What are Code Jams?

SF Hacks Code Jams is a mini-hackathon where participants are given from October 1st - November 1st to complete their projects. It is open to all students, and you can submit ANY PROJECT YOU’VE WORKED ON (personal projects, projects from class, etc.). Project submissions will be submitted online, but the project presentations will be in person. 

Requirements

What to Build

Anything you are interested in! You can build the projects that you have always wanted to build -- there are no limitations.

What to Submit

You are welcome to submit personal projects, class projects, anything you have worked on and would like to share.

Video Submissions

Format: Create a video presentation that showcases your coding solution and thought process. The video should be clear, well-structured, and engaging for the audience.

Length: Keep the video within a specified time limit, typically between 5 to 8 minutes. Concisely present your solution without sacrificing important details.

Content: Clearly explain the problem statement, outline your approach, and walk through the implementation of your solution. Use visual aids, diagrams, or animations when necessary to enhance understanding.

Questions to help you get you started:

    Why did you choose this project? What was your inspiration?
    What was the learning process? The biggest takeaways? What did you learn from building this project?
    Any improvements you would like to implement in the future?

Clarity and Communication: Articulate your thought process, reasoning, and any trade-offs you made during the coding process. Ensure your explanations are easy to follow, even for viewers who may not be familiar with the problem.

Code Presentation: Showcase your code snippets or algorithms in a readable format. Highlight any unique features, optimizations, or innovative techniques that you employed.

Presentation Style: Speak clearly and confidently, make sure the video is well articulated. The content should be easily understandable.

Copyright and Attribution: If you are using any external resources, libraries, or code snippets, provide appropriate attribution and ensure that you comply with copyright and licensing requirements.

Video Quality: Use a recording device or software to ensure clear audio and video (OBS is a common and user-friendly recording software). Avoid excessive background noise or distractions that could hinder the viewer's experience.

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$100 in prizes
Best Execution
1 winner

Best Design
1 winner

Best Presentation
1 winner

Fan Favorite
1 winner

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Arno Puder

Arno Puder
Chair of Computer Science Department at SFSU

Tunni Chiang
Engineer at C3.AI

Mark Kim

Mark Kim
Former ACM President

Paul Klien IV
SF State Alumnus, SF Hacks Founder, Angel Investor with Hawk Hill Ventures, and Director of Self-Service at Mux

Abdur Sikder
CEO & Founder of Vsity

Judging Criteria

  • Creativity
    Effects: Most Impactful, Best design. Judges whether this project leaps with creative risk which enhances the work, utilizes concepts, tools, and processes in a nuanced way, and visually stands out.
  • Execution
    Effects: Most Impactful. Assessment of whether this project has a well-thought-out idea and application, a strong sense of direction for its goal, and confidence in its delivery as a work.
  • Presentation
    Effects: Best Presentation Assessment of whether this project's idea, current work, and plan are deployable and scalable.

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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