Chapter 6: Setting Up Your Tools & Accounts
The 30-minute prep that saves you 3 hours
Nothing kills hackathon momentum like spending the first two hours fighting with software installations, password resets, and API key approvals. The work in this chapter is boring. It takes about 30 minutes. And it's the single highest-ROI thing you can do before the event.
Create your accounts now, not later
Most hackathons involve tools and platforms that require accounts. Create them before the event. Here's a baseline list — you won't need all of these, but having them ready means you're never the person holding up the team:
GitHub (or GitLab): Even if you're not coding, you may need to access your team's repository, read documentation, or submit your project. Create an account and familiarize yourself with the basics — cloning a repo, reading a README, opening an issue.
The hackathon platform itself: Whether the event uses BuilderBase, Devpost, or another platform, register early. Fill out your profile. Upload a photo. Complete any pre-event forms. Some events require application approval, and you don't want to discover that at 9 AM on event day.
API accounts: Check if the hackathon provides sponsored APIs or tools (OpenAI, Twilio, Google Cloud, AWS, etc.). Many offer free credits, but you often need to sign up, verify your email, and generate API keys before you can use them. Some have approval wait times of hours or even days.
Communication tools: Join the event's Discord server, Slack workspace, or WhatsApp group ahead of time. This is where announcements, team formation, and mentor support usually happen.
Set up your development environment (if you're coding)
If you plan to write code, get your environment working before the event. This means:
Install your language runtime, framework, and package manager of choice.
Make sure your code editor is set up with the extensions you like.
Run a quick "hello world" project to confirm everything compiles and runs.
If you're using Docker, pull the images you'll need. If you're deploying to a cloud platform, make sure your CLI tools are authenticated.
The key principle: run your stack end-to-end at least once. Don't just install things — verify they work together. The number of hackathon hours lost to dependency conflicts, version mismatches, and mysterious error messages is staggering, and almost all of it is preventable with a single test run the day before.
Test your hardware (especially for online events)
If the hackathon is online or hybrid, your setup is your venue. Test it:
Camera and microphone: Open a video call with a friend or use your computer's built-in camera app. Check that you're visible, audible, and not backlit into a silhouette.
Internet connection: Run a speed test. If your connection is unreliable, have a backup plan — a mobile hotspot, a nearby cafe, a friend's house.
Power and charging: Make sure your laptop charger works and you know where the outlets are. For in-person events, bring a power strip or extension cord. You'll make friends fast.
Headphones: Essential for focus time, especially in noisy venue environments. Bring a pair even if you think you won't need them.
Bookmark your resources
During the hackathon, you won't have time to search for things. Collect these in a single browser bookmark folder or a note before the event:
The event schedule (start time, submission deadline, judging time, meals).
Challenge track descriptions and judging criteria.
API documentation for any tools or platforms you might use.
The hackathon's submission requirements (what format, what fields, where to upload).
Links to mentor sign-up sheets or help channels.
Having these in one place saves you from the draining cycle of "wait, where was that link?" that eats into building time.
Tools for non-technical participants
You don't need a code editor to contribute meaningfully. Here's your toolkit:
Figma (free tier): For designing screens, user flows, and UI mockups. Even basic Figma skills let you create something that looks and feels like a real product. Spend 20 minutes on a beginner tutorial before the event.
Canva: For pitch deck slides, social media assets, logos, and quick visual design. Most hackathon presentations live or die on slide quality.
Google Slides or PowerPoint: If Canva feels like too much, a clean slide deck with clear structure works fine. Pick a simple template beforehand.
Notion or Google Docs: For project documentation, research notes, and organizing the team's ideas in one place.
A timer app: Seriously. Someone on the team needs to be watching the clock, and having a visible countdown helps everyone stay honest about scope.
Bring backups
The wifi will probably be slow. The API documentation might go down. The event platform might have a hiccup. Prepare for it:
Screenshot or save offline copies of any critical documentation.
Download the event schedule as a PDF.
If you're using an API, save the key reference pages locally.
Keep a copy of your code on a USB drive or synced to a cloud backup — don't rely solely on a single laptop.
This isn't paranoia. It's pattern recognition from hundreds of hackathons. Something always goes sideways with infrastructure, and the teams that prepared for it barely notice.
The golden rule of hackathon setup
Do not install something brand new the morning of the event. Not a new framework. Not a new editor. Not a new design tool. If you want to try something new, install it and test it the day before. Learn the basics. Break it and fix it on your own time. Then show up knowing it works.
The hackathon clock is for building, not troubleshooting your tools. Get the setup out of the way now, and you'll hit the ground running when the clock starts.
Key takeaways:
Create accounts (GitHub, the hackathon platform, API providers, communication tools) at least a day before the event to avoid approval delays.
If you're coding, run your full development stack end-to-end at least once before the hackathon — installation alone is not enough.
Test your camera, microphone, and internet connection for online or hybrid events, and bring chargers and headphones for in-person ones.
Bookmark the event schedule, challenge briefs, API docs, and submission requirements in one place for quick access.
Non-technical participants should set up Figma, Canva, or Google Slides and spend a few minutes learning the basics beforehand.
Never install a brand-new tool the morning of the event — test it the day before so you're building, not troubleshooting.