A new hackathon invites developers to explore opportunities beyond AI-driven code generation by focusing on automating the entire software development lifecycle. Participants will gain access to the GitLab Duo Agent Platform to build AI agents designed to resolve bottlenecks in planning, security, compliance, and deployments. The initiative encourages the creation of agents that integrate into workflows, respond to events, and take action, effectively serving as digital teammates for developers using GitLab. The goal is to build secure software faster by automating tedious and complex tasks.
Program Overview
• Early Access: Gain access to the GitLab Duo Agent Platform for the duration of the hackathon to learn, build on, and help shape the technology.
• Skill Development: Learn to build agents that assist with tasks like creating tests and orchestrate entire teams of purpose-built agents to manage feature requests from creation to deployment.
• Impact: Create agents that could potentially be shipped to thousands of GitLab users.
• Prizes: Compete for a total of $65,000 in prizes, including a Grand Prize and various category awards.
Key Dates
• Submission Period: February 9, 2026 (10:00 am Eastern Time) – March 25, 2026 (2:00 pm Eastern Time)
• Judging Period: March 30, 2026 (10:00 am Eastern Time) – April 17, 2026 (5:00 pm Eastern Time)
• Winners Announced: On or around April 22, 2026 (2:00 pm Eastern Time)
Prizes and Awards
• Grand Prize (1): $15,000 USD and 1000 points for GitLab Swag.
• Most Technically Impressive (1): $5,000 USD and 1000 points for GitLab Swag.
• Most Impactful (1): $5,000 USD and 1000 points for GitLab Swag.
• Easiest to Use (1): $5,000 USD and 1000 points for GitLab Swag.
• Honorable Mention (5): $500 USD and 320 points for GitLab Swag.
• Sustainable Design Bonus (4): $500 USD and 320 points for GitLab Swag for projects with exceptional sustainability practices.
• Most Impactful on GitLab & Google - Grand Prize (1): $10,000 USD and 500 points for GitLab Swag.
• Most Impactful on GitLab & Google - Runner Up (1): $3,500 USD and 500 points for GitLab Swag.
• Most Impactful on GitLab & Anthropic - Grand Prize (1): $10,000 USD and 500 points for GitLab Swag.
• Most Impactful on GitLab & Anthropic - Runner Up (1): $3,500 USD and 500 points for GitLab Swag.
• Green Agent Prize (1): $3,000 USD and 500 points for GitLab Swag for submissions that advance sustainability in software development.
A project can win a maximum of one Grand Prize and one Category Prize. If no eligible submissions exist for a category, the prize will not be awarded.
Project Requirements
• Core Task: Create a working AI agent or flow on the GitLab Duo Agent Platform that automates or removes friction from the software development lifecycle. Submissions should focus on agents that react to triggers and take action, rather than functioning solely as chatbots.
• Deliverable: At least one custom public agent or public flow must be created.
• Functionality: The project must be installable, run consistently on the GitLab Duo Agent Platform, and function as described in the submission materials.
• Project Age: Submissions must be newly created or significantly updated during the hackathon's submission period.
• Third-Party Integrations: If any third-party SDKs, APIs, or data are used, the entrant must be authorized to use them according to their respective terms and conditions.
Submission Guidelines
• Project URL: A public URL to the project in the GitLab AI Hackathon group, containing all source code, assets, and instructions. The repository must comply with open-source licensing, with the primary license visible.
• Text Description: A written explanation of the project's features and functionality.
• Demo Video: A public video (maximum 3 minutes) on YouTube or Vimeo demonstrating the project. The video must show the project functioning and clearly depict the agent reacting to a trigger and performing an action.
• Intellectual Property: Original work created by the entrant is subject to the MIT License and GitLab's Developer Certificate of Origin (v1.1). Third-party open-source components must comply with their applicable OSI-approved licenses.
• Testing Access: Entrants must provide access to their working project for judging, including login credentials if the project is private.
Judging Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated in a two-stage process. Stage one is a pass/fail viability check. Submissions that pass will be judged in stage two based on the following equally weighted criteria:
• Technological Implementation: Quality of software development and effective use of the GitLab Duo Agent Platform (Tools, Triggers, Context).
• Design: The quality of the user experience, ease of installation and configuration, and logical workflow.
• Potential Impact: The project's potential to positively affect the target community and solve a real bottleneck in the software development lifecycle.
• Quality of the Idea: The creativity, uniqueness, and improvement upon existing concepts.
In case of a tie, the submission with the highest score in the first criterion (Technological Implementation) will win, proceeding to subsequent criteria if the tie persists.
Eligibility
• Eligible Participants: The hackathon is open to individuals who are the age of majority in their place of residence, teams of eligible individuals, and legally organized organizations.
• Ineligible Participants: Individuals and organizations from Brazil, Quebec, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine are not eligible. Also excluded are employees and agents of promotion entities (including Sponsor and Administrator), judges, and any other individuals or organizations whose participation would create a conflict of interest.
How to Participate
• Register: Register for the hackathon on the Devpost website by creating or logging into a Devpost account.
• Request Access: Complete the specified form to request access to the GitLab AI Hackathon group where projects must be published. Access is granted based on meeting eligibility requirements and describing a valid submission idea.
• Explore Resources: Join the official Discord channel, explore the GitLab Duo Agent Platform, and review documentation on creating custom agents and flows.
• Submit Project: Complete and enter all required fields on the “Enter a Submission” page on the hackathon website during the submission period.
This hackathon presents a significant opportunity for developers to contribute to the evolution of AI in software development. By focusing on practical, action-oriented agents, participants can create solutions that address tangible challenges in security, compliance, and operational efficiency, potentially influencing the workflows of a global developer community.