From ThePracticalDev to DEV: The Story Behind Our Favorite Developer Community

#community #blog #article #benhalpern

If you’ve been a developer for a while, chances are you’ve read, shared, or even written something on DEV (dev.to). But do you know how it all started? Let’s take a little trip back in time and see how this amazing community was born, who created it, and why it’s still one of the best places for developers today.

👶 The Humble Beginning

It all started in 2014 with a single Twitter account called The Practical Dev.

Ben Halpern, a developer who loved sharing coding tips and memes, created the account. His tweets were short, funny, and relatable for developers. The account quickly grew and became a favorite spot for coding humor and useful programming wisdom.

But Ben didn’t stop there. He had a bigger dream:

👉 What if there was a place on the internet where developers could share articles, learn from each other, and grow together?

🚀 The Birth of DEV

In January 2017, that dream came true. Together with Jess Lee and Peter Frank, Ben launched DEV Community (dev.to).

The idea was simple yet powerful:

A blogging platform for developers, by developers.
A place where everyone — from beginners to experts — could write, share, and learn without fear of judgment.
A community where helpfulness and kindness mattered more than “who’s the smartest.”

🌟 Major Milestones

Here are some of the big moments in DEV’s journey:

2017 → DEV officially launched 🎉
2018 → Rapid growth as thousands of developers joined, sharing tutorials, career advice, and personal stories.
2019 → DEV turned into Forem, an open-source platform. This allowed other communities (not just developers) to build their own “DEV-like” spaces.
2020 → DEV raised funding to grow even further, while keeping the platform free for users.
Today → DEV has millions of members worldwide 🌍. It’s one of the biggest and friendliest developer communities out there.

💡 Why DEV is Special for Developers

There are many blogs and forums out there, but DEV stands out because:

Friendly culture → The community is welcoming. Even if you’re new to coding, you won’t feel out of place.
Open-source spirit → DEV itself is built with open-source software (Forem). Developers can contribute to the platform itself!
Diverse content → From JavaScript to Rust, from beginner tips to advanced system design, you’ll find content for every level.
Networking & growth → Many developers land jobs, collaborators, or mentors through DEV.

👩‍💻 The Founders

Let’s not forget the people who made this happen:

Ben Halpern → The original creator, who started with ThePracticalDev Twitter.
Jess Lee → Co-founder, helped turn the vision into a real product.
Peter Frank → Co-founder, focused on building and scaling the community.

Their shared mission was clear: make the developer world more welcoming, supportive, and fun.

🎉 The DEV We Know Today

Fast forward to today — DEV is more than a blogging platform. It’s a movement. A place where developers don’t just share code, but also share experiences, failures, lessons, and victories.

From small side projects to big career moves, DEV has been there for developers at every step.

❤️ Final Thoughts

The journey from The Practical Dev Twitter account to the DEV Community we know today is truly inspiring. It reminds us that with a simple idea, kindness, and a bit of code, you can create something that changes millions of lives.

So next time you publish an article here, remember — you’re part of a story that started in 2014 with a single tweet. And the best part? This story is still being written — by us. ✨

👉 What was your first DEV post? Or your favorite memory here? Share it in the comments — let’s celebrate this amazing community together!