What I learned at the ETHGlobal Lisbon hackathon!
What is ETHGlobal?
Ethereum has been the leading platform for dapps since their launch in 2015, bringing dapps to the decentralized web aka web3. ETHGlobal runs hackathon events around the world like ETHLisbon to support developers and the next generation of developers in the Ethereum community. ETHGlobal is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Ethereum Foundation and others that creates environments for developers to push their limits with new technologies in the blockchain space.
What's a hackathon?
A hackathon is an event where programmers and others form groups to make a successful app and execute an idea with code during a short period of time. Each team creates a “Minimum Viable Product" (MVP) aka the bare-bones version of an app that only contains the essential features needed. Hackathons are a great way to get involved in the developer community irl, learn new skills, contribute your talents, collaborate as a team, and add new projects to your portfolio.
I attended ETHGlobal Lisbon...
Attending ETHGlobal Lisbon was a great experience for me that I was able to attend thanks to a DeveloperDAO Women scholarship. They sent four women from around the world to experience this hackathon, network, and learn new skills.
On my first day there I had no team and felt a little anxious about participating since it was a new space. Thankfully, I was graced by meeting some incredible women that I ended up forming a team with. Including one of the other scholars, Irene and H.E.R. DAO governor, Lena that lead and guided our team in creating GreenWallet.
What is GreenWallet?
GreenWallet is a chain-agnostic DeFi app that simplifies eco-friendliness by automating carbon offsets for blockchain transactions. GreenWallet aims to give the environmentally aware user a clean conscious while browsing web3. While the user has a seamless experience, GreenWallets mechanisms track the emissions of the transactions and calculate the according carbon footprint. Read more.
The hackathon went a little like this...
During the hackathon, I got to put my skills to the test and push my limits during the given 48 hours. As a developer, it is really important to learn how to work well as a team and plan things effectively. This experience helped me learn how to work with others and brainstorm together. I was able to learn new workflows and skills from my teammates that I will be able to implement throughout my developer career.
We started by discussing ideas for our dapp with our group of 5. Then we established a set of assignments for each of us on the team and started coding away that Saturday evening till the morning after for 24 hours with no sleep. During these 24 hours, a lot of issues and roadblocks popped up. It was incredible to have a safe space with so many bright minds working together and developing solutions to help each other push through and continue building to the end.
A few things to keep in mind to have a successful hackathon are:
Keep it simple!
Stick to creating an MVP. Have a realistic idea that can be executed in the time given. Sometimes we get excited and come up with so many ideas that can't be realisticly implemented in a short time. Narrow down the scope of your idea and save the extra to keep iterating on later.
Communicate with your team effectively.
It's important to remember there is very limited time and it's better to communicate if you are stuck on something. This leads us to our next point...
Don't be afraid to ask for help!
Asking for help can be scary and intimidating but these environments are the best places to ask questions no matter how stupid you think the question may be. There are no stupid questions and there's no better time to ask than while you are surrounded by experienced developers of all levels and skill sets.
Don't forget to take breaks and take care of yourself.
You need to care for your needs during the hackathon to be able to perform your best. So, eat as much as you can, stay hydrated, and take breaks to be able to think clearly and get those creative juices flowing.
Work smarter, not harder!
Make sure to write out your assignments and break them down into executable chunks. It's easy to get sidetracked and lose valuable time. Staying organized and having an individual plan is key.
After the 24 hours ended we had to submit our project that morning by 9 AM. After the submission, we had to prepare and pitch our project live to a set of judges. We all took turns explaining our project to the event judges and then the judges for the different protocols we used. We won 2 prizes with our GreenWallet project!
In the end, I was blown away by the incredible experience and seeing our idea come to life. I was surprised with what we were able to come up with in just 24 hours. As we struggled together and brainstormed ideas we were able to lift each other up, learn, and build friendships from around the world. We probably wouldn't have had the chance to meet if it wasn't for this experience. This was a huge learning experience for me and something I would recommend to anyone willing to take on the challenge. If you work through the fatigue and overcome the obstacles to build to the end you'll have a meaningful and worthwhile experience.
Featured:
💜 Valerie - backend developer
💜 Irene - smart contract developer
💜 Sam - frontend developer
💜 Lena - blockchain developer
💜 Zoe - project manager