Development Challenge Types

Architecture

NOTE: This track is being redeveloped. Today you will find more architecture style challenges being run as proof of concepts in the Code track.

This challenge type asks competitors to define the technical approach to implement the requirements. The output is a technical architecture document and sometimes a functional proof of concept.

Code

The Code challenge type covers the bulk of our competitive development challenges. Participants are asked to implement code to match the stated requirements and the results are reviewed by members of the Topcoder Review Board as well as automated reviews in some cases. The Topcoder forums are used to discuss requirements.

Code challenges are used for various types of development. For example, front-end development, API’s, functional prototypes, etc.

Code challenges are used to implement specific requirements and are geared to suit more of an iterative approach to development where follow-on challenges and/or tasks are run to implement additional functionality/changes/fixes and iterate on the previous deliverables. Code challenges do not have a “final fixes” phase.

First2Finish (F2F)

First2Finish is a race to complete a task as fast as possible while maintaining high quality in accordance with the specification. It can be used for any type of work that is needed. Unlike other Topcoder competitions, an F2F ends as soon as a participant submits and passes review. Review will occur as soon as a submission occurs. If a submission fails review, the next submitter will be reviewed. If a submission passes review, the challenge ends and other submissions will NOT be reviewed. If a participant re-submits before a review occurs, their previous submission is removed from the queue and their new submission enters the back of the queue.

Bug Bash

A list of issues is opened up to competitors and they fix them as rapidly as they can. The goal here is to expose the issues list to the community and let them jump in and fix as many as they can. Each issue is reviewed and closed independently.