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  "path": "/raptorsdev/port-mortem-2026-hackathon-1mb2",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-03T11:37:20.000Z",
  "site": "https://dev.to",
  "tags": [
    "hackathon",
    "webdev",
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    "https://coderesurrection.com/2026",
    "https://raptors.dev",
    "https://discord.gg/XPfcH7VT2H"
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  "textContent": "#  Port Mortem 2026 — Rewrite Real Software. Prove It Still Works.\n\nThe software industry is entering a new era.\n\nAI can now rewrite thousands of lines of code across programming languages in minutes. Companies are investing heavily in AI-assisted migrations—from C/C++ to Rust, TypeScript to Go, Python to Rust, and beyond.\n\nBut there's a major problem.\n\nGenerating a port is easy.\n\n**Proving that the rewritten software behaves exactly like the original is hard.**\n\nThat's precisely what **Port Mortem 2026** is about.\n\nOrganized by **Hackathon Raptors** , Port Mortem is a **72-hour online international hackathon** where participants port real-world open-source projects into another programming language while demonstrating behavioral equivalence through testing, benchmarking, documentation, and engineering discipline—not just AI-generated code.\n\n#  Why Port Mortem?\n\nModern AI coding assistants can generate working code incredibly fast.\n\nHowever, production software isn't judged by whether it compiles.\n\nIt is judged by questions like:\n\n  * Does every feature still behave correctly?\n  * Does the original test suite still pass?\n  * Are concurrency semantics preserved?\n  * Are performance characteristics maintained or improved?\n  * Is the implementation idiomatic in the target language?\n  * Can another engineer confidently maintain it?\n\n\n\nPort Mortem is designed around these questions.\n\nInstead of rewarding who generates the most code, the hackathon rewards teams that can **prove their migration is correct.**\n\n#  About the Hackathon\n\n  * 🌍 **Global Online Hackathon**\n  * ⏳ **72 Hours**\n  * 💰 **$1,800 Prize Pool**\n  * 👥 **Solo or Teams of up to 4**\n  * 🎓 Open to **students, professionals, researchers, and developers worldwide**\n  * 💸 **Completely Free to Participate**\n\n\n\nWhether you're a systems programmer, backend engineer, open-source contributor, Rust enthusiast, Go developer, or simply interested in AI-assisted software engineering, Port Mortem offers a unique engineering challenge.\n\n#  What You'll Build\n\nEvery participating team will:\n\n  1. Select a real open-source repository.\n  2. Rewrite it into a different programming language.\n  3. Preserve the original functionality.\n  4. Validate correctness using the original test suite whenever possible.\n  5. Benchmark the new implementation.\n  6. Document architectural decisions and implementation trade-offs.\n  7. Submit the completed migration for evaluation.\n\n\n\nUnlike many hackathons, success isn't determined by flashy demos.\n\nThe emphasis is on **engineering quality, correctness, reproducibility, and maintainability.**\n\n#  Migration Tracks\n\nParticipants can choose from eight migration tracks:\n\n###  Track A\n\n**C → Rust**\n\n###  Track B\n\n**Zig → Rust**\n\n###  Track C\n\n**TypeScript → Go**\n\n###  Track D\n\n**Python → Rust**\n\n###  Track E\n\n**Go → Rust**\n\n###  Track F\n\n**JavaScript → Go or Rust**\n\n###  Track G\n\n**C → Zig**\n\n###  Track H\n\n**Open Pair (Any Language → Any Language)**\n\nThis gives participants the flexibility to work on the language ecosystem they enjoy most while tackling real engineering problems.\n\n#  Submission Requirements\n\nEach team must submit:\n\n  * Public GitHub Repository\n  * Complete Working Implementation\n  * Build Instructions\n  * Benchmark Report\n  * `DECISIONS.md` documenting architectural choices\n  * Differential Testing / Fuzzing Artifacts (where applicable)\n  * Demo Video\n\n\n\nThe project should build with a single documented command and be publicly accessible during judging.\n\n#  Judging Criteria\n\nProjects are evaluated using a weighted scoring system.\n\n##  Functionality & Reliability (40%)\n\n  * Successful build\n  * Correct execution\n  * Test suite compatibility\n\n\n\n##  Behavioral Equivalence (30%)\n\n  * Migration accuracy\n  * Differential testing\n  * Benchmarking\n  * Performance analysis\n\n\n\n##  Code Quality (20%)\n\n  * Idiomatic implementation\n  * Maintainability\n  * Documentation\n  * Engineering practices\n\n\n\n##  Innovation (10%)\n\n  * Creative improvements\n  * Better architecture\n  * Valuable enhancements\n\n\n\n###  Bonus Points\n\nTeams can earn additional points for:\n\n  * Differential fuzzing\n  * Discovering bugs in the original project\n  * Exceptional engineering documentation\n  * Minimal unsafe code\n\n\n\n#  AI Tools Are Allowed\n\nPort Mortem embraces modern development workflows.\n\nParticipants are free to use:\n\n  * GitHub Copilot\n  * Cursor\n  * Claude Code\n  * Aider\n  * Continue\n  * Local LLMs\n  * Other AI coding assistants\n\n\n\nHowever, AI-generated code alone won't win.\n\nTeams are expected to justify architectural decisions, validate correctness, and demonstrate engineering rigor.\n\n#  Rules\n\nSome important rules include:\n\n  * Team size: **1–4 members**\n  * All development must occur during the official 72-hour event.\n  * AI coding assistants are permitted.\n  * Public GitHub repository required.\n  * Projects must build using one documented command.\n  * Source-language runtime wrappers or proxy implementations are **not allowed**.\n  * Teams should preserve the original test suite wherever feasible.\n  * Open-source licenses must be respected.\n  * Plagiarism or pre-existing ports may result in disqualification.\n\n\n\n#  Important Dates\n\nEvent | Date\n---|---\nRegistration Opens | **29 June 2026**\nRegistration Deadline | **31 July 2026 (6:00 PM IST)**\nHackathon Kickoff | **31 July 2026 (11:30 PM IST)**\nSubmission Deadline | **3 August 2026 (11:30 PM IST)**\nJudging | **3–13 August 2026**\nWinners Announced | **14 August 2026**\nCommunity Choice Winner | **22 August 2026**\n\n#  Prizes\n\n🏆 **Total Prize Pool: $1,800 USD**\n\n###  🥇 Grand Prize\n\n**$800**\n\n###  🥈 Runner-Up\n\n**$400**\n\n###  🥉 Third Place\n\n**$200**\n\n###  🐞 Bug Catcher Award\n\n**$100**\n\nAwarded to the team that discovers and documents the most impactful bug in the original repository through differential testing.\n\n###  ❤️ Community Choice Award\n\n**$300**\n\nSelected through community voting.\n\nEvery participant who successfully completes the event will also receive a **Participation Certificate**.\n\n#  Who Should Join?\n\nPort Mortem is ideal for:\n\n  * Systems Programmers\n  * Rust Developers\n  * Go Developers\n  * Backend Engineers\n  * Compiler Enthusiasts\n  * Open Source Contributors\n  * Performance Engineers\n  * Security Researchers\n  * AI Engineers\n  * Students looking to work on real-world software engineering problems\n\n\n\nIf you've ever wanted to contribute to a serious software migration project—or explore how AI can assist large-scale code transformations while maintaining engineering quality—this hackathon is for you.\n\n#  Join the Community\n\nAll announcements, repository releases, rule clarifications, FAQs, submission guidelines, and live support will be shared exclusively on the **Hackathon Raptors Discord**.\n\n👉 **Website:** https://coderesurrection.com/2026\n\n👉 **Hackathon Raptors:** https://raptors.dev\n\n👉 **Discord:** https://discord.gg/XPfcH7VT2H\n\n##  Final Thoughts\n\nPort Mortem isn't just another \"build anything\" hackathon.\n\nIt's a challenge centered on one of the most important engineering problems emerging in the AI era: **software migration with provable correctness**.\n\nIf you're excited about cross-language development, open source, testing, systems programming, or AI-assisted engineering, this is an excellent opportunity to build something technically meaningful while competing for **$1,800 in prizes**.\n\n**Registration is now open. Assemble your team, choose your migration track, and get ready to resurrect code.**",
  "title": "Port Mortem 2026 - Hackathon"
}