What is Developer Relations? A Bridge Between Developers and Tools

Developer relations (DevRel) in recent times has become a buzzword in tech, but what does it really mean? DevRel isn’t just a fancy title, it’s a vital bridge between a product/tool and its most important users: the developers. Devrel is essential to any developer company looking to build strong relationships with its main consumers–developers. It is the foundation of a thriving developer ecosystem.

Now more than ever, tech companies are recognizing devrel as a core function in developing a broader developer ecosystem to ensure widespread product adoption. In today’s fast-paced tech world, companies that recognize the importance of cultivating strong developer relationships are the ones that truly succeed.

My journey into Devrel, specifically Developer Advocacy, was born out of a need to advocate for tools and products developers use to ensure even better products are built. In this article, I’ll take a deep dive into what DevRel really is, its critical role in companies, and my personal take on whether it drives real impact.

What is Developer Relations (DevRel)?

Developer Relations (DevRel) emerged significantly in the 1980s, with Apple pioneering efforts through “Software Evangelism” to encourage third-party development for the Macintosh. Over time, DevRel has evolved, encompassing a broader range of activities beyond simple evangelism. Today, DevRel involves building and nurturing relationships with developer communities, providing education, and gathering feedback to improve products. Modern DevRel roles span various functions, including developer advocacy, community management, and creating developer-focused content.

At its core, DevRel is about helping developers succeed by making tools, platforms, and technologies more accessible and valuable. Done right, it fosters drives, strengthens ecosystems, and helps companies create products that developers genuinely enjoy using.

The Three Pillars Of Developer Relations

Currently, DevRel is built on three fundamental pillars: Advocacy, DevRel experts connect developers with tech companies; Community, which promotes engagement, collaboration, and collective knowledge; and Education, which provides developers with the necessary resources to utilize and build products effectively

Pillar 1: Advocacy—Representing Developers Within the Company

Advocacy goes beyond merely promoting a product; it’s about making sure developers' opinions are acknowledged. An effective developer advocate gathers feedback from actual users and voices it within the company, influencing product choices and shaping the outcome. First, listen; then, amplify.

Pillar 2: Community—Creating Spaces Where Developers Belong

Developer tools cannot succeed in a vacuum. Communities are vital for driving adoption. A community is more than just a Discord channel; it’s a place where developers can learn, collaborate, and evolve. You must prioritize your developer community, ensuring it fosters learning, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Pillar 3: Education—Guiding Developers in Using Your Product

Regardless of how exceptional your product is, if developers don’t understand it, they won’t use it. Education eliminates barriers and facilitates adoption. In developer relations, education takes various forms: documentation, tutorials, live coding sessions, and direct Q&A. For companies, education is not optional; it’s a fundamental aspect of adoption.

Ultimately, Advocacy, Community, and Education must work in harmony. Neglecting any one of these elements will hinder the development of a vibrant developer ecosystem, which inevitably takes time to cultivate. Advocate for your developers. Create genuine communities. Educate consistently. By doing so, you won’t just gain users; you’ll cultivate believers.

The Different Roles in Developer Relations

Developer Relations is an umbrella term that covers several specialized roles. While responsibilities often overlap, each role has a distinct focus:

1. Developer Advocacy

Developer advocates serve as a bridge between developers and internal teams. They actively engage and build relationships with the community, gather feedback, and relay insights to improve the product. Whether through technical content, speaking at events, or answering questions in community spaces, their goal is to make the developer experience seamless.

2. Developer Experience

A developer experience engineer ensures that developers have a smooth and productive journey when using a company's product. Their responsibilities include:

• Improving API design and usability.

• Enhancing documentation and developer onboarding flows.

• Creating SDKs and sample code to simplify adoption.

• Ensuring that error messages, logs, and debugging tools are developer-friendly.

  3. Developer Marketing

Despite the skepticism around “marketing,” developer marketing is focused on acquisition and growth metrics specifically to track developer engagement, optimize conversion rates, and run targeted campaigns. It involves:

• Tracking developer signups and engagement.

• Conducting competitive analysis to position the product effectively.

• Running targeted campaigns to reach new developers.

• Measuring and optimizing the developer journey from awareness to adoption.

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• 4. Community Management

Building a strong developer community is a fundamental part of DevRel. Community managers:

• Run online forums, Discord, or Slack groups

• Organize hackathons, workshops, and community events

• Develop ambassador and champion community programs

• Recognize and reward community member contributions

  5. Developer Education

Many DevRel teams now focus on structured learning paths to teach developers how to use their products effectively. Developer education teams:

• Create technical courses and workshops

• Design certification programs

• Develop interactive learning experiences

• Ensure developers use products as intended, rather than in unintended ways

Companies like Vercel emphasize education by building in public and providing extensive learning resources.

6. Ecosystem Partnerships and Integrations

For companies offering B2B APIs, devrels often work on partnerships and integrations. Their responsibilities include:

• Engaging with external teams to facilitate API adoption

• Providing technical support during integration

• Ensuring partners have the right tools and documentation

• Collaborating on co-marketing efforts after successful integrations

Other less popular roles include:

1. Internal Devrel: enhance the experience of the company’s engineering teams by optimizing onboarding, improving workflows, and removing barriers to productivity.

2. Open Source Devrel: focus on fostering community engagement by encouraging contributions, managing documentation and licensing, building relationships with external contributors, and ensuring a smooth onboarding experience.

3. Build-In-Public: focus on live-streaming coding sessions, creating engaging content around technical projects, and organically attracting developer interest in their tools.

Why DevRel is Critical for Companies

1. Adoption Equals Success

The effectiveness of your API, framework, or tool hinges on developers actively utilising it. Devrels play a crucial role in promoting adoption by facilitating a smooth onboarding process, providing comprehensive guides, and ensuring developers feel supported throughout their journey.

2. Your Product Needs Structured Learning Path

You may believe your tool is user-friendly, but without proper education, documentation, and code samples, many developers may not take the time to learn it. Devrels help reduce the learning curve, preventing developers from quitting out of frustration.

3. A Vibrant Community Fuels Growth

The most successful development tools such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Docker, and Node.js didn’t just thrive because of their quality. They flourished due to the robust communities that supported them. Developer relations ensure that these communities are cultivated, encouraging developers to not only use the tool but also promote it passionately.

4. Connecting Developers with the Company

Product teams often lack insight into the actual needs of developers. Devrels serve as a vital link, ensuring that feedback is communicated to the appropriate teams and that developers' challenges are addressed in future product updates.

5. Companies Lacking Developer Relations Fall Behind

Organizations that prioritize Developer Relations create more engaged and loyal user communities. In contrast, those who neglect this aspect face challenges with adoption, retention, and building trust.

Companies that ignore DevRel vs. those that invest in it.

Companies without Developer Advocates operate at a disadvantage, whether they realize it or not. Feedback gets scattered—some in support tickets, some buried in forums, some lost in DMs. No one connects the dots, and valuable insights slip through the cracks. Product teams move slower, unaware of the real frustrations developers face, leading to features that miss the mark or updates that come too late.

The community? It feels disconnected. Developers don’t just need good docs—they need to feel heard, supported, and part of something bigger. Without that, adoption stalls, excitement fades, and the product struggles to break beyond its initial user base. The biggest loss? The missed opportunity to cultivate a loyal community that doesn’t just use your product but champions it.

Personal Take–Does DevRel drive real impact?

Simply, yes.

Developer companies building superior developer ecosystems didn’t just build tools; they built communities, lowered barriers, and made developers feel like they were part of something bigger. The long-term impact? Exponential growth, adoption, and a community effect that keeps compounding.

When developers champion your product, they don’t just use it; they integrate it into the way they build, think, and innovate. That’s why companies that invest in their developer ecosystem don’t just win—they redefine entire industries.