{"slug": "hacktoberfest-2026-building-with-ai-not-prs", "title": "Hacktoberfest 2026: Building with AI; not PRs", "summary": "DigitalOcean's Hacktoberfest 2026 shifts from counting pull requests to focusing on building with open artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce low-effort PRs and promote meaningful learning. The event, run with Major League Hacking (MLH) and DEV, will feature local Fests where participants can write skills.md files, build open-source agents, or fine-tune open-weight models. Organizers can apply to host Fests and receive funding, swag, and support.", "body_md": "### A challenge is born.\n\nDigitalOcean launches Hacktoberfest: open four pull requests in October, earn a t-shirt.\n\nThe story so far\n\nWhat began as a simple pull-request challenge has grown into one of the largest developer traditions in the world. Here’s how we got here and where we will go next.\n\nDigitalOcean launches Hacktoberfest: open four pull requests in October, earn a t-shirt.\n\nThousands of developers make their first contribution! The door opens. This works at first, but maintainers start to burn out from volume and low-effort PRs as the years go by.\n\nUnder the stewardship of long-time partners Major League Hacking (MLH) and DEV, Hacktoberfest refocuses on high-value, meaningful learning. Online and local events (Fests) everywhere, all about building with open source AI.\n\nThe mission\n\n**Hacktoberfest has always been about empowering people to build open software together.** For years, that energy was measured by pull requests and developers making their first open-source contributions. But open source was never defined by a PR counter. Open source is a philosophy centered on transparency and collective ownership.\n\nIn an era where AI tools make low-effort PRs easier than ever to generate, maintainers face unprecedented volume and noise. **This year, Hacktoberfest is focused on high-value, meaningful learning: giving everyone the tools and knowledge to experiment and build with open artificial intelligence.**\n\nBy joining Hacktoberfest, online or in-person, you can expect to learn about open-weight models, open source agents, and more. **We believe open innovation must be prioritized alongside proprietary tools for an ecosystem to remain healthy and resilient.** Instead of counting PRs, you’ll write your first skills.md, build your own open-source agent, fine-tune an open-weight model, or go wherever your curiosity takes you.\n\nHacktoberfest 2026 is about meeting you wherever you are in your open source AI journey because we believe **AI belongs to everyone.**\n\nGet involved\n\nEvery Fest comes to life through local organizers raising their hands and sponsors providing their support. If you want to help shape Hacktoberfest 2026, we’d love to have you on board.\n\nAnyone can host a Fest. Are you part of a local meetup group? University club? Or perhaps you and a few coworkers have the power to book a conference room… let’s bring Hacktoberfest to your community.\n\nOrganizers will receive funding to help cover their event, plus swag and programming support.\n\nTell your Marketing and Dev Rel teams about Hacktoberfest.\n\nSponsors make the swag and in-person Fests possible. Be part of this new Hacktoberfest chapter and get your brand in front of our massive global community of software creators.\n\nCommon questions\n\nHacktoberfest works differently this year, and a new format always comes with questions. We have the answers: here’s what to know about hosting a Fest, taking part, and what comes next.\n\nYou will need to apply to host a Fest, and applications will open soon. For now, to get the latest updates.\n\nFests will be confirmed on a rolling basis before and throughout Hacktoberfest. We aim to confirm your Fest <1 week from the date we receive your completed application.\n\nAll Fest organizers will be eligible for stickers, swag, and prizes for their participants. In addition, MLH will provide financial reimbursement to organizers for certain event-related expenses.\n\nYes! We will promote all Fests on the Hacktoberfest website in a searchable gallery so participants can easily find your event. We will also promote the Fests program via our social media channels and marketing campaigns across MLH and DEV.\n\nNope, we’re trying something new this year; to stay updated!", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hacktoberfest-2026-building-with-ai-not-prs", "canonical_source": "https://hacktoberfest.com/", "published_at": "2026-08-11 21:50:22+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-11 22:11:59.251150+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-agents", "developer-tools", "ai-ethics"], "entities": ["DigitalOcean", "Major League Hacking (MLH)", "DEV", "Hacktoberfest"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hacktoberfest-2026-building-with-ai-not-prs", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hacktoberfest-2026-building-with-ai-not-prs.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hacktoberfest-2026-building-with-ai-not-prs.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/hacktoberfest-2026-building-with-ai-not-prs.jsonld"}}