Supporting the next generation of developers

We believe that software is at the center of human progress and that all software builds on the work of others, especially open source, through an interconnected community of developers. We need to level the playing field to spark innovation on a global level, and that includes helping early developers get the best start possible. We believe that all developers can solve problems, innovate, and create collaboratively through code. This is why we aspire to empower 1 billion individuals to become developers, and work to help break down barriers to entry for those who wish to join the field and participate in the community.

To achieve this goal, it’s important to provide a safe, inclusive environment for first time developers of all ages. GitHub Education supports the next generation of developers by providing free access to tools like the GitHub Student Developer Pack and GitHub Copilot to ensure they have everything they need to start building, including the most up-to-date industry standard tooling. More than 453,000 GitHub Education users were first-time contributors to open projects on the platform over the past year. They’re following in the footsteps of 7 million students and teachers who also used GitHub at the beginning of their coding journey.

Joining forces with Hack Club

GitHub Education is proud to work with Hack Club, one of the largest global networks of highly technical youth, to introduce the next generation of developers to open source. Hack Club enables 39,400 teen hackers from around the world to code together. Through open source contributions, students learn valuable skills and join a vibrant community that fosters innovation, creativity, and collaboration. As part of our partnership, GitHub provided swag prizes, dedicated promotion, and operational funding to support Hack Club’s Summer Arcade, which reached 19,000 high school students, who shipped 2,000 projects and logged over 135,000 hours of coding! If you’re a parent or teacher looking to encourage your teen to explore the world of coding and open source, Hack Club’s High Seas is the next place where students can ship projects with friends.

What makes Hack Club’s programs even more special is that they’re organized by teens who understand what makes a program exciting and engaging to their peers. By joining, teens can make friends, work on cool projects, and earn rewards along the way. With 400+ Hack Clubs globally, access barriers are being shattered: 40% of attendees at in-person events are girls, 30% of the Hack Club community are girls, and 50% of the HCB (fiscal sponsorship) organizations are female-led.

Hack Club at GitHub Universe

As you may have seen at this year’s GitHub Universe, our Chief Operating Officer Kyle Daigle’s Universe Day 2 Keynote was all about how collaborators in our community, from the enterprise to open source developer, student to professional, play a critical role in the developer ecosystem. Highlighted in this talk were projects created by Hack Club teens including Acon Lin, an 18-year-old Hack Clubber who built Summer Arcade joined Kyle on stage to launch High Seas, the next project to engage young tech leaders and spark them to ship projects and win prizes.

What’s next and how to get involved

Open source software is both foundational to tech today and is what will continue to fuel the future. With nearly all developers using or experimenting with AI coding tools, we expect open source developers and students to drive the next wave of AI innovation. Partnerships with organizations like Hack Club help increasing numbers of teen developers get excited about building for the future.

Similar to the Summer Arcade, High Seas is an online campaign running from October through January. Teens simply sign up, ship projects, and trade them for prizes. It’s a great place for a first-time coder to begin logging hours and meet new friends!

Why is this approach so impactful?

1. Self-directed projects: Teens can start their own coding, electrical, or mechanical projects. If they’re not sure where to begin, Hack Club offers “You Ship, We Ship” challenges to get them started.
2. A global community: With Hack Club chapters in 22 countries, students can connect with peers, participate in live AMAs with builders, and gain inspiration from a global network of young developers.

The journey of teens in open source

Open source projects offer a unique opportunity for new developers to learn new skills and contribute to software projects—almost immediately! These projects allow teens to work on real-world problems, contribute to meaningful solutions, and see their work impact a global community. The skills gained—ranging from coding and problem-solving to teamwork and project management—are invaluable.

• Take the story of Sam Poder. At just 15, Sam created Hack Club’s Summer of Making. “Finding an online community full of people who share my interests changed my life,” he says. Today, Sam is studying Computer Science at Berkeley, a testament to the long-term benefits of early engagement in open source.

• Zaahir (@zaaahir), 18, from England, created a full-fledged operating system in C++, equipped with networking from the kernel level. It was created to replace outdated educational operating systems currently being used in universities. His project was the Hack Club Arcade Showcase 2024 winner, selected from over 2,000 projects.

• Lopa (@lopa-ok), 17, from Egypt, built a new version of meta tic-tac-toe on GitHub Pages where you play 9 games in a 3×3 grid of tic-tac-toe games. It’s a mind-bending game that’s really fun!

• Charlie (@crn), 14, from Massachusetts, made a low-cost, lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle from the ground up—the autopilot code, pcb traces, and model files are all there for other high schoolers to replicate and fork.

Signing up is easy. Just visit Hack Club to get started. You can also donate to help support teens.

Written by

Morgan Ersery

@morganersery1

Senior Program Manager, Education