Hackyard

Name: Hackyard
Author: Hixon and Matthew Hixon

For indie builders: free, small AI hackathons. Claim a spot, build solo Monday to Friday on one theme, ship it, and the community votes to crown a champion.

Built by Hixon and Matthew Hixon · Artificial Intelligence · Developer Tools · Free

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In category: #991 of 2034 · Artificial Intelligence

Community listing

Listing status

16upvotes

+1 · Oct 29–Nov 4, 2026

Community score

Hixon and Matthew Hixon (Joined Sep 2026)

Founder

Compared against 4 alternatives

Market comparison

Launched on Launch Llama Sep 28, 2026 · #53 of 143 that day

About

Hackyard runs small, free AI hackathons for solo builders, twice a month.

How a Yard works: claim one of a limited number of spots, check in before kickoff, then build solo from Monday to Friday on one sharp theme, with any AI model you like. Ship a public repo, a demo, and a short writeup by Friday.

Over the weekend the whole community votes, and a champion is crowned Sunday. Vote counts stay hidden until voting closes, so it's a peer vote, not a follower contest, and nobody can vote for their own build.

Every build gets seen. The gallery is reshuffled constantly so nobody owns the top spot, every build gets its own page and share card, and you earn badges for shipping, placing, and scouting new builders in.

No judges. No gatekeepers. Just builders. Free to join, always.

Follow Hackyard: X (Twitter)

Use Cases

Entering a free one-week solo AI hackathon to build and ship a project on a single weekly theme, such as the current Yard #5 theme 'Haunted'
Building a small AI tool that connects to your files, browser, calendar, or home and then voting on the finished build with the community
Joining a timed solo build challenge with a $50 cash prize and hoodie for the Champion, with the next Yard setting the theme for the following round

Who it is for

Indie builders and solo developers who want to ship a project alone within a week.
Hobbyist makers who want a free, small, community-voted AI hackathon with no judges.
Developers working with any AI model who want a deadline-driven challenge with a clear theme and public showcase.

Pricing

Hackyard is free to use. See the website for details.

View Hackyard pricing →

Hackyard at a glance

01What it is: Hackyard: For indie builders: free, small AI hackathons. Claim a spot, build solo Monday to Friday on one theme, ship it, and the community votes to crown a champion.
02Pricing: Hackyard pricing: Free.
03Best for: Hackyard is best for indie builders and solo developers who want to ship a project alone within a week., hobbyist makers who want a free, small, community-voted AI hackathon with no judges. and developers working with any AI model who want a deadline-driven challenge with a clear theme and public showcase.
04Alternatives: Top Hackyard alternatives on Launch Llama: HackWithUs, Proof of Traction and Tinkerer Club.