HackCache ’26: A 48-Hour Online Hackathon Open to Every Student

 

Hackathons are often associated with computer science students, experienced developers, and teams that already know exactly what they are doing. HackCache ’26 is being built with a different idea in mind: you don't need to be an expert coder to start building.

HackCache ’26 is a 48-hour fully online hackathon, organised by CachedInfo (CodeNBald) in collaboration with Government College of Engineering & Technology (GCET) Jammu). The event will take place on October 23–24, 2026, and is open to students across different branches, streams, colleges and experience levels.

What Is HackCache ’26?

HackCache ’26 gives students 48 hours to take a problem, develop an idea and turn it into a working solution.

The hackathon is open to students from CS, ECE, Mechanical, Commerce, BBA, MBA, Arts & Humanities and other backgrounds. You can participate individually or form a team of up to three members.

Inter-college and inter-specialisation teams are also allowed.

The goal isn't simply to see who can write the most code. Teams can contribute through development, design, research, product thinking, business, content and other skills needed to turn an idea into a useful product.

Who Can Participate?

Almost any student can participate.

• Computer Science and IT students
• ECE, EE and Mechanical students
• Commerce and management students
• Arts and humanities students
• Freshers
• Students participating in their first hackathon
• High school students
• Students from different colleges

You do not need to know how to code to participate.

Teams can have 1–3 members, and you can also participate solo.

What Will You Build?

HackCache ’26 has four broad problem themes.

Reimagine Government

Think about how citizens interact with government websites and digital services.

Build solutions that make government services easier to understand, access and use.

Social Impact

Build technology that addresses real-world problems involving areas such as accessibility, education, healthcare, sustainability, communities and everyday life.

Banking & Finance

Explore better ways for people to save, spend, invest, borrow and manage their finances.

Open Innovation

Have an idea that doesn't fit into the other categories?

Open Innovation gives you the freedom to build something genuinely useful, unexpected or new.

When Does the Hackathon Start?

The important dates are:

August 24, 2026 — Registrations open
October 20, 2026 — Registrations close
October 22, 2026 — Resources and problem statements released
October 23–24, 2026 — 48-hour HackCache ’26

The problem statements are released just one day before the hackathon so that teams have the same starting point.

What Do You Need to Submit?

At the end of the 48 hours, each team will submit:

1. A public GitHub repository
2. A live working URL
3. A 5-minute demo video
4. A short pitch deck

The idea is to take a concept all the way from problem → solution → working product → pitch.

Can You Use AI?

Yes.

AI tools are allowed during HackCache ’26. Participants can use AI coding assistants, generative AI, no-code tools and other resources while building.

However, there's an important expectation: you should be able to explain what you built.

To make the competition more accessible, every team will receive AI prompt packs, ideation guides, problem-solving playbooks, technical resources and pitch deck templates.

This means beginners don't have to spend the entire 48 hours figuring out where to start.

How Will You Be Judged?

Every submission is evaluated independently by the judging panel using the same five criteria:

Category	Marks
Innovation	10
Technical Execution	10
Design & UX	10
Impact	10
Presentation	10
Total	50

The scores are averaged to determine the final ranking.

The judging panel includes IIT alumni, industry professionals, academics and technology professionals from organisations including Metropolis Healthcare, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, GCET Jammu, Aditya Birla Capital, Sharda University and C-DAC.

What Can You Win?

HackCache ’26 has an ₹80,000 cash prize pool along with additional opportunities and rewards.

The winning team also gets a fully sponsored 2-day McLeod Ganj trip with the CachedInfo founders.

Paid Internship Opportunity

All members of the winning team receive a paid internship opportunity worth ₹15,000 in total — ₹5,000 per member.

The winning team can work on their submitted project or contribute to projects at CachedInfo.

The internship is designed to provide actual work experience rather than simply another certificate.

Other Rewards

Top teams can also receive:

• Mock interviews with experts
• Resume-building sessions
• Recommendation letters from judges
• CachedInfo-branded T-shirts
• Internship opportunities
• Networking opportunities with industry professionals

Every team that submits a valid project also receives a verifiable participation certificate.

A Hackathon Designed to Level the Field

One of the biggest challenges with hackathons is that experienced participants often have an advantage before the competition even starts.

HackCache is trying to reduce that gap.

Every team gets access to:

• AI prompt packs
• Problem-solving playbooks
• Ideation guides
• Technical resources
• No-code resources
• Pitch deck templates

You don't need to arrive knowing exactly how to build everything.

You just need an idea, a willingness to learn and a team that's willing to put in the work.

How Much Does It Cost?

HackCache ’26 has a registration fee of ₹600 per team, regardless of whether the team has one, two or three members.

There is also a referral system.

When you use a friend's referral code, you receive ₹100 off, bringing your registration fee down to ₹500, while the referrer receives ₹100 credit.

For example, if you're registering through the referral code ARYAMAN100, you can use that code to receive ₹100 off your registration fee.

Why Is It Online?

You don't need to travel anywhere to participate.

The entire event — including building, submission, judging and results — happens online.

That means students from different colleges and cities can participate together without worrying about accommodation or travel during the hackathon.

Who Is Behind HackCache?

HackCache is organised by CachedInfo (CodeNBald), a student-focused platform providing resources such as notes, previous-year papers, roadmaps and competitive-exam preparation material.

HackCache is the organisation's first hackathon, with the prize pool, internships and McLeod Ganj experience being funded by the organisers.

Ready to Build?

Whether you've participated in ten hackathons or this would be your first one, HackCache ’26 is designed to give you a place to build something and learn along the way.

48 hours. One team. One idea. One chance to build something worth remembering.

HackCache ’26
October 23–24, 2026
Fully Online
₹80,000 Cash Prize Pool
Teams of 1–3

Register: https://cachedinfo.in/hackathon

Software scope

 In software engineering, the software scope refers to the boundaries and limitations of a software project. It defines what the software will do, what it will not do, and the constraints that govern its development. The software scope is a critical component of project planning, as it helps stakeholders, including developers, project managers, and clients, understand the objectives and limitations of the software project. Here's a detailed explanation of the software scope:

1. **Project Objectives**:

   - The software scope begins by outlining the project's objectives and goals. What problem is the software intended to solve, and what benefits are expected from its implementation? These objectives should be specific, measurable, and achievable.

2. **Functional Requirements**:

   - Functional requirements specify what the software will do in terms of features, functions, and capabilities. This is often documented in the form of user stories, use cases, or feature lists. Each requirement should be detailed and unambiguous. For example, if the software is a content management system, a functional requirement might be "Users can create and edit articles."

3. **Non-Functional Requirements**:

   - Non-functional requirements define the qualities and characteristics that the software must exhibit. These include performance, security, scalability, usability, and reliability requirements. Non-functional requirements are as important as functional requirements and must be clear and quantifiable. For instance, a non-functional requirement could be "The system must support 1000 concurrent users."

4. **Constraints**:

   - Constraints are limitations imposed on the software project, such as budget, time, and resources. These constraints need to be well-documented to ensure that the project stays within its boundaries. For example, a constraint could be "The project must be completed within six months with a budget of $100,000."

5. **Inclusions and Exclusions**:

   - The software scope should explicitly state what is included in the project and what is not. This prevents scope creep, which occurs when additional features or tasks are added without proper consideration. Clear inclusions and exclusions help manage expectations. For instance, "Third-party integrations are out of scope for this project."

6. **Assumptions**:

   - Assumptions are factors or conditions that are considered to be true or valid but may change during the project. Documenting assumptions is essential to clarify any potential risks or dependencies. For instance, "Assuming the availability of a stable internet connection for the software to function."

7. **Dependencies**:

   - Dependencies are external factors or components on which the project relies. Identifying and documenting these dependencies ensures that the project team is aware of what needs to be in place for the software to function as intended. For example, "The software is dependent on the latest version of a specific third-party library."

8. **Scope Change Management**:

   - The software scope document should also include a section on how scope changes will be managed. This involves defining a formal change request process to evaluate and approve modifications to the scope. Scope changes should not be made haphazardly to maintain project control and avoid unexpected issues.

9. **Sign-off and Approval**:

   - Once the software scope is established, it should be reviewed and approved by all relevant stakeholders, including the client, project managers, and development team. Sign-off indicates a common understanding of the project's boundaries and objectives.

10. **Scope Monitoring and Control**:

    - Throughout the project, the scope must be monitored and controlled to ensure that it remains aligned with the original scope document. Any changes to the scope should go through the defined change request process, and their impact on the project's schedule, budget, and resources should be assessed.

In summary, the software scope document is a crucial artifact in software engineering that defines the boundaries and objectives of a software project. It helps ensure that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of what the software will and will not deliver and provides a basis for effective project management and control.

Transition Diagram as a Data Structure

**Transition Diagram as a Data Structure:**

1. **Definition and Purpose:**

   - A transition diagram is a graphical representation of state transitions in an automaton, such as a Finite Automaton (FA) or a Pushdown Automaton (PDA).

   - It serves as a visual model that illustrates how an automaton changes from one state to another based on input symbols.

2. **Components of a Transition Diagram:**

   - **States**: Represent distinct conditions or states that the automaton can be in.

   - **Transitions**: Depict the connections between states based on input symbols. A transition signifies a change of state when a specific input is encountered.

3. **Use in Compiler Design:**

   - Transition diagrams play a crucial role in various stages of compiler design, particularly in lexical analysis and parsing:

     - In lexical analysis, they represent the structure of tokens or lexemes that make up the input source code.

     - In parsing, they illustrate how the parser navigates through the input based on a formal grammar.

4. **Implementation as a Data Structure:**

   - In computer science, a transition diagram can be implemented using various data structures:

     - **Adjacency List**: Each state is represented as a node containing a list of transitions, where each transition holds the input symbol and the target state.

     - **Adjacency Matrix**: Uses a matrix to show transitions between states, where rows and columns correspond to states and input symbols, respectively.

     - **Object-Oriented Representation**: In object-oriented programming, states and transitions can be encapsulated in classes with appropriate attributes and methods.

     - **Hash Table or Map**: States can be keys, and their associated values are sets or lists of transitions.

5. **Advantages and Limitations:**

   - **Advantages**:

     - Provides a clear visualization of how an automaton processes input.

     - Helps in understanding the behavior and logic of the automaton.

     - Simplifies the design and implementation of lexical analyzers and parsers.

   - **Limitations**:

     - Transition diagrams can become complex for larger automata.

     - In certain cases, representing intricate automata might be challenging in a graphical format.

     - Debugging issues related to complex diagrams might be difficult.

6. **Conclusion:**

   - Transition diagrams are a fundamental concept in compiler design.

   - They provide a structured way to visualize the behavior of automata and guide the design of lexer and parser components.

   - Implementing transition diagrams as data structures enables efficient and systematic processing of input strings in a compiler.

By elaborating on these points, you would have provided a comprehensive understanding of transition diagrams as a data structure in the context of compiler design.










#include <stdio.h> #include <stdbool.h> // Structure to represent a transition struct Transition { char inputSymbol; int nextStateIndex; }; // Structure to represent a state struct State { struct Transition transitions[2]; // Assuming two possible transitions for 'a' and 'b' }; int main() { // Define states struct State states[2]; // State 0 transitions states[0].transitions[0].inputSymbol = 'a'; states[0].transitions[0].nextStateIndex = 1; states[0].transitions[1].inputSymbol = 'b'; states[0].transitions[1].nextStateIndex = 0; // State 1 transitions states[1].transitions[0].inputSymbol = 'a'; states[1].transitions[0].nextStateIndex = 1; states[1].transitions[1].inputSymbol = 'b'; states[1].transitions[1].nextStateIndex = 0; int currentStateIndex = 0; // Start from state 0 char input; printf("Enter input string (a's and b's): "); while ((input = getchar()) != '\n') { // Find the corresponding transition for the input symbol struct Transition transition; bool found = false; for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) { if (states[currentStateIndex].transitions[i].inputSymbol == input) { transition = states[currentStateIndex].transitions[i]; currentStateIndex = transition.nextStateIndex; found = true; break; } } if (!found) { printf("Invalid input\n"); return 1; } } // Determine the final state and print the result if (currentStateIndex == 0) { printf("String accepted\n"); } else { printf("String not accepted\n"); } return 0; }