What happens when you lock over 2,500 ambitious developers in a massive science museum for an entire weekend? We published a documentary freecodecamp.org The YouTube channel that takes you into the heart of CalHacks 2025, held at San Francisco’s iconic former Exploratorium.
In the film, FreeCodeCamp founder Quincy Larson explores the “ocean of developers” who navigated an intense 36-hour sprint to turn raw ideas into working prototypes. From the painful application process to sleeping under tables on air mattresses, this documentary captures the true grit required to compete in the world’s largest collegejet hackathon.
The documentary follows students across the country. You’ll see a variety of problems these hackers choose to solve, including:
Social and accessibility tools: Projects such as an ASL interpreter using motion control and tactile visual aids for the visually impaired.
Government and Financial Innovation: An AI-driving system designed to cut Social Security processing times from seven months to two days.
Creative AI and robotics: “Burgerbot,” an automated food collector, and “Figure Flow,” which turns body movements into musical instruments.
Engineering prank: A “deodorant robot” equipped with odor sensors to maintain hygiene in crowded coding rooms.
The journey was not without its obstacles. By Saturday morning, initial enthusiasm often gives way to work as participants face technical hurdles. This year, students had to “chase the waves” of Wi-Fi in the venue or resort to mobile hotspots to keep their projects alive.
Director: Beau Carnes
Sound and Camera: Sunday
Camera: Nathaniel Thiem
Music: Quincy Larson
Watch the full documentary now freecodecamp.org YouTube channel.