For WordPress developers and designers, continued learning is just a part of the job. There will always be new tools, technologies, and site-building strategies emerging, and staying on top of the latest innovations is crucial for those who want to build future-proof websites.

Continued learning can take the form of virtual classes or simply doing your own research from your favorite sources, but one of the best ways to learn from your industry peers is by attending a conference. Whether you attend virtually or in-person, conferences are both a great way to stay ahead of the technical curve and network with like-minded professionals.

Outside of WordPress’ many WordCamp events, there are dozens of conferences that can be beneficial for developers, designers, marketers, or anyone else with a hunger for knowledge. 

As you’re cracking open your 2024 planner, make sure to jot down a few of the following dates, as these will be some of the best conferences for developers (and designers, product marketers, project managers, and more) to attend this year!

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Virtual Conferences

DE{CODE}

For WordPress developers, DE{CODE} may be the most important conference of the year. WP Engine’s annual virtual developer conference will help you stay up to date with the latest trends shaping WordPress development as well as new features and functionality across our tools and platform. Plus, DE{CODE} provides an excellent opportunity to connect with experts who can help you make the most of the sites you’re building!

The event is free to attend and will take place on March 19 (for North American and APAC audiences) and March 21 (for the EMEA audience). Registration is open now, so head to our event page now to snag your spot!

If you can’t attend in person, all the sessions will be made available on-demand in our Resource Center and on our YouTube channel after the conference concludes.

WordPress for Enterprise

Industry experts, including WP Engine Agency Partners at Big Bite and Human Made will discuss the powerful enterprise-grade performance businesses are finding on WordPress. 

Over the course of six sessions, they’ll share deep-dives and behind-the-scenes insight into enterprises using WordPress as the backbone of their digital experiences, touching on topics such as security, AI, and how open source is accelerating enterprise success.

The free conference will take place on January 18, and will give you all the ammunition you need to show future customers how WordPress delivers amazing results at scale. 

WP Career Summit

The very next day, on January 19, you can take advantage of another free conference—this one with a focus on your career. WP Career Summit is a conference for  WordPress professionals who are looking to make connections, hire new talent, or forge a new path.

Two talk tracks are available: one for those seeking jobs in the WordPress space and one for attendees looking to hire new talent. The conference is organized by PostStatus, a member-supported community of WordPress professionals.

XtremeJS Online Conference

XtremeJS is one of the best online conferences for JavaScript users. Organized by life michael, it’s a great opportunity to learn JavaScript more deeply. life michael also organizes the XtremePython and XtremeJ conferences for those seeking the latest insights into Python and Java respectively.

Each of these conferences will take place in April (April 2, 9, and 16), and they’re all online. Tickets are $60, so it’s a cost-effective option when compared to many other developer conferences.

To find even more virtual developer-centric conferences, check out this list of events from Delicious Brains!

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U.S.-based Conferences

ConveyUX

ConveyUX gives attendees the opportunity to learn the latest in UX, grow their skills, and connect with like-minded peers. 

Overarching themes will include how industry experts are adapting their processes in an AI-driven era and how to design with inclusivity in mind, and attendees will leave the three-day conference with actionable strategies to immediately improve their users’ online experience.

The conference will take place February 27–29, and tickets are available both for the in-person event in Seattle and for the virtual-only experience.

DeveloperWeek

This year’s North American DeveloperWeek conference will take place February 21–23 in San Francisco (the virtual experience will be February 27–29). 

Other DeveloperWeek events will also be held throughout the year, including international events and conferences tailored to enterprises, cloud developers, and engineering and technical managers.

The main DeveloperWeek conference will cover important topics related to the development of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, blockchain, IoT, microservice architecture, and more. Plus, an expanded DevExec talk track will explore topics specific to engineering managers, tech executives, and lead developers.

Render

This event markets itself as a “tech conference and music festival,” so if socializing and networking are big draws for you, Render is a conference to consider. The three-day conference will take place June 12–14 during Atlanta tech week (in Atlanta).

What was once a React/Javascript conference has since evolved into a full-scale technical conference with talk tracks for software engineers, designers, and even business leaders like product and project managers. 

Speakers range from technical experts exploring complex deep dives to entry and mid-level overviews of technical skills and career growth tools. Ticket sales are still in the “Early Bird” phase, so snag one before prices rise.

THAT Conference Texas

THAT, a self-proclaimed community of geeks, has organized its two in-person conferences for the year. THAT Conference Texas will take place in Round Rock (just a short drive from WP Engine’s headquarters in Austin!) from January 30–February 1, and THAT Conference Wisconsin will be July 29–August 1.

While THAT hosts virtual events and “activities” all throughout the year, in-person attendees at these two conferences will find themselves seamlessly integrating into a community of highly technical experts and industry peers. 

Anyone who’s passionate about learning important aspects of mobile, web, cloud, and technical development should consider attending this high-tech summer camp in the middle of the Texas winter.

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EMEA-based Conferences

PHP UK Conference

This year will mark the 19th annual PHP UK Conference. February 15–16, this forum will keep you up-to-date on the most important topics in PHP development and related tools, and content is tailored specifically to the needs of developers and CTOs.

The two-day, multi-track event is held annually at The Brewery in the heart of London where more than 400 delegates, speakers, and sponsors will gather to discuss all things PHP.

Wey Wey Web

While dates have not been set for the 2024 conference, the Wey Wey Web conference will likely take place late in the year in Málaga, Spain.

The event is organized by Yay-Yay Events with the support of Yes We Tech, and because this is a fully non-profit event, all funds raised are used to cover expenses like featured speakers and venue costs. 

You can find previous talks from last year’s conference on their YouTube channel—they cover a host of topics from software architecture best practices to mobile development to web accessibility and more.

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Make 2024 the Year of Learning!

Each of these conferences can help you keep learning and growing in the new year, and they’ll provide ample opportunities to network with other professionals who can help you elevate your craft!

For even more virtual events to consider, check out this post from Delicious Brains.

And make sure to visit WP Engine to find out how our fully managed, all-in-one WordPress hosting platform can help fuel your success this year!