Platform Jam
Build real, deployable software platforms.
A community-driven competition for engineers who build the infrastructure that powers modern software.
What is Platform Jam?
Platform Jam is a build competition focused on creating real, deployable software platforms. Not demos. Not prototypes. Actual infrastructure that others can deploy and use.
168 hours
Seven days of focused building. Enough time to create something real, but constrained enough to demand focus.
Judging
A 72-hour judging period follows the build phase, where submissions are evaluated by experts and the community.
Prizes
Meaningful recognition for meaningful work. Category prizes honor specialized excellence.
What Teams Build
A "platform" is software infrastructure that provides foundational capabilities for other applications. Think of the apps & services you wish existed — then build them.
# Update your project
$ jamctl submit
Submitting platformjam.toml file...
✓ Service requests unchanged
✓ Team members unchanged
✓ Devlogs updated (1 new)
Platform live at:
https://myapp.pljam.ioNot Your Typical Hackathon
Platform Jam prioritizes different things than traditional hackathons.
Engineering Quality
Code quality matters. Tests, error handling, and maintainability are valued over feature count.
Deployable Platforms
If someone else can't deploy it, it doesn't count. Documentation and operational readiness are key.
Observability
Can you tell when it breaks? Monitoring, logging, and operational visibility are rewarded.
Open Source
All submissions are open source. Build something that the community can use and contribute to.
Community Support
Office hours, workshops, and architecture reviews offered by professional engineers.
Documentation First
Great platforms are documented platforms. READMEs, guides, and API docs matter.
Prizes
Recognition for real engineering excellence.
The best overall platform. Judged on engineering quality, operational excellence, documentation, and innovation.
Best Operations Platform
Excellence in deployment, monitoring, and infrastructure management.
Best Developer Experience
Tools that significantly improve developer workflows.
Best Documentation
Exceptional documentation quality and completeness.
Community Choice
Selected by public vote during the evaluation period.
Plus honorable mentions and premium tier access on sponsoring platforms.
Stream & Showcase
Share your journey and celebrate the community's work.
Live Development
Stream your build process. Share your screen, explain your decisions, and connect with other builders.
Closing Ceremony
Winners present their platforms. Watch live demos and hear the stories behind the builds. The winning project receives a live architectural review from senior engineers employed across the tech sector.
Ready to Build?
Join the community of engineers building the platforms of tomorrow.