When my college professor challenged me to try computer science for just one semester, I never imagined it would lead me here. I was planning to be an English major. Fast forward through a CS degree, multiple tech internships, teaching at GirlsWhoCode, and a stint as a DevOps engineer—I found myself at a crossroads, seeking something that married my technical skills with my passion for communication and teaching.
That's when a friend mentioned developer advocacy. I had never heard of it in school. But once I understood the role, I knew I'd found my calling.
The Pivot: Why DevRel?
After working as a DevOps engineer, I started exploring product management. I was drawn to the big-picture thinking: What should we build? Why should we build it? What's next? I wanted something more people-facing, something that let me connect with the broader tech community.
But here's what drew me to developer advocacy over product management: freedom and creativity.
In product management, you focus intensely on one product. In developer advocacy, you work across multiple products and solutions. You get to determine what you focus on, what content you create, and how you show developers what's possible. You're not just conceptualizing ideas, but you're building solutions, writing code, creating content, and directly engaging with the community.
For me, DevRel was the perfect marriage of my computer science background and my original desire to study English. I could code and communicate. I could build and teach.
What Does a Developer Advocate Actually Do?
When people ask me what I do, I break it down into these core areas:
- Technical Writing: Creating documentation, tutorials, and guides that help developers succeed.
- Coding: Building demos, sample applications, and proof-of-concepts that showcase what's possible.
- Teaching/Speaking: Breaking down complex concepts and making them digestible, whether on stage, on video, or in writing.
- Community Engagement: Building authentic relationships with developers, listening to their feedback, and being their voice internally.
- Learning in Public: Constantly exploring new technologies and sharing the journey with others.
- Bridge the gap between community and internal teams: Ensuring feedback flows both ways.
Every day is different. It's goal-driven, but you set your own metrics. As I like to say, it feels like getting a PhD—you're doing research and providing deliverables against a hypothesis you've developed.
For the Introverts: You Don't Have to Be a Social Butterfly
One question I get a lot: "Do you have to be an extrovert to do DevRel?"
Absolutely not. You don't need to be a social butterfly. What you need is authenticity and the ability to connect meaningfully with people, whether that's one-on-one, in writing, or through video content. Some of the best developer advocates I know are introverts who've found their own channels for community engagement.
It's funny because people often assume I'm naturally outgoing, which in some cases is accurate especially if I'm excited about something or an event, but the truth is I'm a mix of both an introvert and an extrovert.
I have no problem talking to people and putting myself out there when networking. At the same time, I find a lot of rest and ideas in solitude and deep thought, which, in the age of AI, is so necessary for creativity and original thinking.
If you consider yourself an introvert, I wouldn't automatically assume DevRel isn't for you. Rather, you should consider whether you enjoy teaching others, building in public (mostly online), and can translate business goals into content strategy.
What It Takes to Thrive in DevRel
Based on my journey and what I've seen work for others, here's what helps you succeed:
Comfort with ambiguity. If you're self-driven, you'll thrive. There's not a lot of hand-holding. You chart your own course.
Goal-setting discipline. Break down big goals into a roadmap. Set metrics for yourself, no matter how big or small.
Technical foundation and love for learning. A huge part of this role is learning new technologies so you can connect with different tech communities. If you don't genuinely enjoy learning, this will burn you out. Most DevRel folks have spent years working as engineers before transitioning into the field. The reason is simple—empathy.
The best way to relate to developer problems and to speak from experience is being in the trenches: writing code, debugging, searching for solutions, getting frustrated, resisting the urge to throw your laptop, going for a walk instead, coming back with one piece of insight that changes your perspective, getting a working solution, and getting to close out your 50 tabs spread across 2-3 screens.
It's a rite of passage and will help you understand how developers learn best.
Understanding your strengths. This role centers around your personal brand and building your credibility. Your company's awareness grows by association with your authentic voice.
The ability to simplify complexity. You have to take the super cool things and build bridges to people who don't understand them yet. This is where teaching ability matters most.
Authentic relationship building. People want to know you care and that what they say is valued. Authenticity beats perfection every time.
DevRel's Biggest Stage Yet: The AI Revolution
I recently came across a talk by Angie Jones, VP of Engineering at Block, where she refocused our attention to the impact of AI education on DevRel strategy and how AI should not be seen as a threat, but an opportunity to lead the charge forward.
It completely changed how I think about developer advocacy in the age of AI. She outlined how her team navigated a massive pivot when Block shifted focus to Goose, their AI agent. The lessons she shared resonated deeply with my own experience watching AI transform not just software development, but the entire DevRel landscape.
Angie's talk crystallized several truths about how AI education has reshaped DevRel's goals and focus:
Vulnerability builds trust. We all have our areas of expertise in which we can show up as the expert, but AI leveled the playing field, where the only way of maintaining authenticity was to admit that we are not AI experts. We are fellow learners who are in the trenches with you.
You do have to have a level of confidence in what you're talking about to build trust, but trust is maintained through honesty. Saying "I don't know, but I'll find out" is better than what my aunt often referred to as "speaking from the hip" and leading people down the wrong path.
Which leads to the next point that resonated with me from the talk.
Approachability is a superpower. Developers don't want gurus on pedestals. They want fellow travelers who are a few steps ahead, willing to share the messy process of tinkering with new technology. The emphasis is on being a few steps ahead.
That's what informs strategy. When we touch on the pulse of the developer community and are able to see how fast or slow the heart is beating for certain topics, we can create content that is ready for the impending demand.
Build in public. I like when Angie mentions this as the concept of showing your work. This is also tied to trust. Because AI can do so many things including write code, it can be easy to just show the final product, but the true value is in the process.
This can be intimidating at first, but what I've found is in doing so you answer the question of how, so users can move quickly to building stuff themselves without getting stuck in theory jail.
Focus on what matters. AI forced us to focus on what matters. Yes, this was the case before, but now that we can essentially build anything, we have to finetune our skills as teachers.
Now that AI is here and has delivered on its promises from previous years—where AI is no longer stuck in a chat window, but now has arms and legs to move with agency across the internet, performing tasks—we have to focus on AI education and AI enablement.
Finding Your Path Forward
Looking back at my journey from that first computer science class to where I am now, at the risk of being overly sentimental, I realize that developer advocacy found me as much as I found it. It gave me a way to combine everything I love, including building, teaching, learning, and connecting with people.
If you're considering DevRel, my advice is simple: start where you are. You don't need to have it all figured out. Share what you're learning. Build something small in public. Connect authentically with one developer at a time. The path will reveal itself.
And if you're already in DevRel, remember that we're in a unique position right now. We get to shape how an entire generation of developers thinks about and uses AI. That's not just a job. it's a responsibility and an opportunity.
The industry will keep changing. New technologies will emerge. But the core of what we do, which is helping developers succeed, building trust through authenticity, and making complex things accessible will always matter.
Top comments (2)
Excellent post! You have a thoughtful, nuanced, approachable perspective here. Thanks for writing this up.
Thank you! That makes me happy that it came off approachable.