DEV Joins Major League Hacking: What It Means for Agencies, Builders, and the Future of Developer Communities

The DEV community has officially become part of Major League Hacking (MLH) – a partnership that blends DEV’s thriving online hub with MLH’s massive global hackathon ecosystem. For agencies that build products, run developer programs, or simply keep an eye on where the developer experience is headed, this merger is more than a press‑release headline. It’s a strategic alignment of resources, open‑source tooling, and community‑first thinking that could reshape how we attract talent, nurture learning, and deliver value to clients.

A Decade‑Long Journey Comes Full Circle

DEV started as a side project in 2014, aiming to create a safer, more constructive space for developers to share knowledge. Ten years later, the platform is a cornerstone of the software‑creator ecosystem, boasting millions of monthly readers, a robust moderation framework, and a suite of community initiatives (Trusted Moderator program, CodeNewbie subcommunity, etc.).

Now, with DEV officially “joining forces” with MLH, the original team stays intact while gaining access to MLH’s massive developer‑program infrastructure. The collaboration is framed as a resource exchange and a unified vision for the future of software creators.

Why Agencies Should Care

1. A Bigger Talent Pipeline

MLH runs hackathons, fellowships, and meet‑ups for over 1 million developers across 100 countries. That means agencies can tap into a global pool of actively learning developers, many of whom are already familiar with DEV’s content and culture.

2. Integrated Learning‑to‑Build Pathways

MLH’s data shows 91 % of participants learn something they don’t get in school or work. By linking DEV’s discussion threads directly to MLH’s hands‑on events, agencies can design end‑to‑end experiences: a developer reads a tutorial on DEV, then joins a hackathon to apply it, and finally contributes to a client project.

3. Open‑Source Backbone – Forem

The platform powering DEV, Forem, is an open‑source project that will receive dedicated stewardship under the partnership. Agencies that build on Forem (or contribute to it) gain a transparent, community‑driven codebase that can be customized for internal knowledge portals, client‑facing forums, or even white‑labeled developer communities.

4. Community‑First Momentum

Both DEV and MLH emphasize community over sales. Immediate plans include revamping the Trusted Moderator program and resurrecting beloved community initiatives. For agencies, this signals a stable, non‑commercial environment where authentic engagement can be measured and iterated upon without the noise of aggressive monetization.

Bridging the Online and the IRL

One of the most compelling promises of the merger is the seamless connection between DEV’s online discussions and MLH’s real‑world events.

• Conversation → Creation: Posts on DEV become springboards for hackathon projects, mentorship pairings, and open‑source contributions.
• Mentorship Loop: Experienced contributors on DEV can mentor participants at MLH events, creating a feedback loop that reinforces both platforms.
• Continuous Learning: Developers can instantly reference DEV articles while building at an MLH hackathon, reducing context‑switching friction.

This “online‑and‑IRL aren’t separate worlds” mindset aligns perfectly with agency workflows that blend remote collaboration tools with in‑person workshops or client‑site sprints.

Trust Built on a Shared History

The partnership isn’t a cold corporate acquisition; it’s a reunion of longtime friends. DEV’s founders have known MLH co‑founders Swift and Jon since 2014, growing their platforms side‑by‑side in New York City. That deep empathy for the developer experience ensures the integration will feel authentic rather than forced.

For agencies, this translates to a partnership that respects community values, reduces the risk of “feature creep,” and maintains a clear focus on developer empowerment.

Navigating a Changing Landscape

AI, low‑code tools, and the expanding definition of “developer” are reshaping the industry. DEV acknowledges that technical content is becoming more valuable as learning fragments across Twitter, Hacker News, blogs, YouTube, and AI prompts. By aligning with MLH, DEV can anchor that fragmented knowledge in concrete, hands‑on experiences.

Agencies can leverage this by:

• Curating AI‑generated content on DEV and then validating it through MLH‑run workshops.
• Offering client teams a blended curriculum that mixes self‑paced DEV articles with live MLH coding sprints.
• Positioning themselves as “learning‑first” partners, differentiating from competitors who only deliver code.

The Road Ahead: What to Watch

Immediate Community Enhancements

• Trusted Moderator program revamp – tighter moderation, better tools for community health.
• CodeNewbie focus – expanding support for non‑traditional paths into software creation.

Forem’s Open‑Source Evolution

• A clearer separation between DEV’s brand and the Forem project, allowing Forem to serve the broader open‑source ecosystem independently.

Fireside Chat & Transparency

DEV will host a Fireside Chat on February 19th (11:30 am ET) during Global Hack Week, giving the community a chance to ask questions directly to the leadership. Agencies should tune in to catch the latest roadmap details and potential partnership opportunities.

Practical Takeaways for Agencies

• Start Listening Early: Subscribe to DEV newsletters and follow MLH event calendars. Early awareness lets you align product releases with community buzz.
• Pilot a Joint Program: Run a small‑scale hackathon for a client, using DEV articles as prep material and MLH’s event platform for execution.
• Contribute to Forem: Even a modest pull request (bug fix, UI tweak) signals commitment and gives your engineers early access to upcoming features.
• Champion Community‑First Metrics: Track engagement (reactions, comments) alongside traditional KPIs (lead generation) to demonstrate the ROI of community investment.

Looking a Decade Forward

Both DEV and MLH envision a future where the lines between learning, building, and sharing blur into a single, continuous developer journey. The partnership aims to nurture “career software developers, code newbies, AI hobbyists, and the ever‑expanding world of software creators”.

For agencies, this means a more vibrant talent ecosystem, richer learning resources, and a trustworthy open‑source foundation to build upon. The collaboration isn’t just a headline—it’s a strategic lever that can amplify your agency’s ability to attract talent, deliver innovative solutions, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Happy coding, and welcome to the new chapter.