Author Archives: Lindsay Taub

Google’s Hash Code competition is back

Calling all coders: Hash Code, Google’s annual team programming competition, is back for 2020⁠—and you can register today atg.co/hashcode.

Hash Code was created back in 2014 by a few engineers in the Google France office. These engineers were coding competition enthusiasts and wondered if it would be possible to create a new kind of coding competition, one that looked more like the type of work they did each day.

While Hash Code shares similarities with other programming competitions, there are four things that we think make it especially Googley:

  1. Hello, Google.The first ever Hash Code challenge was inspired by a Street View project that an Engineering team in Paris was working on around the same time. Today, the competition's problems are still modeled on real Google products and challenges. Hash Code teams have tackled things like figuring out how to design the layout of a Google data center, perfect video streaming on YouTube and compile code at Google scale. These challenges are unique in that they focus on real problems that can be solved with technology. Check out the Archive page of our site for a full list of past problems and to get practicing!

  2. Teamwork makes the dream work. Just like software engineers at Google, you work in a small team during Hash Code. So while coding ability is important, so are teamwork and communication skills. Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! You can register and find a team later using our Facebook group.

  3. Launch, iterate, repeat. There’s never a “right” answer to a Hash Code problem. Teams spend the entirety of each round working on one challenge, continuously trying to improve their solution. In computer science, this is referred to as an optimization problem, and it’s similar to problems you’d encounter working as an engineer at Google. Also, here’s one pro tip: Your team should submit early and often during the competition so you can test your solutions and keep improving them!

  4. Visit Google’s European headquarters. Hash Code takes place over two rounds: First up is the Online Qualification Round on Feb. 20, after which the top teams will be invited to Google’s Dublin office for the Final Round on April 25 (check out last year’s Final Round highlights). While it’s awesome to make it to the Final Round, we encourage teams taking part in the Online Qualification Round to focus on trying their best, learning something new, and—of course—having fun!

Want to get involved? There’s something for everyone in a Hash Code challenge, so whether you’ve just started coding or you’ve been participating in programming competitions for years, head over to g.co/hashcode to register today and be part of the #HashCode fun. We’ll see you for the Online Qualification Round on Feb. 20!


Hash Code 2017: Calling all EMEA developers

The wait is over: our programming competition Hash Code is back for its fourth year of challenging developers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to solve a real Google engineering problem. Think you could optimize the layout of a Google Data Center?  Or how about scheduling a fleet of drones to make deliveries around the world?  If you’re up for the challenge, sign up to compete today at g.co/hashcode.

Hash Code 2017 kicks off on February 23 with the Online Qualification Round. The top 50 teams from this round will then be invited to Google Paris, in the City of Light, to battle it out for the coveted title of Hash Code 2017 Champion on April 1.

Whether you’ve just started coding or you’re a programming competition aficionado, Hash Code is a great chance to flex your programming muscles, get a glimpse into software engineering at Google and have some fun. Take a look at previous Hash Code problem statements to see the engineering challenges participants have tackled in the past.

Hash Code 2017
52 teams from 22 countries competed side-by-side during the Hash Code 2016 Final Round at Google Paris.

To make things even more exciting, students and professionals across the region are signing up to host Hash Code hubs where local teams can come together to compete for the Online Qualification Round. So far, more than 250 hubs are being organized across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  Participating from a hub is a great way to meet new people and add a little extra fun and competition to the contest. Don’t see a hub near you? You can still sign up to host a hub in your university, office or city on our website.

We can’t reveal this year’s problem statements, but we will have some other fun announcements leading up to the Online Qualification Round. Keep in touch with Hash Code by joining our Google+ community and Facebook event.

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up today at g.co/hashcode and we’ll see you online on February 23!

Source: Education


Hash Code 2017: Calling all EMEA developers

The wait is over: our programming competition Hash Code is back for its fourth year of challenging developers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to solve a real Google engineering problem. Think you could optimize the layout of a Google Data Center?  Or how about scheduling a fleet of drones to make deliveries around the world?  If you’re up for the challenge, sign up to compete today at g.co/hashcode.

Hash Code 2017 kicks off on February 23 with the Online Qualification Round. The top 50 teams from this round will then be invited to Google Paris, in the City of Light, to battle it out for the coveted title of Hash Code 2017 Champion on April 1.

Whether you’ve just started coding or you’re a programming competition aficionado, Hash Code is a great chance to flex your programming muscles, get a glimpse into software engineering at Google and have some fun. Take a look at previous Hash Code problem statements to see the engineering challenges participants have tackled in the past.

Hash Code 2017
52 teams from 22 countries competed side-by-side during the Hash Code 2016 Final Round at Google Paris.

To make things even more exciting, students and professionals across the region are signing up to host Hash Code hubs where local teams can come together to compete for the Online Qualification Round. So far, more than 250 hubs are being organized across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  Participating from a hub is a great way to meet new people and add a little extra fun and competition to the contest. Don’t see a hub near you? You can still sign up to host a hub in your university, office or city on our website.

We can’t reveal this year’s problem statements, but we will have some other fun announcements leading up to the Online Qualification Round. Keep in touch with Hash Code by joining our Google+ community and Facebook event.

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up today at g.co/hashcode and we’ll see you online on February 23!

Hash Code 2017: Calling all EMEA developers

The wait is over: our programming competition Hash Code is back for its fourth year of challenging developers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to solve a real Google engineering problem. Think you could optimize the layout of a Google Data Center?  Or how about scheduling a fleet of drones to make deliveries around the world?  If you’re up for the challenge, sign up to compete today at g.co/hashcode.

Hash Code 2017 kicks off on February 23 with the Online Qualification Round. The top 50 teams from this round will then be invited to Google Paris, in the City of Light, to battle it out for the coveted title of Hash Code 2017 Champion on April 1.

Whether you’ve just started coding or you’re a programming competition aficionado, Hash Code is a great chance to flex your programming muscles, get a glimpse into software engineering at Google and have some fun. Take a look at previous Hash Code problem statements to see the engineering challenges participants have tackled in the past.

Hash Code 2017
52 teams from 22 countries competed side-by-side during the Hash Code 2016 Final Round at Google Paris.

To make things even more exciting, students and professionals across the region are signing up to host Hash Code hubs where local teams can come together to compete for the Online Qualification Round. So far, more than 250 hubs are being organized across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  Participating from a hub is a great way to meet new people and add a little extra fun and competition to the contest. Don’t see a hub near you? You can still sign up to host a hub in your university, office or city on our website.

We can’t reveal this year’s problem statements, but we will have some other fun announcements leading up to the Online Qualification Round. Keep in touch with Hash Code by joining our Google+ community and Facebook event.

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up today at g.co/hashcode and we’ll see you online on February 23!

Bring developers together for Hash Code 2017

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an engineer at Google?

Hash Code logo

Now’s your chance to satisfy your curiosity by volunteering to host a Hash Code hub at your university, office or any local co-working space. Hash Code, a team-based programming competition, tasks university students and professionals across Europe, the Middle East and Africa with solving a real Google engineering problem. And we’re looking for developers to help bring the excitement to their own communities in February 2017. Are you up for the challenge?

Last year, 17,000 students and professionals from more than 90 countries teamed up to optimize drone delivery schedules for Hash Code’s Online Qualification Round. While teams can compete from wherever they’d like to, many opted to join in from one of the 300+ hubs organized by fellow developers (where, it’s safe to say, they had a lot more fun).

Teams work together to schedule satellite operations during the 2016 Hash Code Final Round at Google Paris.
Teams work together to schedule satellite operations during the 2016 Final Round at Google Paris.

Laco Papay organized the hub at his university in Bratislava last year (and is now a Googler based in Zurich). “Before the competition started, we had a lot of fun with set-up: decorating the room, taking pictures for the hub photo contest,” he said. “When the problem was announced and people sat down to work, the fun continued. Competing against teams on a scoreboard is great, but it’s even more exciting if the teams you’re up against are sitting just one desk over.”

The Online Qualification Round for 2017 will take place on February 23, 2017. From there, the top 50 teams will be invited to Google Paris for the Final Round on April 1.

If you think you might want to host a hub, find out more and sign up on our site. If you’re not able to host but would like to compete, you can be among the first to know when registration opens in December.

Bring developers together for Hash Code 2017

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an engineer at Google?

Hash Code logo

Now’s your chance to satisfy your curiosity by volunteering to host a Hash Code hub at your university, office or any local co-working space. Hash Code, a team-based programming competition, tasks university students and professionals across Europe, the Middle East and Africa with solving a real Google engineering problem. And we’re looking for developers to help bring the excitement to their own communities in February 2017. Are you up for the challenge?

Last year, 17,000 students and professionals from more than 90 countries teamed up to optimize drone delivery schedules for Hash Code’s Online Qualification Round. While teams can compete from wherever they’d like to, many opted to join in from one of the 300+ hubs organized by fellow developers (where, it’s safe to say, they had even more fun).

Teams work together to schedule satellite operations during the 2016 Hash Code Final Round at Google Paris.
Teams work together to schedule satellite operations during the 2016 Final Round at Google Paris.

Laco Pápay organized the hub at his university in Bratislava last year (and is now a Googler based in Zurich). “Before the competition started, we had a lot of fun with set-up: decorating the room, taking pictures for the hub photo contest,” he said. “When the problem was announced and people sat down to work, the fun continued. Competing against teams on a scoreboard is great, but it’s even more exciting if the teams you’re up against are sitting just one desk over.”

The Online Qualification Round for 2017 will take place on February 23, 2017. From there, the top 50 teams will be invited to Google Paris for the Final Round on April 1.

If you think you might want to host a hub, find out more and sign up on our site. If you’re not able to host but would like to compete, you can be among the first to know when registration opens in December.