OssomeHacks 3.0 Field Manual

Resources For First-Time Hackers

Setup guides, Git workflows, Claw/Open track docs, downloadable templates, and submission prep in one place.

StartSetupGitJudgingTracksSubmission

Start Here

  • 01Start with one user problem and one measurable success metric.
  • 02Freeze an MVP scope in the first hour to avoid feature creep.
  • 03Set up Git workflow + deployment target before major coding starts.
  • 04Ship a thin end-to-end flow early, then iterate with mentor feedback.

Installation Setup

Git

Version control and team collaboration

sudo apt install git  # Linux
brew install git      # macOS
Official Docs

Node.js LTS

Runtime for modern JavaScript projects

nvm install --lts
nvm use --lts
Official Docs

VS Code

Editor with fast extensions + debugger

brew install --cask visual-studio-code #macOS
Official Docs

GitHub CLI

Create PRs/issues directly from terminal

brew install gh
# or: sudo apt install gh
Official Docs

Git Essentials

Download Git Cheat Sheet (PDF)
git clone <repo-url>Clone project
git checkout -b feature/<name>Create branch
git add .Stage changes
git commit -m "feat: add xyz"Commit clearly
git pull origin main --rebaseSync safely
git push -u origin feature/<name>Push branch
gh pr createOpen pull request

Hackathon Build Playbook

Hour 0-3

Problem + scope

Define users, success metric, and non-negotiable MVP boundaries.

Hour 4-12

Core implementation

Build the happy path with stable API contracts and basic logging.

Hour 13-24

Quality + resilience

Add error states, loading states, and fallback behavior.

Hour 25-36

Demo + submission

Prepare a tight demo script and validate every submission link.

Starter Architecture Blueprints

Frontend + API

Next.js + Express/FastAPI

You need polished UI + custom backend logic.

AI Feature App

Next.js + Python ML service

You need model inference, prompt pipelines, or embeddings.

Security-first Service

Backend API + Auth + Audit logging

You are solving Claw & Shield security workflows.

Demo Prep

  • 1.Open with the problem in one sentence.
  • 2.Show one happy path from start to end without interruption.
  • 3.Show one failure or edge-case and recovery behavior.
  • 4.Close with impact metric + future scope.

Submission Checklist

Download Submission Template (Markdown)
  • •README includes setup, architecture summary, and demo link.
  • •Live deployment works on desktop and mobile.
  • •Environment variables are documented and excluded from git.
  • •Submission form links and video are verified twice.
  • •Team can explain problem, solution, and impact in <3 minutes.

Pitch Script Templates

90 Seconds

Problem (20s) -> Solution (35s) -> Demo Proof (25s) -> Impact (10s)

180 Seconds

Problem (30s) -> Why Now (20s) -> Architecture (35s) -> Demo (60s) -> Impact + Roadmap (35s)

What Judges Look For

Problem Clarity

Clear user pain and why it matters

Self-check: Can a judge repeat your problem in one sentence?

Technical Depth

Strong architecture and implementation choices

Self-check: Did you explain trade-offs, not just tools?

Execution Quality

Working demo, reliable flow, polished UX

Self-check: Does your core flow work without manual fixes?

Impact

Measurable value or meaningful outcome

Self-check: Do you have one concrete impact metric?

Presentation

Crisp storytelling and confident demo

Self-check: Can your team pitch in 3 minutes clearly?

Common Failure Modes

  • •Broken demo link or credentials missing at judging time.
  • •No fallback/error states for API/model failures.
  • •Environment variables not documented in README.
  • •Scope too broad, so nothing feels complete.
  • •Pitch focuses on features, not problem and impact.

Mentor Question Bank

  • 1.What would you cut to keep this MVP strong and judge-ready?
  • 2.Which part of our architecture is most risky right now?
  • 3.What metric would best prove impact for this problem?
  • 4.If you were a judge, what would be your first criticism?
  • 5.What one UX change would most improve demo clarity?
  • 6.Are we over-engineering any module for hackathon scope?
  • 7.What security or privacy gap should we close before demo?
  • 8.How can we present this better for non-technical judges?
  • 9.What should be our strongest differentiation statement?
  • 10.What can we do in the next 2 hours for maximum score gain?

Team Role Templates

2 Members

Builder 1: frontend + demo flow | Builder 2: backend + deployment + README

3 Members

Member 1: frontend | Member 2: backend/data | Member 3: integration + QA + pitch

4 Members

Member 1: frontend | Member 2: backend/APIs | Member 3: AI/security/core logic | Member 4: QA + docs + pitch

API Readiness Checklist

  • Timeouts and retries configured for external API calls.
  • Rate-limit behavior handled with user-visible fallback.
  • Validation for all required request inputs.
  • Structured error responses and logs for debugging.
  • Graceful no-network/offline behavior in UI flow.

Security Quick Checks

  • No secrets or keys committed in repo history.
  • Input validation and sanitization on all user-controlled fields.
  • Auth/session logic protects sensitive routes and actions.
  • CORS policy restricted to required origins only.
  • Basic audit logging for critical user/system actions.