A newer version of the Gradio SDK is available: 6.19.0
I reviewed the Build Small Hackathon page and extracted only the information that is useful for an AI coding agent building a submission. I excluded registration, dates, logistics, prizes, and participation process. The content below is ready to save as build-small-hackathon.md. (Hugging Face)
Build Small Hackathon – Builder Reference
This document summarizes the requirements, constraints, judging criteria, and bonus opportunities for the Hugging Face Build Small Hackathon.
Core Philosophy
Build useful, focused applications powered by small AI models.
Projects should demonstrate that capable AI experiences can be created without relying on massive frontier models. The emphasis is on practicality, creativity, and thoughtful use of smaller models.
Mandatory Requirements
1. Small Models Only
Total model parameters must be ≤ 32B.
Requirements:
- All AI functionality must use models whose combined parameter count does not exceed 32 billion parameters.
- Solutions should be designed around models that can realistically run on consumer hardware.
- The model choice should be a natural fit for the problem being solved.
Checklist:
- Total model size ≤ 32B parameters
- Model choice justified by the use case
- No dependency on larger models for core functionality
2. Must Be a Gradio Application
Requirements:
- The submission must be implemented as a Gradio app.
- The app must be hosted as a Hugging Face Space.
- Gradio is the required application framework.
Checklist:
- Built with Gradio
- Deployable as a Hugging Face Space
- End-user interaction occurs through the Gradio app
3. Demonstrable Working Product
Requirements:
- The application must clearly show its value through actual usage.
- Judges expect a working, polished experience rather than a concept or prototype description.
Checklist:
- Functional end-to-end workflow
- Usable by non-technical users
- Clear demonstration of AI functionality
- Reasonably polished UX
Competition Tracks
Track 1: Backyard AI
Goal
Solve a real problem for a real person.
Examples:
- Family member
- Friend
- Neighbor
- Small business owner
- Community member
The application should provide measurable value to a specific person rather than targeting a vague audience.
Judging Criteria
Problem is Specific and Real
Strong submissions:
- Address a concrete user problem.
- Have a clearly identified beneficiary.
- Avoid generic "AI assistant for everyone" concepts.
Real User Usage
Strong submissions:
- Were actually used by the intended person.
- Demonstrate evidence of usefulness.
- Solve a recurring task or pain point.
Honest Fit for Small Models
Strong submissions:
- Use small models because they are appropriate.
- Do not force large-model-style tasks into small-model constraints.
- Design around strengths of compact models.
Gradio App Polish
Strong submissions:
- Clear workflow.
- Good UX.
- Easy to understand.
- Reliable behavior.
Recommended Design Principles
- Build for one real user first.
- Optimize for usefulness over novelty.
- Minimize complexity.
- Focus on task completion.
Track 2: An Adventure in Thousand Token Wood
Goal
Build something delightful that would not exist without AI.
Possible categories:
- Interactive stories
- Games
- Creative tools
- Artistic experiences
- Experimental interfaces
- AI-native toys
Judging Criteria
Delight
Strong submissions:
- Are genuinely fun.
- Create memorable experiences.
- Feel worth sharing.
AI Is Essential
Strong submissions:
- Require AI to function.
- Use AI as a core mechanic.
- Do not merely bolt AI onto a conventional app.
Originality
Strong submissions:
- Explore unusual ideas.
- Present novel interactions.
- Avoid common chatbot wrappers.
Gradio App Polish
Strong submissions:
- Feel complete.
- Have thoughtful UX.
- Present a cohesive experience.
Recommended Design Principles
- Prioritize surprise and enjoyment.
- Make AI central to the experience.
- Experiment with interaction design.
- Create something users want to show others.
Bonus Merit Badges
These are optional but can provide additional scoring benefits.
Off the Grid
Theme
Local-first AI.
Requirements
- No cloud AI APIs.
- The application runs entirely using local models.
Examples:
- Local inference
- On-device inference
- Self-contained deployment
Well-Tuned
Theme
Fine-tuned models.
Requirements
- Use a fine-tuned model.
- Publish the fine-tuned model on Hugging Face.
Examples:
- Task-specific fine tuning
- Domain adaptation
- Personalized model variants
Off-Brand
Theme
Custom interface design.
Requirements
- Go beyond default Gradio styling.
- Create a distinctive frontend experience.
Examples:
- Custom layouts
- Advanced theming
- Branded UI systems
- Rich interaction patterns
Llama Champion
Theme
llama.cpp deployment.
Requirements
- Run the model using llama.cpp.
Examples:
- GGUF models
- Local CPU inference
- Edge deployment
Sharing Is Caring
Theme
Transparency and learning.
Requirements
- Publish and share agent traces.
Examples:
- Reasoning traces
- Agent execution logs
- Workflow documentation
Field Notes
Theme
Documentation and learnings.
Requirements
- Document discoveries, experiments, and lessons learned during development.
Examples:
- Build logs
- Technical writeups
- Design decisions
- Model evaluations
Submission Design Checklist
Model Constraints
- Total parameters ≤ 32B
- Small model is central to solution
- Architecture aligns with small-model strengths
App Requirements
- Built with Gradio
- Deployable as Hugging Face Space
- End-to-end functionality works
Product Quality
- Clear user value
- Reliable interaction flow
- Understandable UX
- Demonstrable AI contribution
Track Alignment
Backyard AI
- Real user identified
- Real problem solved
- User actually benefits
Thousand Token Wood
- Delightful experience
- AI is essential
- Original concept
Bonus Opportunities
- Local-only inference
- Fine-tuned model
- Custom UI
- llama.cpp runtime
- Shared traces
- Development notes
What Judges Appear to Value
- Strong alignment with small-model constraints.
- A complete, usable application rather than a demo.
- Clear evidence that AI meaningfully improves the experience.
- Good UX and Gradio polish.
- Focused scope.
- Creativity or real-world usefulness.
- Thoughtful engineering choices rather than model size.
Source: Build Small Hackathon official page and associated announcement materials. (Hugging Face)