what is the hackathon. A hackathon can be an event, typically lasting from 24 to 48 hours, where individuals or teams combine efforts to engage in collaborative, fast-paced programming or project development. The term "hackathon" is really a combination of the language "hack" (inside the sense of exploring or creating something quickly, definitely not related to hacking within the security sense) and "marathon," reflecting the intense, time-bound nature of those events. what is the hackathon