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I’m Shravan Sharma, a CSE (Data Science) student interested in building things and exploring web development, data structures and algorithms, AI, and open source. Hacktoberfest 2026 feels like a good place to turn that curiosity into action: learn with the community, build something useful, and meet other developers along the way.
This is the beginning of my journey, not a list of contributions already completed. I’m joining with questions, ideas, and a willingness to learn. Open source can be a way to understand how people build together—and to find a community while doing it.
What I’m hoping to learn and build
I want to keep exploring web development, DSA, and AI while getting more comfortable making things that other people can use. Hacktoberfest gives me a reason to learn alongside developers with different experiences and perspectives. I hope to contribute thoughtfully, ask better questions, and make connections with people who enjoy building, too.
For 2026, the event’s emphasis is learning and building with open-source AI and open-weight models. That makes this a chance to explore the technology as well as the collaborative work around it. The official Hacktoberfest FAQ describes the event as a month-long October celebration managed by MLH and DEV in partnership with DigitalOcean.
#1 Best Overall
How Hacktoberfest 2026 participation works
There are several ways to take part, depending on whether you want to join online or meet people in person. Hacktoberfest lists 300+ in-person and online community events worldwide for 2026; check the relevant activity page for its current requirements and schedule.
- Online: Sign in to My Hacktoberfest with a MyMLH account, then explore activities such as DEV Challenges, MLH livestreams, and Global Hack Week: Hacktoberfest. The online participation page says participants can complete challenges to collect virtual stickers and may receive a sticker pack by mail after meeting the requirements.
- In person: Find a local Fest and register on that event’s page. The page provides its venue, schedule, accessibility details, and any local registration or eligibility rules. If you’re going to build at the event, bring a laptop and charger; you don’t need a laptop just to attend a Meetup or watch a livestream.
The My Hacktoberfest dashboard shows activities and requirements. Connecting a DEV account is optional; the FAQ lists a DEV badge and DEV Challenge credit among the benefits. Each challenge can have its own rules, so check those before joining.
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Do pull requests count toward rewards in 2026?
No. Hacktoberfest says, “Pull requests and merge requests will no longer count toward Hacktoberfest rewards.” Open-source contributions are still encouraged, but they are not the route to earning the event’s 2026 rewards. The event’s new format emphasizes learning and building together while reducing low-effort contribution burdens on maintainers. Older guides that say a set number of accepted pull requests earns Hacktoberfest swag do not describe the 2026 rules.
That distinction matters to me: I can still contribute to open source because I want to learn and help, without treating a merged pull request as a reward requirement. For event rewards, I’ll use the activities and requirements shown in the official dashboard.
Who can join?
Hacktoberfest’s general guidance welcomes participants aged 13 or older, subject to country eligibility rules. A local Fest may set its own age or audience restrictions, and participants under 18 should ask the event hosts whether parental permission is needed. DEV Challenges have separate eligibility rules, so general event eligibility does not guarantee eligibility for every activity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.My goal for this first month
I’m starting without a claim that I already know everything—or that I’ve completed a particular milestone. I want to learn by building, take part in the community, and make contributions with care. Whether that means joining an online activity or finding a local event, I’m looking forward to seeing what I can learn and who I can learn it with.
If you’re also new to open source, you don’t need to arrive with a finished project or a long list of contributions. Start with an activity that fits your interests, read its requirements, and take one useful step at a time.
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