Developer relations (DevRel) is a field that focuses on building relationships with developers. DevRel professionals help developers learn about and use a company's products and services. They also help developers get involved in the community by hosting/attending events, hackathons, fireside chats, demos, conferences, booths, initiatives, and contributing to the open-source ecosystem. DevRel is a relatively new field, but it is growing rapidly. This is because the demand for software is increasing, and companies are realizing that they need to build relationships with developers in order to be successful.
Role Breakdown of DevRel
The hierarchical breakdown of DevRel can vary from company to company, but there are some common roles that are typically found in this field. These roles include:
Developer advocate: Developer advocates are the front-facing members of DevRel. They are responsible for communicating with developers, building relationships, and helping developers get started with a company's products and services.
Technical writer: Technical writers create documentation and tutorials for developers. They also help to translate complex technical concepts into easy-to-understand language.
Community manager: Community managers build and maintain communities of developers around a company's products and services. They also organize events and meetups to help developers connect with each other.
Engineering manager: Engineering managers oversee the development of DevRel programs. They are responsible for setting goals, managing resources, and ensuring that DevRel programs are aligned with the company's overall business goals.
What Do DevRel Professionals Do?
DevRel professionals do a variety of things to build relationships with developers. These activities include:
Creating and sharing content: DevRel professionals create and share content that is relevant to developers. This content can include blog posts, articles, tutorials, videos, and podcasts.
Attending events: DevRel professionals attend events such as conferences, meetups, and hackathons to meet developers and learn about their needs.
Networking: DevRel professionals network with developers online and offline to build relationships.
Providing support: DevRel professionals provide support to developers by answering questions, troubleshooting problems, and offering guidance.
The Importance of DevRel
DevRel is an important field because it helps to build relationships with developers. These relationships are essential for the success of any company that develops software. By building relationships with developers, DevRel professionals can help to ensure that a company's products and services are well-received by the developer community.
The Identity Crisis of DevRel
The field of DevRel is still relatively young, and as a result, there is some debate about its identity. Some people believe that DevRel is a marketing function, while others believe that it is a product function. There is also some debate about whether DevRel should be focused on technical or non-technical audiences. Some see DevRel as both a marketing and product function. It is important for DevRel professionals to understand the marketing goals of the company, but they also need to have a deep understanding of the product. This is because DevRel professionals need to be able to communicate the value of the product to developers in a way that is both technical and non-technical.
The Future of DevRel
The field of DevRel is growing rapidly, and it will continue to grow in the future. This is because the demand for software is increasing, and companies are realizing that they need to build relationships with developers in order to be successful. The future of DevRel could be focused on building relationships with developers in a variety of ways. DevRel professionals will need to be able to create and share content, attend events, network, and provide support. They will also need to be able to understand the needs of developers and communicate the value of products and services to them.
Developer relations is a growing field that is essential for the success of any company that develops software. DevRel professionals help to build relationships with developers, create and share content, attend events, network, and provide support. These activities help to ensure that a company's products and services are well-received by the developer community.