An Introduction to DevRel Foundations

Developer Relations (DevRel) has evolved over the years. It has grown from being just about:

1. Documentation(Community)
2. Marketing(Two-way communication)
3. Technical Support(Strategic functions)

How is DevRel Now?

DevRel is currently a field where you (might) have to wear multiple hats (not literally). This simply means that roles within DevRel can sometimes be intertwined. You might find yourself doing tasks that aren’t primarily your role. But in the end, it all serves the same purpose: improving the developer experience and fostering a better relationship between developers and the company.

Fields of DevRel

1. Developer Advocacy

Developer Advocates are responsible for:

• Creating content (talks, blogs, videos, sample code, etc.)
• Speaking at conferences
• Building relationships with key community members
• Providing feedback to internal teams working on the product they advocate for

2. Developer Experience

This team focuses on making developers productive and happy by reducing friction when building software. Their roles include:

• API design
• SDK development
• Documentation strategy and creation

3. Developer Marketing

This team is responsible for the growth metrics of a company (KPIs). They ensure that developers are aware of the product and how it fits into their workflows.

4. Community Management

Community Managers handle:

• Running online forums and spaces

Note: You don’t need to be technical here, but having a technical background wouldn't hurt.

5. Developer Education

They focus on creating structured learning paths and educational materials, including:

• Designing certification programs
• Developing technical courses and curricula

Note: The end goal of Developer Education is to teach. Vercel and Next.js do this very well—you can see this through the number of courses they provide on their platforms.

6. Ecosystem/Integration

This role focuses on external partnerships and integrations. For example:

• If a B2B company wants to integrate their service with another company, this role helps facilitate the process.
• They handle meetings and support teams through the integration process from start to finish.

Other DevRel Fields Worth Mentioning

There are three other types of DevRel worth discussing:

1. Internal DevRel

The first time I heard about this was from Dillion Megida when he shared what he worked on. Internal DevRel professionals work within a company to improve relations between internal developers, ensuring better collaboration and developer experience inside the organization.

2. Open Source DevRel

This involves managing relationships with open-source contributors and maintaining open-source projects. It requires a mix of advocacy, community building, and education.

3. Build-in-Public

Some companies engage in DevRel by building in public—showing their development process transparently. This helps attract developers and builds trust within the community.

Pillars of DevRel

There are three solid pillars of DevRel:

a. Education

This involves having clear documentation, tutorials, and workshops to help developers use a product effectively.

b. Advocacy

Advocacy focuses on gathering feedback and communicating it to internal teams to shape and improve a product.

c. Community

This is about building spaces around a product or service where developers can engage, collaborate, and grow together.

---

Note: While these subcategories exist, in early-stage startups, you may find yourself doing all of them. Like I said in the beginning, DevRel is a field where you'll have to wear multiple hats, but the end goal remains the same: creating a better experience for developers and fostering meaningful relationships between developers and companies.