Guides
Vibecoding tools: what to set up before the hackathon starts
A working set of AI tools for the team, how they differ, and how to avoid losing access at the most critical moment.
The list of 'best AI tools' becomes outdated every couple of months, so understanding which tool solves which task is more important than specific names. Let's break down the set that a team actually needs at a hackathon, and what to set up in advance so as not to waste time at the start.
An AI-powered editor where you write code
The main tool is an editor that understands your entire project. Cursor and Windsurf grew out of the familiar VS Code and can edit multiple files at once with a single prompt. GitHub Copilot lives inside the editor you are used to. Claude and other assistants are great when you need to discuss an approach, debug an error, or generate a snippet separately. Choose the one you are comfortable with and do not change it on the day of the hackathon.
Interface and prototype generators
When you need a working screen in minutes, tools that build an interface from a description help: v0, Lovable, Bolt, Replit. They are good for quick frontend and demos, but the generated project will have to be refined by hand later, so do not build anything on them that needs to be reliable.
Models and APIs for the task
If the project uses AI internally, decide in advance whose models it runs on and get the keys. Keep a backup option handy: if one provider goes down or runs out of limits in the middle of the night, you can switch instead of getting stuck.
What to set up before the start
- Install the editor and check that the AI in it responds instead of asking for additional setup.
- Create accounts and API keys that you plan to use.
- Check the limits. Free plans run out quickly under hackathon load.
- Deploy a project template so you can start writing immediately instead of setting things up.
Separately about access to paid models. At events hosted on Stavleak, organizers often distribute sponsors' API keys to participants through the dashboard, so expensive models become available to everyone without personal cards. It is worth checking this with the organizer in advance.
Tools are only half the battle, the other half is discipline: do not submit code you do not understand. How to integrate AI into the team's workflow without losing control is explained in the guide on vibecoding at a hackathon, and you can choose an event in the catalog.