This year, I had the opportunity to attend the Devnexus 2025 developers conference. Accompanying two other coworkers, who are seasoned conference speakers, I was eager to discover the elements of a successful conference experience and what it takes to give a good conference presentation. One of the resounding themes of attending the conference is to remember, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.". This is a reminder to pace yourself, be present, and enjoy the flurry of content, conversations, and new ideas that are all around.
At the start of the conference, we attended the keynote, which set the tone for the rest of the week. The overarching message was focused around the numerous paths to becoming a developer and how each person's unique journey contributes something valuable and enriches the community. This resonated with me as a newbie in the tech world and helped to tamp down some of my initial imposter syndrome feelings. It also predicted the diverse range of people, backgrounds, and passions I would encounter throughout the conference. I was excited to connect with and learn from all these people who shared a common interest in software development.
As the first day unfolded, the sheer volume of interesting talks made it impossible to attend them all or absorb all the information. Most of the talks ran concurrently, and though some people attended multiple talks at a time, essentially leaving in the middle of one to join another, I knew that wasn’t my style. I needed to be picky and choose interesting topics or an engaging speaker so that I could dig in and learn more. The first session I attended was a deep dive into Typescript, which was a surprisingly well attended session for a Java-focused conference. The speaker was Waller Goble, and as soon as he began his introduction, I knew why this was a popular session. He was hilarious, witty with his banter, and very insightful in the ways he broke down difficult concepts. I followed along, feeling impressed with myself that I understood the technical content, but this was possible because of Waller’s approach. It was apparent that he really understood things from the foundation and was able to bring us along in the journey. I liked this presentation style of weaving a story for the audience to follow. By the end of that first talk, I was reinvigorated in my love for Typescript, in particular, and in expanding my knowledge of topics I had previously only touched on briefly. From then on, I felt more comfortable with narrowing my focus to a few talks and really allowing myself to fully absorb the experience.
The next important lesson I learned is that networking isn’t as scary as I thought it would be. Everyone at the conference was there for that same reason: to meet and share ideas and make a connection. After some initial anxiety, I was able to relax into the conversations, ask questions, and talk to the speakers after their sessions. There were happy hours at the end of each day, which are important opportunities when it comes to networking. More connections are made when everyone is happy, and the conversations from these events often spurred more and deeper connections, which led to exchanging contact information and growing the social bonds beyond the conference. I came away from these conversations feeling inspired and energized, which was a welcome shift from what I had expected.
Aside from learning from the many experts in their various crafts, I also wanted to expose myself to a variety of presentations and speaking styles to see what resonated with me. I was hoping to glean insights into best practices that I could apply to my own development as a public speaker, with the ultimate goal of one day taking the stage at a similar conference. The speakers I saw had varied approaches, and some things worked better than others. Some were more formal with their manner of speaking and attire, which tended to match their content and slide presentation. Others were less formal and used more humor in their delivery and slide content. Everyone had the initial stage jitters but moved into their flow relatively quickly. The audiences were all receptive and supportive with questions and responding to the content. It was also apparent that people attended the talks for different reasons; some people seemed interested, while others were either on their phones or whispering. As a speaker, I imagine you’d have to stay focused on your task and not necessarily the audience. My big takeaway here is that speaking is all about one's personal style and sharing that with the audience. The content and delivery are as unique as the person presenting, and leaning into that makes the presentation more engaging.
In the end, the conference was a truly transformative experience. I was blown away by the impact it had on me as a developer, both personally and professionally. Being exposed to new technologies and approaches sparked a lot of new ideas, and the opportunity to engage with and learn from industry leaders and fellow developers was priceless. I feel more connected to the tech community now than ever before. I had many engaging conversations, exchanging ideas and growing new friendships. The sense of camaraderie and shared passion reinforced my love for the developer community and my commitment to lifelong learning and growth. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a supportive and inspiring community, and I look forward to continuing to connect with fellow developers in the years to come. I also feel inspired to share my own knowledge and experiences and to explore opportunities to speak at future events, where I can pay it forward and help others grow in their own developer path.