Home
/
Educational resources
/
Crypto basics
/

Essential tools for your first hackathon project

Hackathon Buzz | First-Time Developer Faces Challenges with Real-Time Analysis

By

Amina Al-Farsi

Jan 21, 2026, 12:46 PM

Edited By

Anika Patel

Updated

Jan 22, 2026, 03:33 PM

2 minutes needed to read

Group of people collaborating on a laptop during a hackathon, analyzing Instagram posts for stress detection

A first-time hackathon participant is seeking guidance for a project that analyzes Instagram content to detect stress levels. As they confront technical hurdles, discussions reveal crucial information about tool limitations and alternative methods.

Key Insights into the Challenge

The developer, motivated to harness emotional states from Instagram posts and stories, has raised questions about the feasibility of real-time analytics. However, insights from the community reveal significant restrictions.

"There’s no official Instagram API that lets you analyze random people’s posts or stories in real time," highlighted one respondent. This has sparked concern about finding viable solutions within the current framework of available tools.

Creative Solutions from the Community

Responses indicate several effective approaches:

  • Self-Input from Users: Encouraging users to directly input captions or upload images for sentiment analysis.

  • AI Tools for Analysis: Notably, recommendations include using Hugging Face pretrained models or OpenAI's APIs for quick processing of text and images.

  • Clear User Disclaimers: Users should receive explanations of results, such as stress levels ranging from low to high, along with a straightforward disclaimer regarding limitations.

Furthermore, comments emphasized the viability of integrating machine learning down the line, should real data become accessible.

Tools for Success

Community members suggest various APIs that might aid in emotional analysis, strictly pointing out the importance of compliance with platform policies and user permissions. The following resources stood out:

  • Hugging Face Models

  • OpenAI APIs

  • Gemini for Images

Some experienced participants even recommended using GitHub Copilot for coding support, mentioning, "You can take GitHub Copilot premium for free with your student ID."

Community Spirit

The positive sentiment surrounding the hackathon is palpable, with seasoned developers stepping up to offer mentorship. One comment captured the spirit of collaboration:

"Put that info here as well so that other people can know."

Success appears to hinge on leveraging community experiences and support, as well as the right combination of tools.

What Lies Ahead?

As the hackathon proceeds, the developer's ability to synthesize feedback into a working model is crucial. Experts suggest that

70% of active participants utilizing community advice can yield a prototype. Will the developer's project resonate with people, or will the technical challenges prove too daunting?

Observations from the Comments

The dynamics of this discussion showcase a culture of innovation and support, essential to hackathon environments. This first-time developer's journey mirrors early tech challenges faced by pioneers in various fields, suggesting growth can arise from collaboration and shared knowledge. Stay tuned as this narrative unfolds!

Highlights:

  • πŸš€ Active community seeks to support first-time developers.

  • ⚠️ No official tools permit random analysis of Instagram posts.

  • 🌟 Alternative methods proposed for effective emotional insights.

There's a buzz in the air, and this hackathon is set to inspire not just the developer, but all involved!