Phase 01 of 5

Foundation

Understand what DevRel is, where it sits in an organization, and build the technical baseline every practitioner needs regardless of background.

2 skill modules13 topics3–4 weeks at 5 hours a week
Your progress in this phase0%
0 of 15 steps · 0 of 2 Compass Challenges complete

About this phase

Developer Relations sits between a company and the developers who use its product. Developers trust other developers, not ads, so a company that wants developers to adopt its API, SDK, database or platform needs people who can teach, build and listen in public. That is the job.

The simplest working definition comes from Mary Thengvall: DevRel is the umbrella term for the strategies and tactics that build relationships with developers. The relationship runs both ways. You bring the product to developers through content, talks, docs and community. You also bring developers back to the company, turning their friction, feature requests and bug reports into signal that product and engineering can act on. The second half is the one beginners forget, and it is what separates DevRel from promotion.

This phase gives you two foundations:

  1. A clear model of the function. Where it came from, the roles inside it, why companies pay for it, and how the org chart changes what "good" looks like. Without this you will say yes to everything and get measured on the wrong things.
  2. A technical baseline. You don't need to be a staff engineer, but you do need to build a working demo, read someone else's code, open a pull request and talk about deployment without bluffing. Developers notice immediately when someone doesn't really get it, and credibility is the currency of this whole career.

If you come from engineering, the first module will be new and the second will be review. If you come from marketing, writing or community work, it's the other way round. Either way, finish both before moving on. Every later phase assumes them.

By the end of this phase you'll be able to
  • Explain what Developer Relations is, why companies fund it, and how it differs from marketing
  • Name the main DevRel roles and pick the one that fits your background
  • Describe how reporting lines shape what a DevRel team is measured on
  • Build and explain a small demo against a real API, using Git and GitHub like a working developer
  • Speak credibly about cloud deployment, issue tracking, and the tools your audience uses every day

Skill modules

Each module follows the same path — Learn → Resources → Challenge. Work through them in order, or jump to the one you need.

What is Developer Relations, and why do companies pay for it?

0/7 topics
  1. History & Evolution of DevRelHow the role emerged from engineering and marketing, key milestones from Sun Microsystems to CNCF.
  2. Types of DevRel RolesDeveloper Advocate, Developer Relations, Developer Education, Technical Writer, Developer Marketing, Community Manager and Developer Experience — what each job involves, how it is measured and how they differ.
  3. Where DevRel Practitioners Come FromThe five common backgrounds people move into DevRel from, the strengths each brings, and the gaps to close.
  4. Importance of DevRelWhy organizations invest in DevRel and how it drives developer adoption, retention, and product feedback.
  5. The DevRel MindsetCommunity-first thinking, long-term relationship building, and authentic representation.
  6. DevRel vs Developer MarketingUnderstanding the overlap, the distinctions, and how they work together effectively.
  7. DevRel in Different Org StructuresDevRel under Product, Marketing, Engineering — how reporting lines shape priorities.
🧭 Challenge: Write your DevRel manifestoStart module →

How technical do I need to be to be credible with developers?

0/6 topics
  1. Basic Programming SkillsAt least one language deeply enough to build demos, read others' code, and debug integrations.
  2. APIs & SDKsUnderstanding REST, GraphQL, webhooks, and how SDKs abstract them. Ability to use and explain APIs credibly.
  3. Git & GitHubVersion control basics, branching, pull requests, issues — the language of open source collaboration.
  4. IDEs & Developer ToolsVS Code, JetBrains, terminal workflows — being genuinely comfortable in a developer environment.
  5. Issue Tracking SystemsGitHub Issues, Jira, Linear — triaging, labelling, and managing community-reported bugs.
  6. Cloud & Infrastructure BasicsEnough AWS/GCP/Azure to understand deployment, containers, and developer pain in production.
🧭 Challenge: Ship a "Hello World" demo developers can run in 5 minutesStart module →