from anywhere in the world (excluding standard Devpost exceptions). Companies and professional organizations can't compete. Full rules ↗
How much does it cost?
Nothing. Entry is free — the only investment is your time between Dec 14 and Jan 17.
I've never coded. Can I still join?
Absolutely. This is beginner-friendly by design. Pick the smallest real problem you can find, build the simplest thing that helps, and document it well — that beats an ambitious project that doesn't run.
What can I build?
Anything that's real software: a website, app, game, AI tool, browser extension. Any language, framework, or API — AI tools included. Just disclose code, assets, or libraries you didn't write.
Solo or team?
Either. Solo is fine, teams are fine. Add every teammate to your Devpost submission so everyone gets credit.
When and where does it happen?
Fully online, Dec 14, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027. Submissions open soon; the hard deadline is Jan 17 at 5pm ET. Schedule ↗
What exactly do I submit?
Description, live link, and public code link with a README — plus a ≤3-minute demo video if you want judges to actually watch your thing (recommended). Everything must be built during the hackathon window.
Still stuck? Contact a human.
Email team@syntaxhacks.org — we answer.
07 > ./sponsors --help
Back the next generation
of builders.
Sponsors put prizes, credits, and opportunities directly in front of motivated student hackers — fully remote, so your support goes to builders, not banquet halls. Pick a tier below. Every dollar goes straight into the central prize pool.
BRONZE
$500
Visibility. Your logo everywhere hackers look.
- Logo on the website + Devpost page
- 1 dedicated social shoutout
- Distribute API credits / digital swag to hackers
- Funds the central prize pool
SILVER
$750
Engagement. Face time with the builders.
- Everything in Bronze, larger logo placement
- 3 dedicated social posts
- Named prize track ("Best use of X")
- Track judging seat
- Logo on participation certificates
- Logo in the opening + closing Zoom ceremony
MAXIMUM IMPACT
GOLD
$1,000
Authority. Headline the event.
- Everything in Silver, largest logo + top billing
- 5 social posts + logo in the recap
- Grand-prize judging seat
- Speaking slot at the opening Zoom ceremony
- Co-host the closing awards on Zoom
- Verbal thanks in both ceremonies
Tier value can be cash or an equivalent in-kind contribution — API credits, domains, prizes, or services counted at fair value. Cash goes directly into the central prize pool: one pool, one judging process. Ceremony slots run inside our opening and closing Zoom calls, so scheduling is on us. We never sell or share participant data; hackers opt in to anything extra.
$ ls ./sponsors
EOF > ./register --now
Your move
Dec 14, 2026. Be there — wherever "there" is.
register on devpost ↗