{
  "id": 17288863,
  "title": "How I Made Yet Another Project During a Global Teen Hackathon with Prizes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/how-i-made-yet-another-project-during-a-global-teen-hackathon-with",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-30T21:07:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/thetylern/how-i-made-yet-another-project-during-a-global-teen-hackathon-with-prizes-38hc"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Just over two weeks ago, this reporter penned an article on DEV about their journey during a global digital hackathon for teenagers named Stardance. During this event, they crafted an action video game using the Godot game engine and earned a Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D Printer as a prize for their efforts. In the same article, they mentioned other smaller projects they had completed prior to the game. This article, however, delves into their subsequent endeavors, specifically the creation of MDEZ++ (mdez), a lightweight Markdown editor.\n\nMDEZ++ is built using C++20 and the Qt Framework, designed for the need for speed. Unlike traditional editors, MDEZ++ renders Markdown syntax as you type on the right side of the screen. It requires no prior knowledge of Markdown syntax, thanks to its Format menu that applies syntax through unambiguous buttons. The editor is versatile, handling Markdown, HTML, and any other plaintext file format, rendering them with minimal effort.\n\nMDEZ++ took 40 hours to complete, a feat marked by unique challenges. The reporter overcame hurdles such as odd rendering issues in Qt's Markdown, blockquote and code block formatting problems, and permission issues during Flathub preparation. Implementing features like auto-link opening and handling invalid links proved complex, requiring over 100 lines of code. Despite these challenges, the reporter is proud of their accomplishment, particularly in getting MDEZ++ onto Flathub, a platform that initially seemed daunting to them.\n\nThe reporter views MDEZ++ not as a small indie project, but as a professional-grade application. Its README section, with its 12 feature points and complex installation instructions, reads more like documentation for established tools, such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word. The reporter acknowledges the difficulty of the project, recognizing that they were a beginner in C++, having only briefly touched the language a year prior. They credit the Qt Documentation for their success and express that, while they still don't claim expertise in C++, they are proud of their achievement in creating a versatile and professional-quality Markdown editor.",
  "summary": "Just over two weeks ago, I made an article here on DEV about how I made an action video game with the Godot game engine during a global digital couple-month-long hackathon for teenagers named Stardance. An important part of the article was the prizes involved in participating in the hackathon, and how I earned a Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D Printer because of my work. I also mentioned that I made some…",
  "key_points": [
    "Reporter created MDEZ++, a lightweight Markdown editor, during a global teen hackathon",
    "MDEZ++ built with C++20 and Qt Framework, renders Markdown syntax as you type",
    "Editor handles Markdown, HTML, and plaintext files, overcoming technical challenges"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}