> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.firstcommit.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FirstCommit Rules and Eligibility

> Review the official rules for Beginner's Paradise, including eligibility, team sizes, project requirements, GitHub commit rules, and AI disclosure policies.

FirstCommit's Beginner's Paradise is designed to be fair, welcoming, and beginner-friendly. These rules exist to protect the integrity of the competition and to make sure every participant has a great experience.

## Eligibility

* You must be between the ages of 13 and 21 at the time of submission.
* You must reside in a country supported by Devpost.
* You may compete as a solo hacker or as part of a team.

## Teams

* Teams may have up to 6 members total.
* Every team member must make a meaningful contribution to the project.
* All team members must be listed on the Devpost submission.

## Project Requirements

* Your project must be created during the hackathon period that runs from August 21, 2026 through the submission deadline.
* You may use any frameworks, libraries, templates, or APIs, as long as they are publicly available and properly credited.
* Pre-existing projects or codebases started before August 21, 2026 are not allowed.
* Submissions must be made through the official Devpost page for Beginner's Paradise.

## GitHub Requirements

* Every submission must include a public GitHub repository.
* Your repository must contain multiple meaningful commits.

<Warning>
  Submissions with only a single commit will be disqualified. This rule exists to encourage an authentic development process and to help you track your own progress.
</Warning>

## AI Usage

* AI tools are allowed and encouraged as coding assistants.
* You must disclose any AI assistance in your README.
* You must understand your own code and be able to explain how it works. Copy-pasting responses without comprehension will not earn points.
* Organizers reserve the right to request AI chat history or screenshots to verify transparency.

## Open Source and Attribution

* All external assets, libraries, APIs, and media used in your project must be properly credited in your README.
* Respect open source licenses and intellectual property rights.
* Do not submit content that violates copyright or licensing agreements.

## Required Submission Materials

* Public GitHub repository with meaningful commit history
* Complete README including project overview, technologies used, setup instructions, credits, and AI disclosure
* Demo presentation (3 to 5 minutes) covering what your project does, how it works, the technologies used, challenges faced, and what you learned
* Optional but recommended: live deployment URL, screenshots, and a tech stack list

## Code of Conduct

* Treat all participants, judges, and organizers with respect.
* Harassment, hate speech, and discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated.
* Violations may result in disqualification and removal from the event.

## Disqualification Criteria

* Submitting a single-commit repository
* Including pre-existing work started before the hackathon begins
* Failing to disclose AI assistance
* Violating the code of conduct
* Plagiarism or failure to credit external resources