Jenkins Contributor Summit 2026: The virtual hackathon
Moderator Center: Europe (CEST)
Stack: Zoom/Teams (Breakouts), GitHub (Project Repo), Google Docs (Scribing)
Morning Block: The APAC-EMEA Connection
Focus: Catching APAC before they sign off for the weekend.
| Time (CEST) | Session | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 08:30 | Tech Prep | Moderator opens the Zoom/Teams bridge and pins the GitHub Repo link. |
| 09:00 | Opening Plenary | Livestream: Welcome, 2026 Roadmap, and “How to use the Repo” tutorial. |
| 09:30 | Squad Formation | Breakout rooms of 4 people. Each squad picks a GitHub Issue to “own.” |
| 09:45 | Interactive Intro | Squad Task: 15 mins of personal intros + creating their Google Doc (linked in their GitHub Issue). |
| 10:15 | Working Session A | Hackathon: Live coding/doc writing. Moderator “visits” rooms to unblock squads. |
| 12:00 | Showcase 1 | Squads post their progress/PR links in the GitHub Issue. Quick 2-min demos. |
| 12:30 | Mid-Day Sync | Moderator Note: Label issues as [Status: In Progress] or [Status: Needs Handover]. |
The “Moderator’s Siesta” (12:30 – 15:00 CEST)
The bridge remains open for EMEA contributors, but the formal moderation pauses.
Afternoon Block: The EMEA-Americas Connection
Focus: Bringing the US/LATAM online and finishing what started in the morning.
| Time (CEST) | Session | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 15:00 | Re-Opening | Moderator summarizes morning wins. Introduce the “Handover” issues for newcomers. |
| 15:30 | Squad Formation | New squads of 4 people. Mix of fresh Americas faces and lingering EMEA contributors. |
| 15:45 | Interactive Intro | Squad Task: Intros + “Adopting” an Issue. If it’s a handover, they read the previous squad’s Google Doc. |
| 16:15 | Working Session B | Hackathon: Deep work. Americas morning energy meets EMEA afternoon focus. |
| 18:00 | Final Sprint | “Last call” for Pull Requests. Moderator helps with final tagging and reviews. |
| 19:00 | Global Showcase | Final demos of the day’s achievements. Credits and closing remarks. |
| 19:30 | Hard Stop | Moderator closes the bridge. |
The “Squad of 4” Workflow
Every squad will have this 3-Step Checklist to complete in their breakout room:
1. The Personal Connect (20 min)
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Intros: Name, location, and “One thing I love/hate about Jenkins.”
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Roles: Assign a Driver (shares screen), a Scribe (updates Google Doc), and two Reviewers.
2. The GitHub “Claim”
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Squad comments on a GitHub Issue: “Squad 4 (Alice, Bob, Charlie, Dana) is taking this!”
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They paste their Google Doc link directly into that GitHub Issue comment so you can track them.
3. The Documentation
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All working notes go in the Google Doc.
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Final output (Code or Text) is submitted as a Pull Request referencing the Issue number.
The GitHub Repo Structure
Since we are using a dedicated repo, I suggest setting up these Issue Templates beforehand:
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[Feature]: For UI/UX or Core enhancements.
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[Modernization]: For Java 25 or Plugin upgrades.
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[Documentation]: For tutorials or README refreshes.
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[Learning]: For knowledge sharing sessions
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[Good First Issue]: Specifically for the “Newbie” squads.
On the day of the event, we use a GitHub Project Board (Kanban style). It will give everyone a “God’s eye view” of every squad’s progress from your desk in Europe without you having to ask them for updates constantly.
Call for Participation
If you’re interested in:
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Attending the summit
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Presenting during the meeting
Please reply to this post to let us know!