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name: solana-hackathon version: 1.0.0 description: Build and submit projects for Solana hackathons on Colosseum. Use when an agent needs to: (1) Scaffold a new Solana project with Anchor + React frontend, (2) Build smart contracts and dApps for hackathon submission, (3) Get guidance on hackathon tracks, judging criteria, and winning strategies, (4) Deploy to devnet/testnet for demos, (5) Prepare and validate hackathon submissions. Covers Anchor framework, @solana/web3.js, SPL tokens, PDAs, CPIs, and Colosseum submission requirements. homepage: https://github.com/solana-clawd/hackathon-skill

Solana Hackathon Skill

Build and ship Solana hackathon projects from idea to submission. Primarily targets Colosseum hackathons.

Skill Files

| File | Purpose | |------|---------| | SKILL.md (this file) | Main skill entry point | | references/anchor-cheatsheet.md | Anchor framework patterns and examples | | references/solana-web3-reference.md | @solana/web3.js + frontend integration | | references/hackathon-tracks.md | Track descriptions, ideas, judging criteria | | references/submission-guide.md | Colosseum submission requirements | | references/winning-patterns.md | What makes hackathon projects win | | scripts/scaffold.sh | Project scaffolding script | | scripts/deploy-devnet.sh | Devnet deployment script | | scripts/verify-submission.sh | Pre-submission checklist validator | | assets/anchor-template/ | Minimal Anchor program template | | assets/frontend-template/ | Minimal React + wallet-adapter frontend |

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Quick Start

You want to build a hackathon project. Here's the fastest path:

1. Scaffold the project

# Clone and run the scaffold script
bash scripts/scaffold.sh my-project-name

This creates an Anchor project with a React frontend, configured for devnet, with git initialized.

If anchor CLI isn't installed, install prerequisites first:

# Install Rust
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
# Install Solana CLI
sh -c "$(curl -sSfL https://release.anza.xyz/stable/install)"
# Install Anchor CLI
cargo install --git https://github.com/coral-xyz/anchor avm --force
avm install latest && avm use latest
# Install Node.js dependencies
npm install -g yarn

2. Pick a track

Choose what you're building. See Track Selection Guide below or read references/hackathon-tracks.md for deep analysis.

3. Build it

• Write your Anchor program → see references/anchor-cheatsheet.md
• Build the frontend → see references/solana-web3-reference.md
• Test locally: anchor test
• Deploy to devnet: bash scripts/deploy-devnet.sh

4. Submit

• Validate: bash scripts/verify-submission.sh
• Follow the submission guide → see references/submission-guide.md

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Track Selection Guide

Pick the track that best fits your idea. Each track has different judging criteria.

DeFi

Decentralized finance protocols: lending, borrowing, DEXs, derivatives, yield aggregation, structured products. Judges want novel mechanisms, sustainable economics, and composability with existing Solana DeFi (Jupiter, Raydium, Marinade). Ideas: Concentrated liquidity manager, intent-based trading, on-chain options protocol.

DePIN

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks: connecting real-world hardware/sensors to Solana. Judges want clear hardware↔blockchain integration, token incentive design, and real utility. Ideas: Distributed weather station network, ride-share coordination layer, IoT device attestation.

Consumer

Apps regular people would use: social, messaging, payments, loyalty, identity. Judges want great UX, viral potential, and reasons this needs to be on-chain. Ideas: Token-gated content platform, on-chain reputation system, peer-to-peer payments with Blinks.

Infrastructure

Developer tools, SDKs, protocols, indexers, oracles. Judges want developer experience, documentation quality, and solving real pain points. Ideas: Transaction simulation tool, cross-program testing framework, compressed NFT indexer.

Gaming

On-chain games, gaming infrastructure, asset marketplaces. Judges want fun gameplay, smart use of on-chain assets, and sustainable economies. Ideas: Fully on-chain strategy game, gaming asset lending protocol, tournament bracket system.

DAOs

Governance tools, treasury management, coordination mechanisms. Judges want novel governance models, practical treasury tools, and multi-sig improvements. Ideas: Quadratic voting implementation, streaming treasury payments, reputation-weighted governance.

→ Deep dive: Read references/hackathon-tracks.md for 5+ ideas per track, past winners, and pitfalls.

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Development Workflow

Step 1: Scaffold

bash scripts/scaffold.sh my-project
cd my-project

Or use the templates directly from assets/anchor-template/ and assets/frontend-template/.

Step 2: Write Your Anchor Program

Your program lives in programs/app/src/lib.rs. Key concepts:

// Define accounts with constraints
#[derive(Accounts)]
pub struct Initialize<'info> {
    #[account(init, payer = user, space = 8 + 32 + 8, seeds = [b"state", user.key().as_ref()], bump)]
    pub state: Account<'info, AppState>,
    #[account(mut)]
    pub user: Signer<'info>,
    pub system_program: Program<'info, System>,
}

→ Full reference: references/anchor-cheatsheet.md — covers PDAs, CPIs, SPL tokens, Token2022, events, errors, and common patterns (escrow, vault, staking, AMM).

Step 3: Build the Frontend

Connect your program to a React UI with wallet adapter:

import { useWallet } from '@solana/wallet-adapter-react';
import { useAnchorProgram } from './hooks/useProgram';

function App() {
  const { publicKey } = useWallet();
  const program = useAnchorProgram();
  // Call program instructions...
}

→ Full reference: references/solana-web3-reference.md — covers wallet adapter setup, transaction sending, account reading, PDA derivation from JS, and Anchor client usage.

Step 4: Test Locally

# Run Anchor tests (spins up local validator)
anchor test

# Or run validator separately
solana-test-validator
anchor test --skip-local-validator

Write tests for every instruction. Judges check for tests.

Step 5: Deploy to Devnet

bash scripts/deploy-devnet.sh

This configures Solana CLI for devnet, airdrops SOL, builds, deploys, and updates your config with the program ID.

Step 6: Prepare Submission

bash scripts/verify-submission.sh

This checks: README exists, program builds, tests pass, frontend builds, demo link present, license exists, .gitignore is correct.

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Submission Checklist

Before submitting to Colosseum, verify:

• [ ] README.md — Problem statement, solution, architecture diagram, setup instructions, demo link
• [ ] Working demo — Deployed to devnet with a live URL or demo video (2-3 min)
• [ ] Demo video — Show the product working, explain the problem, show the solution
• [ ] GitHub repo — Clean, documented, with tests
• [ ] Architecture — Clear explanation of on-chain vs off-chain components
• [ ] Team info — Names, roles, relevant experience
• [ ] Track selection — Pick the right track for your project
• [ ] Weekly updates — If the hackathon has checkpoints, submit them

→ Full guide: references/submission-guide.md — covers required fields, video tips, what makes submissions stand out.

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Winning Tips

The short version:

1. Solve a real problem. Not a solution looking for a problem.
2. Working demo > perfect code. Ship something judges can interact with.
3. 30-second pitch. If you can't explain the value in 30 seconds, simplify.
4. Use Solana's strengths. Speed, composability, low fees, token extensions, Blinks.
5. UI/UX matters. A polished frontend beats a clever contract with no interface.
6. Compose with the ecosystem. Integrate Jupiter, Marinade, Tensor, Helius, etc.
7. Test coverage. Shows professionalism and catches bugs before the demo.

→ Deep analysis: references/winning-patterns.md — past winner analysis, common mistakes, and what judges actually care about.

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Project Structure Reference

After scaffolding, your project looks like:

my-project/
├── programs/
│   └── app/
│       └── src/
│           └── lib.rs          # Your Anchor program
├── app/                         # React frontend
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── App.tsx
│   │   └── main.tsx
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── package.json
│   └── vite.config.ts
├── tests/
│   └── app.ts                  # Anchor tests
├── Anchor.toml
├── Cargo.toml
├── package.json
└── README.md

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Common Commands

# Build program
anchor build

# Run tests
anchor test

# Deploy to devnet
anchor deploy --provider.cluster devnet

# Generate IDL
anchor idl init <PROGRAM_ID> --filepath target/idl/app.json --provider.cluster devnet

# Start frontend dev server
cd app && npm run dev

# Get devnet SOL
solana airdrop 2 --url devnet

# Check program logs
solana logs --url devnet <PROGRAM_ID>

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Troubleshooting

| Problem | Fix | |---------|-----| | anchor build fails with BPF error | Update Solana CLI: solana-install update | | Error: Account not found | Account not initialized. Call initialize first. | | Error: 0x1 (insufficient funds) | Airdrop more SOL: solana airdrop 2 --url devnet | | Wallet won't connect | Check you're on devnet in your wallet settings | | IDL mismatch | Rebuild: anchor build then re-copy IDL to frontend | | Transaction too large | Split into multiple transactions or use lookup tables | | Program log: panicked | Check your Rust code for unwrap() on None/Err values |

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Resources

• Anchor Book
• Solana Cookbook
• Solana Documentation
• Colosseum
• Solana Playground
• Helius RPC
• QuickNode