GitHub - tempestphp/100-million-row-challenge
Hacker News
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
GitHub is hosting an exciting PHP competition called the 100-million-row challenge, where participants must efficiently parse a massive CSV file containing 100 million entries into a structured JSON format. The goal is to process this large dataset within a specific time frame, and the top three fastest solutions will win prizes sponsored by PhpStorm and Tideways. This challenge runs from February 24 to March 15, 2026, with submissions accepted until March 15 at 11:59 PM CET.
To participate, competitors must fork the provided GitHub repository and work locally using a dataset generator that creates either 1 million or 100 million rows. The generator uses a seeded randomizer for consistency, allowing participants to test on the same data as others. Participants will implement their solution in `app/Parser.php`, focusing on parsing CSV lines into JSON with URLs as keys and sorted daily visit counts.
The output must be a pretty-formatted JSON string where each URL maps to an array of dates with corresponding visit counts. The validation process ensures that submissions meet specific formatting rules, testing both correctness and efficiency. This challenge not only tests technical skills but also emphasizes the importance of optimizing data processing for scalability and performance.
This competition is significant for tech enthusiasts as it highlights the practical applications of efficient data handling in real-world scenarios. It challenges developers to think creatively about parsing large datasets, a skill highly valued in industries dealing with big data. By participating, competitors can showcase their ability to solve complex problems under time constraints, making this challenge a valuable opportunity for personal growth and recognition in the tech community.
The 100-million-row challenge is
Verticals
techstartups
Originally published on Hacker News on 2/25/2026