Hackmate
Turn Code into Community.
Spend at least 5 hours building your collaborative app to earn $25 in cloud credits, or spend 10 hours to earn $50 in credits or a Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB).
How It Works
Build a collaborative app, ship it, and get rewarded.
1. Get an Idea
Think of a multiplayer or collaborative experience. A shared whiteboard? A multiplayer game? A group scheduler? Check out our guide for ideas.
2. Build & Ship It
Use any tech stack you want. Build your app, push it to GitHub, and deploy it.
3. Get Rewarded
Submit your project. After it's reviewed, you'll earn your reward.
Project Requirements
Make sure your project meets these criteria to be eligible for rewards.
👥Collaborative Design
Your app must require multiple users to function meaningfully. Think multiplayer games, shared tools, real-time chat apps, or interactive experiences that only work when people participate together.
🔗Real-time Technology
Use collaborative technology like WebSockets, Socket.io, WebRTC, or similar. Your app should allow multiple users to interact in real-time.
⏱️Time & Tracking
Spend at least 5 hours building your project and use Hackatime to track your coding time. Both are mandatory for reward eligibility.
Rewards
Choose your reward based on time spent.
5 Hours = $25
Spend at least 5 hours building and ship your collaborative app to earn $25 in cloud credits.
10 Hours = $50 or Pi 4
Spend at least 10 hours on your project to get $50 in cloud credits or a Raspberry Pi 4 (2GB).
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a "collaborative" project?
Any app where the core experience involves multiple users interacting with the same data in real-time. Think multiplayer games, collaborative drawing boards, shared document editors, live voting apps, or synchronized music players. A blog with comments or a static portfolio doesn't count your app needs real-time, simultaneous user interaction.
Is Hackatime really mandatory?
Yes, absolutely! Hackatime is required for all participants. Install the plugin for your code editor (VS Code, IntelliJ, Sublime, etc.) and ensure it's tracking your coding sessions. We use this data to verify you've met the minimum time requirements. Projects without proper Hackatime tracking will not be eligible for rewards.
What technology should I use?
Any tech stack that supports real-time features! Popular choices include Socket.io with Node.js, WebSockets, WebRTC, Firebase Realtime Database, Supabase Realtime, or Pusher. Your project must be deployed and open source. Check out our Getting Started Guide for specific recommendations and tutorials.
When does Hackmate end?
Hackmate ends on July 15th. Make sure to submit your project before the deadline to be eligible for rewards!
Where can I get help?
Join the Hack Club Slack and head to the #hackmate channel for questions, team formation, progress sharing, and technical help. You can also find teammates there if you need a partner!