DevCon Celebrates The Community Behind The Magic

In this article we discuss:

• Braindates, Meetups, and Building Connection
• Community First, Not Just Behind the Login
• Developer Days Bring DevCon Closer to Home
• Growing the Next Generation of Workday Builders
• The Energy Keeps Going

The keynote demos may have gotten standing ovations, but what’s defining this week at Workday DevCon is the people in the room and the way they’re working together.

Developers, customers, and partners have filled sessions, labs, and hallways trading notes on early agentic experiments, helping each other debug, and talking about the future of Workday as if they are all part of the same product team.

For Javier Sanchez, VP of Sales Operations and GTM Strategy at ERPA, that sense of community is the real draw.

“The types of folks that come to DevCon are really a lot of the people who make the magic happen behind the scenes,” he said. “To be able to mingle with them, to collaborate with them… that’s invaluable.”

Sanchez came to DevCon to deepen his understanding of agentic strategy. He’s been encouraged by how far along Workday is, and by the energy behind the demos and new innovation on stage. When asked to describe how DevCon feels this year in one word, he didn’t hesitate.

“Startup,” he said. “We’ve got to start to become the little kid in the garage again and start thinking forward. We can’t rely on our past success … and I would say that is what I’m centering around. Startup. And if you’ve ever had a chance to be part of something like that—it’s incredibly inspiring.”

Braindates, Meetups, and Building Connection

The startup comparison shows up most clearly in how people are spending their time.

Beyond the main-stage announcements, DevCon has leaned into formats that make it easier for developers to learn directly from each other, including braindates. These 1‑on‑1 and small‑group meetings allow for focused discussions on topics like early agent workflows, marketplace app lessons, and practical questions about integrating Workday with existing stacks. These peer-to-peer conversations tend to look less like formal presentations and more like working sessions, with laptops open and code on screens.

Meetups have added another layer. Organized around industries and areas of interest, they give first-time attendees a way to find their peers quickly. Veterans of the ecosystem use them as reunions, but they are also scouting grounds for new collaborators, future co‑maintainers, and, in some cases, future co‑founders.

Taken together, these formats give DevCon the feel of a multi‑day working session more than a traditional conference. People are not just hearing about Workday’s new era—they are trying to build it together, in real time.

Community First, Not Just Behind the Login

On stage, Workday leaders have been clear that this community energy is part of a broader shift.

Workday Chief Technology Officer Gabe Monroy told attendees that the Workday way of building is evolving as the company opens up its platform to fit more naturally into modern developer workflows and agentic stacks. Developers can now plug their preferred tools and models into Workday while still taking advantage of the platform’s secure foundation.

Workday Head of Developer Relations Nick Moores spoke directly to how the current moment marks a momentous change in the relationship between Workday and the developer ecosystem. He acknowledged that historically, Workday “had a pretty exclusive ecosystem,” with an intense focus on those already inside the circle. That is one of the things DevCon is trying to change.

The new developer platform now makes API documentation publicly available. Specs that previously required a login are available to anyone who wants to explore building on Workday. Even the small detail of launching the site with a “dark mode” option drew real reactions, with developers sharing late-night messages about building in an environment that finally matched the rest of their toolchain.

Moores described the goal in simple terms: “What’s good for agents is good for the developer too. And here’s why, because when we make things more open, when we make things more clear, when we make them more actionable, everybody wins.”

Developer Days Bring DevCon Closer to Home

DevCon has traditionally been once per year in one location. This year, Workday introduced Developer Days, a series of regional, hands-on gatherings that extend the DevCon experience year-round.

The first Developer Day is scheduled for Bengaluru next month, with Sydney on the calendar for the fall and additional locations to be announced. These events will be open to existing partners building marketplace apps, in-house Workday developers looking to go deeper, and builders who are not yet part of the ecosystem but want to get started.

Bringing DevCon‑style content and labs to more regions should mean more frequent feedback loops between Workday and its community, and more chances for local groups to form and grow. 

Growing the Next Generation of Workday Builders

The same focus on opening up is also visible in the programs announced around DevCon.

Workday’s Global Developer Meetups are now running in cities around the world, hosted by local community members. Organizers set the agenda for their own events, with Workday providing support and a way to connect the broader ecosystem.

The Global Developer Network is aimed at students. Participating universities can offer Workday-focused learning paths, including certification opportunities and access to a global talent directory. The University of Alabama and the University of Arkansas System of Schools are among the institutions now involved, with more expected to join.

Workday has also partnered with the Eliassen Group on a training program for veterans and their spouses. The program, launching this summer, is designed to teach Workday development skills and help participants earn Workday Pro certifications.

All three efforts share a common thread: they lower the barrier to entry for people who may not have come from a traditional enterprise software background, but who want to build on Workday.

Individual stories show what this next generation of builders looks like in practice. In a video segment, developers Julianna Mayberry and Chrissy Galloway described how they found their way into Workday development and what the community has meant to them.

Mayberry, who spent 15 years in data and analytics before moving into Workday development three years ago, recalled being stuck on a build and turning to the developer forum for help. “Within minutes somebody had responded back and had said, hey, troubleshoot with this, this and this,” she said. That quick response gave her a path forward she had not considered.

Galloway, a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard who has been a Workday developer for nearly two years, described the work in personal terms. “I’ve found my spot in this world,” she said. “I am doing something that I’m really proud of, something that I can brag to my daughter about.”

Their experiences echo a recurring theme throughout the week: the platform’s evolution matters, but it is the network of people around it that turns new capabilities into real solutions.

The Energy Keeps Going

As DevCon moves into its final day, the community focus holds strong.

DevCon After Dark gave developers the opportunity to gather and let loose before a hackathon begins, with teams building on what they have seen and learned throughout the event. 

From the stage, Ryan Basilio, director and head of outbound developer platform at Workday, summed up the opportunity for attendees in three points: spend time with the new agentic tools in the labs and workshops, meet someone new, and enjoy the week.

“This is your DevCon,” he told the audience. “This is your platform and your chance to build the next great thing.”

Learn more about becoming part of the Workday Developer community to elevate your skills, build on the Workday platform ecosystem, and connect with peers.