In June of 1999, OpenBSD held the first hackathon. In the months leading up to this, either Theo or Niels Provos had coined this new word hackathon. A bunch of developers from around the world congregated into a house in Calgary, and within the week had the first IPv6 and IPSEC stacks completely integrated into an operating system... an industry first.. an accidental scrape in a hardwood floor commemorates the event.
In succeeding years, the OpenBSD development process has benefited greatly from holding more of these events. In our form, hackathons do not have talks, nor a specific schedule. People will arrive at a hackathon to work for a straight stretch of time on the projects they wish to, in the same room as the people who they need to talk to about their ideas. Hackathons are about writing code. At hackathons there is an attempt to get new changes into the source tree quickly. Since people from many different timezones are in the same room, development is almost around the clock. Developers sometimes joke about returning home without jet-lag.
Hackathon attendees come by invitation only. Some new people in the community who show promise are sometimes invited to see if they have what it takes. However, hackathons are not developer training events.
The event space and accommodation is typically funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project, or by the OpenBSD Foundation, however most developers pay for their own travel. The facilities are always chosen to be highly economical; generally near Universities or in cheaper locales. If anyone wants to help us FUND ONE OF THESE EVENTS OR A DEVELOPER'S TRAVEL, please contact Theo de Raadt (who generally has the most knowledge about upcoming options), or directly offer travel expenses to a developer for the next event. General financing is more interesting, but we will entertain offers for free locations as well.
Here are some details about past and future events, also showing a part of the artwork from the event T-shirt (if there was one made). The shirts are only given to people who attend the event, and are worn with pride. Every shirt contains at least one developer in-joke, so don't worry if you can't understand the shirt. Just enjoy them.
![]() p2k23: ports hackathon September 1 - 7, 2023 Dublin, Ireland 26 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and NCSC Ireland and with the support of Tom Smyth. |
![]() g2k23: general hackathon July 2 - 9, 2023 Tallinn, Estonia 20 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() w2k23: wifi nano hackathon May 11 - 17, 2023 Toulouse, France 4 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Martin Pieuchot. |
![]() m2k23: mini hackathon Apr 23- 29, 2023 Marrakech, Morocco 22 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() h2k22: hackathon Nov 5 - 12, 2022 Lousa, Portugal 22 developers Funded by OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Pedro Almeida. |
![]() g2k22: hackathon Aug 29 - Sep 4, 2022 Burg Liebenzell, Germany 25 developers Funded by genua and the OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() r2k22: hackathon Jun 25 - Jul 1, 2022 Bruges, Belgium 24 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Stefan Sperling. |
![]() h2k21: hackathon Oct 20 - Oct 28, 2021 Gouveia, Portugal 21 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Pedro Almeida and the Municipality of Gouveia. |
![]() k2k21: hackathon Aug 29 - Sep 4, 2021 Burg Liebenzell, Germany 26 developers Funded by genua. |
![]() k2k20: german mini hackathon Sep 11 - 17, 2020 Burg Liebenzell, Germany 14 developers Funded by genua. |
![]() a2k20: antipodian hackathon Jan 20 - 27, 2020 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 17 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Ross L Richardson. |
![]() u2k20: uckermark hackathon Jan 12 - 17, 2020 Uckermark, Germany 14 developers Supported by The OpenBSD Foundation and Seehotel Huberhof. |
![]() e2k19: elk lakes cabin hackathon Nov 25 - 30, 2019 Elk Lakes Cabin, BC, Canada 13 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Xplornet. |
![]() p2k19: ports hackathon Nov 5 - 12, 2019 Bucharest, Romania 18 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation, and supported by Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Bucharest. |
![]() g2k19: general hackathon May 7 - 14, 2019 Ottawa, Canada 43 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() t2k19: taipei mini hackathon Mar 28 - Apr 5, 2019 Taipei, Taiwan 16 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Kevin Lo and MSI/FUNTORO |
![]() a2k19: antipodean mini hackathon Jan 17-24, 2019 Wellington, New Zealand 18 developers Supported by the Victoria University of Wellington and funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() l2k18: libressl mini hackathon Nov 3-11, 2018 Edmonton, Canada 5 developers Supported by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() n2k18: network hackathon Sept 6-11, 2018 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic 11 developers Supported by Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně and funded by Oracle and The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() g2k18: general hackathon Jul 8-13, 2018 Ljubljana, Slovenia 39 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Mitja Muženič. |
![]() p2k18: ports (and pledge) hackathon Apr 23-29, 2018 Nantes, France 24 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Epitech Nantes. |
![]() a2k18: antipodean hackathon Feb 5-11, 2018 Dunedin, New Zealand 19 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of University of Otago. |
![]() s2k17: snowshoe hackathon Nov 26 - 29, 2017 Elk Lakes Cabin, BC, Canada 10 developers Funded by ForeTell Technologies and with the support of Xplornet. |
![]() p2k17: ports hackathon Nov 1 - 6, 2017 Berlin, Germany 23 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation with the support of IN-Berlin and Hostserver. |
![]() t2k17: general hackathon Aug 9 - 15, 2017 Toronto, Canada 38 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of University of Toronto. |
![]() d2k17: network mini-hackathon May 26 - 31, 2017 Starnberg, Germany 24 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of genua. |
![]() e2k17: nano-hackathon March 25 - 28, 2017 Edmonton, Canada 5 developers With the support of Bob Beck. |
![]() a2k17: antipodean hackathon Jan 19 - 26, 2017 Brisbane, Australia 19 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of David Gwynne. |
![]() l2k16: libressl hackathon Nov 2 - 6, 2016 Toulouse, France 9 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation with the help of ENSEEIHT and Objectif Libre. |
![]() b2k16: budapest ports hackathon Oct 31 - Nov 5, 2016 Budapest, Hungary 10 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() g2k16: general hackathon Aug 30 - Sep 5, 2016 Cambridge, UK 62 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation with the help of Computer Laboratory, Cambridge. |
![]() n2k16: network hackathon Jul 18 - 22, 2016 Prague, Czech Republic 18 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and Oracle, with the help of Charles University. |
![]() p2k16: ports hackathon Apr 25 - 29, 2016 Nantes, France 22 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Epitech Nantes. |
![]() n2k15: network MP hackathon Dec 1 - 6, 2015 Hannover, Germany 19 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Esdenera Networks. |
![]() u2k15: utf8 hackathon Oct 22 - 27, 2015 Berlin, Germany 22 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of IN-Berlin. |
![]() l2k15: libressl hackathon Sep 8 - 13, 2015 Faculty of Organization and Informatics, Varaždin, Croatia 17 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation with help of the Open Systems and Security Lab. |
![]() j2k15: uefi hackathon Aug 30 - Sep 2, 2015 Nasu, Tochigi, Japan 6 developers With the support of IIJ innovation institute. |
![]() c2k15: general hackathon Jul 15 - 21, 2015 Calgary, Canada 45 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of SAIT. |
![]() p2k15: ports mini hackathon Apr 2 - 7, 2015 Exeter, UK 14 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Andy Henderson. |
![]() s2k15: southern mini hackathon Feb 6 - 13, 2015 Brisbane, Australia 21 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of David Gwynne. |
![]() g2k14: general hackathon July 8 - 14, 2014 Ljubljana, Slovenia 49 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Mitja Muženič. |
![]() m2k14: mini hackathon Apr 17 - 22, 2014 Marrakech, Morocco 12 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Université Cadi Ayyad. |
![]() n2k14: mini hackathon Jan 18 - 25, 2014 Dunedin, New Zealand 15 developers Funded by ForeTell Technologies and with the support of University of Otago. |
![]() b2k13: mini hackathon Oct 17 - 21, 2013 Berlin, Germany 21 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of IN-Berlin. |
![]() t2k13: general hackathon May 29 - Jun 5, 2013 Toronto, Canada 43 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of University of Toronto. |
![]() n2k13: network hackathon Jan 13 - 19, 2013 Dunedin, New Zealand 17 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of University of Otago. |
![]() c2k12: coimbra hackathon Nov 14 - 20, 2012 Coimbra, Portugal 10 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of University of Coimbra. |
![]() p2k12: ports hackathon Oct 8 - 13, 2012 Budapest, Hungary 9 developers Funded by donations to The OpenBSD Project. |
![]() n2k12: network hackathon Sep 17 - 21, 2012 Starnberg, Germany 23 developers Funded by genua. |
![]() g2k12: general hackathon Jul 7 - 14, 2012 Budapest, Hungary 41 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() r2k12: rthreads hackathon Apr 10 - 14, 2012 Paris, France 16 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and support of Institute Henri Poincaré and Paris-Sud University. |
![]() p2k11: Ports hackathon Nov 12 - 18, 2011 Budapest, Hungary 15 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() a2k11: ARM hackathon Nov 5 - 12, 2011 Coimbra, Portugal 8 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of University of Coimbra. |
![]() s2k11: General hackathon Sep 16 - 23, 2011 Ljubljana, Slovenia 25 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and with the support of Mitja Muženič. |
![]() c2k11: General hackathon Jul 2 - 9, 2011 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 36 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() k2k11: Kernel hackathon Apr 1 - 7, 2011 Hafnarfjordur, Iceland 15 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() p2k10: Ports hackathon Oct 23 - 29, 2010 Budapest, Hungary 19 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() j2k10: mini-hackathon in Japan Sep 19 - 25, 2010 Akiyamago, Sakae Mura, Nagano, Japan 19 developers |
![]() c2k10: General hackathon Jun 25 - Jul 3, 2010 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 46 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() n2k10: Network hackathon Jan 9 - 15, 2010 Melbourne, Australia 17 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation and support of Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing |
![]() h2k9: Hardware hackathon Nov 21 - 27, 2009 Coimbra, Portugal 15 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project and with the support of University of Coimbra. |
![]() p2k9: Ports hackathon Oct 9 - 16, 2009 Budapest, Hungary 14 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() f2k9: Filesystem/uvm hackathon Aug 7 - 14, 2009 Stockholm, Sweden 14 developers Funded by .se Foundation. |
![]() c2k9: General hackathon May 30 - Jun 7, 2009 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 46 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() n2k9: Network hackathon Jan 26 - 30, 2009 Basel, Switzerland 19 developers |
![]() h2k8: Hardware hackathon Nov 20 - 27, 2008 Coimbra, Portugal 18 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project and with the support of University of Coimbra. |
![]() p2k8: Ports hackathon Oct 24 - 31, 2008 Budapest, Hungary 13 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() c2k8: General hackathon June 6-15, 2008 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 55 developers Funded by The OpenBSD Foundation. |
![]() n2k8: Network hackathon May 5-10, 2008 Ito, Japan 18 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project and Mark Uemura. |
![]() h2k7: Hardware hackathon Nov 22 - 29, 2007 Coimbra, Portugal 11 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project and with the support of University of Coimbra. |
![]() p2k7: Focused on ports Oct 22 - 28, 2007 Budapest, Hungary 13 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() c2k7: General hackathon May 25 - Jun 2, 2007 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 50 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() f2k7: Focused on Filesystems Apr 10 - 15, 2007 Vienna, Austria 14 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() h2k6: Focused on drivers for hardware Nov 25 - 30, 2006 Coimbra, Portugal 14 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project and with the support of University of Coimbra. |
![]() p2k6: Focused on ports Oct 18 - 22, 2006 Budapest, Hungary 14 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() k2k6: Focused on IPSEC and IKE Aug 28 - Sep 1, 2006 Schloss Kransberg, Germany 14 developers |
![]() r2k6: Focused on network routing Jun 14 - 18, 2006 Hamburg, Germany 6 developers Support of Henning Brauer. |
![]() c2k6: General hackathon May 21 - 29, 2006 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 47 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() v2k5: Focused on ports Nov 1 - 4, 2005 San Servolo, Venice, Italy 12 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() c2k5: General hackathon May 21 - 28, 2005 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 60 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() c2k4: General hackathon Jun 19 - 26, 2004 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 46 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() pf2k4: Focused on pf development Apr 24 - 28, 2004 Sechelt, BC, Canada 12 developers Support of Ryan McBride. |
![]() c2k3: General hackathon May 8 - 20, 2003 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 51 developers Funded by NLnet (after DARPA pulled out their support). |
![]() c2k2: General hackathon Jun 4 - 12, 2002 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 42 developers Funded by DARPA. |
![]() c2k1-2: Focused on sparc64 Aug 17 - 20, 2001 Washington, DC Funded by DARPA with support of USENIX. |
![]() c2k1: Birth of PF Jun 21 - 26, 2001 Cambridge, Massachusetts 25 developers Funded by DARPA with the support of MIT. |
![]() c2k: General hackathon Jun 15 - 18, 2000 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 18 developers Funded by donations to the OpenBSD Project. |
![]() c99: Focused on IPSEC Jun 4 - 6, 1999 Calgary, Alberta, Canada 10 developers Funded by Theo de Raadt. |