> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guide.mlh.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guide.mlh.com/overview/why-organize-a-hackathon.md).

# What is a Hackathon?

Hackathons are an incredible way to bring your community together to learn new skills, build amazing projects, and share ideas. A hackathon is best described as an **“invention marathon”**. Anyone who has an interest in technology attends a hackathon to learn, build & share their creations over the course of a weekend in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. You don’t have to be a programmer and you certainly don’t have to be majoring in Computer Science!

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MLH Presents: What is a hackathon?
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If you're familiar with in-person hackathons and are curious about how the fundamentals translate to the digital space, we've outlined some of the key differences and our recommendations [here](/overview/event-types/digital-events.md).