kmodo | Devpost

Inspiration

Kmodo was inspired by the need to improve the hackathon experience for everyone involved — hackers, organizers, and sponsors. We noticed how fragmented and outdated many current solutions are, so we set out to create a centralized, modern platform that brings everything together in one place.

What it does

Kmodo is a full-stack platform that streamlines hackathon logistics and engagement by providing:

Hackathon Discovery – Users can explore events based on filters like location, diversity, and interests.
Organizer Tools – Event hosts can manage signups, team formation, announcements, and more.
Sponsor Features – Sponsors can easily get involved, showcase opportunities, and interact with participants.
Community Building – Offers built-in ways for hackers, mentors, and organizers to connect and collaborate.

How we built it

Kmodo is built using:

Next.js for routing and rendering
Tailwind CSS for styling
Drizzle ORM with PostgreSQL for database interactions
tRPC for end-to-end type safety
PNPM for dependency management

We structured the project for modularity and scalability, using the T3 stack to maintain developer velocity and stability.

Challenges we ran into

Syncing different user roles (organizers, hackers, sponsors) into one smooth UX flow
Managing dynamic routing and protected pages for user dashboards
Deploying and debugging server environments in Coolify with PostgreSQL and MinIO
Getting MinIO image upload and preview to work across the stack

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Building a full-stack, multi-role platform from the ground up
Seamlessly handling uploads, authentication, and real-time event data
Creating a sleek and intuitive UI that feels native and professional
Organizing and launching the Kmodo GitHub organization and roadmap

What we learned

Advanced full-stack architecture using the T3 stack
Managing uploads securely with MinIO and S3-compatible APIs
Deploying full environments with Coolify, environment variables, and custom ports
Designing for real users - organizers, hackers, and sponsors all have unique needs