HackerRank Orchestrate
Last updated: October 15, 2026
HackerRank Orchestrate is a 24-hour hackathon where you design, build, and submit an AI agent using the AI tools of your choice. After you submit your agent, a voice-based AI interviewer asks you questions about your work. HackerRank scores each submission using signals that assess how you build with AI and defend what you built.
Orchestrate is a monthly program that started in May 2026, with subsequent editions in June, August, and September. Each edition introduces a new problem and uses the same format and scoring signals.
You do not need prior AI experience to participate. Orchestrate is an individual hackathon. You must work independently and submit your own work.
Registration for the October edition is now open, and the hackathon begins on October 24, 2026.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
HackerRank Community account
Registration for the edition you want to join
An AI coding tool of your choice, such as Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex
Stable internet connection
Working microphone and camera for the AI interview
Participate in Orchestrate
Step 1: Register for an Orchestrate edition
Go to the Orchestrate page and click Register Now.
Sign in to HackerRank Community if prompted.
Complete the required fields in the Registration form.
Note: You can select the Automatically register me for future editions of HackerRank Orchestrate checkbox to register automatically for future editions.
Click Register. You will receive an email at your registered email address stating that your registration is successful.
Important Note: HackerRank emails the challenge and submission instructions to your registered email address at 12:30 PM UTC on the edition’s start date.
Step 2: Build your agent
Review the problem statement and instructions in your challenge email.
Build your agent using your preferred AI tools, AI models, framework, and programming language.
Test your agent and verify that its output meets the requirements in the problem statement.
Step 3: Submit your work
Prepare the following three files for submission. Each file can be up to 50 MB.
File | Requirements |
|---|---|
Code ZIP file | Include your agent’s source code and a README with setup and run instructions. Use environment variables for secrets instead of hardcoding keys. Keep behavior deterministic where possible. Exclude virtual environments, build artifacts, and the provided data files. |
Output file | Include your agent’s output in the format specified in the problem statement, such as CSV. |
AI chat transcript | Include the conversation log from your AI coding tool. |
To submit your files:
Open the submission link in your challenge email to access the contest page in HackerRank Community.
Upload your code ZIP file, output file, and AI chat transcript.
Submit your files before the edition’s deadline.
After you submit successfully, you can start the AI judge interview.
Step 4: Complete the AI interview
The AI interviewer reviews your submission and conducts a 30-minute voice-based interview about your submission.
The AI interview typically covers the following topics:
An overview of your agent
Information retrieval and agent architecture
Safety risks and failure handling
Implementation and code familiarity
Testing and evaluation
Production monitoring
What makes your approach different
After you complete the AI Interview, you can check the live leaderboard to track your score and ranking.
How scoring works in Orchestrate
HackerRank evaluates your submission using four independent signals. It scores each signal from 0 to 100 and calculates your final score as a weighted sum.
Evaluation signal | Weight | What it evaluates |
|---|---|---|
Code ZIP file | 30% | Agent architecture, prompt and tool design, robustness, and engineering quality visible in the source code. |
Output file | 30% | Accuracy of your agent’s output and safety when handling adversarial inputs. |
AI interview | 30% | Technical depth, problem understanding, judgment, clear communication, and honesty about limitations. |
AI chat transcript | 10% | Ownership of decisions, precise technical instructions, iteration, verification, and safety awareness when directing your AI tool. |
Note: Scoring weights and rules can vary by edition. Check your edition’s instructions for the applicable rules.
Live leaderboard
The live leaderboard displays participant rankings and scores as submissions come in. You can view each participant’s final score and individual scores for the code ZIP file, output file, AI interview, and AI chat transcript. You can also use the search bar to find a participant.
Timeline and rewards for the October 2026 edition
Timeline
Event | Date and time |
|---|---|
Challenge starts | October 24, 2026, at 12:30 PM UTC |
Live evaluation | October 26–27, 2026 |
Results | October 27, 2026 |
Rewards
Placement | Cash prize |
|---|---|
First place | $1,200 |
Second through fifth place | $300 each |
Everyone who registers receives a badge in their registered email. All participants receive 10 HackerRank AI Mock Interview credits and a certificate of participation.
Codex credits
The top three winners who build with Codex receive the following Codex credits.
Placement | Codex credits |
|---|---|
First place | $5,000 |
Second place | $2,500 |
Third place | $1,000 |
Troubleshooting
You cannot register
Sign in to the HackerRank Community account you want to use.
Complete all required fields in the registration form and try again.
If the page displays a country restriction, the edition does not accept registrations from your country.
You do not receive your certificate
Check the inbox and spam folder of your registered email address.
If you cannot find the certificate, email help@hackerrank.com with the edition name, your HackerRank username, and your registration email.
You miss the deadline or cannot access your submission or AI interview
Record the date, time, and time zone of the issue and any error message.
If an error appears, take a screenshot and hide any personal information.
Email help@hackerrank.com with the edition name, your HackerRank username, and the details you recorded.
HackerRank does not guarantee extensions, resubmissions, or interview reschedules.
Note: For any queries, contact help@hackerrank.com. You can also ask general questions in the Orchestrate Discord. Do not share passwords, authentication codes, payment details, government ID information, or your registration email in a public channel.