My First Hackathon: The Hack The Future 2025 Experience
"Participating in my first hackathon was an intense and rewarding journey. It wasn't just about the code; it was about collaboration, problem-solving under pressure, and the thrill of seeing our ideas come to life."
My first ever hackathon, and what an adventure! Our challenge, "111: Diving into a New Dimension of Optis," pushed us to think creatively and work as a team. Together with Pieter Luypaert, we finished second in our challenge during the jury evaluation, a bit disappointed to just miss first place, but overall really proud of what we achieved 💪
The Challenge
We were tasked with building a solution to track marine life, but we didn't want to just build a database. We wanted to create an experience. The goal was to engage users, making the exploration of aquatic ecosystems fun and rewarding. We needed a system that could handle real-time data while keeping users hooked through gamification.
Our Solution: Fishy Dex
Our answer was Fishy Dex, a gamified platform that turns marine tracking into an adventure. We designed an ocean-themed interface where users can explore a catalog of fish species, record sightings on an interactive map, and compete on global leaderboards.
Key Features
Gamified Experience
We implemented an XP system where users earn rewards based on the rarity of the fish they spot.
Progressive Ranking
To give a sense of achievement, we created a four-tier ranking system from Beginner to Master.
Interactive Map
Using MapLibre, we built a visual way to explore sightings, making the data feel alive.
Embracing New Tech
For my first hackathon, we decided to be ambitious with our tech stack. We adopted a monorepo structure and utilized Next.js 16 and React 19. Using Tailwind CSS 4 allowed us to rapidly iterate on our custom designs. On the backend, Express.js 5 and Prisma provided the robust foundation we needed.
Reflections
Building Fishy Dex was a fantastic journey. It wasn't just about the code; it was about collaboration, problem-solving under pressure, and the thrill of seeing our ideas come to life. This experience has solidified my passion for full-stack development and I can't wait for the next one.