# Tools for rapid prototyping / "minimum viable product" development to use during hackathons (and beyond...)

**URL:** <https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/tools-for-rapid-prototyping-minimum-viable-product-development-to-use-during-hackathons-and-beyond/591>\
**Category:** Tools\
**Created:** [July 27, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/tools-for-rapid-prototyping-minimum-viable-product-development-to-use-during-hackathons-and-beyond/591 "2019-07-27T04:15:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![linkalis](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/linkalis/32/431_2.png) [@linkalis](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/linkalis)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/tools-for-rapid-prototyping-minimum-viable-product-development-to-use-during-hackathons-and-beyond/591/1 "2019-07-27T04:15:26Z")

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Does anyone happen to have a list of free/low cost “rapid prototyping” and “minimum viable product” web/software production tools and services? We’re planning a hackathon, and instead of having everyone leap directly into custom coding things, I’d love to have a list that encourages people to “start with these tools that are useful and extensible before you go and build something custom”. I’m thinking things like Google Sites, [Wordpress.com](http://Wordpress.com) hosting, Survey Monkey, ArcGIS Online, etc. The Google ecosystem has so much “free” stuff, but I hate to shove people into the Google rabbit hole too much… any thoughts on good prototype/MVP production tools?

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**Author:** ![Patrick](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/patrick/32/435_2.png) [@Patrick](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/Patrick)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/tools-for-rapid-prototyping-minimum-viable-product-development-to-use-during-hackathons-and-beyond/591/2 "2019-08-01T20:05:44Z")

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This resource has a decent list of tools - some free, some not - that could definitely be used in this way!

[https://www.makerpad.co/marketplace](https://www.makerpad.co/marketplace)

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**Author:** ![skora](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/skora/32/623_2.png) [@skora](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/skora)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/tools-for-rapid-prototyping-minimum-viable-product-development-to-use-during-hackathons-and-beyond/591/3 "2020-09-30T21:48:55Z")

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I’d also add:

Airtable - kinda like google sheets but with plenty of templates available.

[Glitch.com](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/announcing-glitch-a-friendly-tool-for-developing-and-deploying-your-projects/243) quickly build a website; especially helpful if you’re building one that involves javascript and node; You can also create relatively quickly a web-service/app things (that use node) like twitter bots.

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**Author:** ![Mari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/mari/32/992_2.png) [@Mari](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/Mari)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2023, 7:05am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/tools-for-rapid-prototyping-minimum-viable-product-development-to-use-during-hackathons-and-beyond/591/4 "2023-07-01T07:05:52Z")

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