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Hackathon: Build Infrastructure Plugins for DevOps

At the intersection of software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops), some individuals master the skill of making information accessible and visually digestible as part of their day-to-day work. With that, we are excited to invite that same innovation to TRMNL displays with our DevOps hackathon! 
The code to enter this hackathon is "devops".
You will need this to create a virtual device & submit your entries.
If you already have a usetrmnl.com account, you can just get started!

How to Participate

We've built a video walk-through of the simple process from start to finish!

Useful Links

Deadlines

The devops hackathon starts at 10:00 AM EDT on Friday, September 26, 2025. All submissions must be submitted by 11:59 PM EDT on Sunday, October 5, 2025. Do not wait till the last minute! Only valid submissions that pass our Chef checks will be submitted.

Prize Information

There are three (3) prizes available to three (3) unique winners. 

Each winner will receive a $200 gift card to the TRMNL store. If you are outside of the US, duty fees will be reimbursed on any duty receipts provided within 40 days of the submission deadline. 

Participation Prizes

Each non-winning individual who submits at least one new plugin and meets a minimum quality score of 30/100 will be granted a one-time-use coupon for $40 off a TRMNL device. We think genuine effort should be rewarded.

Judging

All plugins will be evaluated on three criteria (unequal weighting):
  • TRMNL Native Design. Using Framework, liquid filters, and all the other tools we offer is the easiest way to create something long-lasting and reliable for years to come. Some innovations will require custom styles, custom fonts, or custom JavaScript. Great! But plugins will be penalized for not being TRMNL first in their design, if possible.
  • Impact. Does your plugin feel like a killer app that someone feels they need a TRMNL in their lives just because of your plugin? Would they feel sadness if they couldn't have it any longer in their lives? That, is impact.
  • Creativity. Innovation does not just come from utility, but also from beauty or innovation. Be unique, be inspiring, be shareable. 
Our celebrity judge for this hackathon is Chris Oliver, CEO and founder of hatchbox.io and GoRails.
Winners will be announced and notified by the next Friday following the hackathon submission deadline.

Scoring TRMNL Native Design

Unlike the other two categories, this category is subtractive. Every plugin starts at 35 points and loses points based on not using Framework and Liquid, when possible. No points are lost when functionality is not possible or not desirable to replicate with native design elements (e.g., a custom font matching a brand/style core to the plugin). The scoring of this category is built on the following plugin characteristics:
  • Framework Classes vs Custom Styles
  • Framework native font
  • Dynamic Content, Ease of User Update
  • Display customizations via Form Fields
  • Failover messaging
  • Localization
  • Flexible sizing for better screen size adaptability (as appropriate)
  • Framework Items and `data-list` helpers
  • SVG/Base64 icons (reduce network calls, thus render time)
  • Equal quality across all Layouts (full, half vertical, half horizontal, quadrant)

Ideas

While many fans will already have some ideas, some developers just want to be pointed in a direction and dive into the code. So, here are a few ideas to help get you started.
  • Container Monitoring
  • 24-hour view of server resource usage
  • Dynamic server pricing tracker
  • Uptime monitoring 
  • Open Source Dashboard Connector
  • Network Diagram Renderer

FAQ

Can I enter more than one plugin?
You can submit up to two plugins, and your highest scoring entry will be considered for a prize.
Do I need to create a virtual device if I already have a TRMNL account?
No, you can skip the first two steps and just build your plugin and then submit it using the /hackathon form.
Where can I connect with other hackathon individuals?
Head to our subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/trmnl/ and look for the hackathon megathread that will stay open during the event.
Can I collaborate with others to make a plugin?
Of course! If you win, however, the account holder of that plugin will be the sole winner of the prize. How your team decides to handle that is up to you.
Can I use AI and vibe code a plugin?
If AI helps you build a creative, impactful, and TRMNL framework empowered plugin than you do you! 
Can I submit plugins I've already had published?
No, this is for new plugins.
What if the plugin were private and I created it before the hackathon?
That is fine. It's about adding new things to our plugin recipe library.
Do I have to publish my recipe?
Unless there is a technical reason, all winning plugins will be published as a Recipe when announced. All other plugins will be published in the days/weeks after the hackathon ends (or receive feedback regarding required changes).
If I submit my plugin early, can I make updates later?
Plugins will be evaluated based on their state at submission and may be evaluated before the hackathon has ended. You can make updates, but please keep it in a working state (make a copy to test improvements with if need-be).
What if there is a technical backend issue with my plugin related to TRMNL screen workers, not anything in my control?
Reach out to us as soon as possible so we can rectify the issue. There will be a 24-hour grace period after the hackathon ends to resolve any of these issues. If they are unresolveable, STATIC data should be provided for the plugin within that grace period.

Legal

Entrants retain ownership of all intellectual and industrial property rights (including moral rights) in and to Submissions.
As a condition of submission, Entrant grants the Hackathon Organizer, its subsidiaries, agents and partner companies, a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish, distribute, publicly perform, create a derivative work from, and publicly display the Submission.
Entrants provide Submissions on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties or conditions of TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Mario Lurig

Developer Relations Engineer