BrAPI Hackathons

Introduction

One key to the success of BrAPI has been the use of hackathons to bring developers together to develop specifications and implement them in widely used breeding software applications. This has led to a large, active community with a vested interest in the success of the specification. Typically, an official community hackathon is hosted by one of the many organizations in the community. These events bring together about 30-40 developers from around the world to share ideas and integrate tools using the BrAPI standard. Everyone is given an opportunity to present the tools they are working on and learn from their peers. About one third of the attendees at each event are new to the BrAPI community, so each hackathon also acts as a way to welcome new people and teach them about BrAPI. The in-person, social interaction has been a crucial part of the event by building stronger bonds within the community and allowing for faster inspiration and collaboration. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community began holding virtual hackathons in 2021, which presented a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Going forward, expect a healthy mix of virtual and in-person hackathons, allowing for the benefits of social interaction while also allowing wider participation for those who can not travel.

Upcoming hackathons will be announced to the community and posted on brapi.org/events Past hackathon notes and recordings are all available in the Hackathon Archive List