How to connect with fellow developers given few physical opportunities?

Question

Hello!I've been studying Computer Science for a few years, but due to changing my major as well as a lot of online classes I haven't been able to meet many fellow developers in my university, especially not those who share my interests within the field. And as far as I know, there aren't many physical community gatherings happening close to where I live.I would like to change that.So: those of you who have managed to successfully connect with other developers online, how did you do it?If anyone would like to chat or learn together, just send me a message here or email me at: erikpl (at) duck (dot) com. These days, my learning is focused on C (related to a compiler course) and video streaming (work-related).

eatonphil · Accepted Answer

I host a small Discord for devs hacking on cool tech through my company (for an invite go to https://discord.multiprocess.io). Folks here interested in compilers/databases/emulators/big data/ML are welcome to join, introduce yourself and hang out.

devwastaken · Answer

Video games, and not the common ones. Ive met some engineers with far too much time and money. Most of the time it's in more MMO kind of games. Other times it's Vrchat, because the programming and game dev side attracts all sorts. A lot of big names meetup in VR, but hard to get into those circles really. I've found furry world's to somehow be the underground secret engineer meetup place. I met an Intel engi a few weeks ago.

_williamkennedy · Answer

For me, I found a server on Discord that I liked. There is one for almost every programming niche at this stage.Introducing yourself on the channel can get you going so to speak and then go slowly from there. Helping people, having fun etc..

ultra_nick · Answer

I like attending Gather.town events.However, usually chatrooms are better for discovering stuff.

omarhaneef · Answer

Online meetups. One video chat with voice = 200 smart comments on IRC (that was the old slack)Go to meetup and sign up for whatever topics you are interested in. Almost all the meetings are going to be on zoom these days.

jameshush · Answer

Out of the box suggestion: I moved to Taipei.
There’s no COVID here so besides the 2-3 month lockdown last year I’ve been able to go to many in-person meetups like normal.
Virtual is _fine_ but for my personality meeting in person is still my preferred way by far. I can’t recommend moving here enough to anyone who needs a place to live a normal life and wait out COVID.

jraph · Answer

A bit involved, but regularly contributing to an open source project that you like might work.

dave84 · Answer

I have great fun on small discords, join the community for a software library you use, a game engine, an open source project, a topic, e.g emulator development. The smaller the better usually.

definataly · Answer

I found lunchclub.com useful for this.

legerdemain · Answer

HackerNews! It's the highest-quality, broadest, and most far-ranging community of developers, engineers, technologists, and rational sympathizers!

tr1ll10nb1ll · Answer

Hey, I'm Arth. I'm the co-founder of a startup actually solving this called ConnectDome[dot]com.
It's like super-charged Lunchclub but for developers with tools that make the whole process of what you described in your post easier.
We are releasing a major update pretty soon and since it's developer-only, I might be posting a Show HN for it soon as well, you should try it ig, I could always work on feedback from more developers.

throwaway55421 · Answer

Start a physical gathering.There are lots of us that want to meet and aren't obsessed with corona. I hold regular weekly meetups and have done so throughout the last few years, it has been a welcome respite and I have formed some long standing and close relationships.I have found the people I've met to be more community minded and more prone to take the initiative and branch out to new people.

simonw · Answer

Finding the right Slacks and Discords will definitely help form more intimate relationships, but I've also been gaining a huge amount of value during the pandemic from the software engineering community on Twitter.

Shadonototra · Answer

join IRC servers, Discord servers, contribute to open source, be active in suggestion discussions
internet is a richer world than IRL, flawed with social codes, unfair physical comparisons, wealth gap issues etc
on the internet, you are just another random user, it's beautiful
the only time it's ugly, is when people censor you because you speak the truth and it goes against their agenda..
but this is the same stuff IRL, the advantage of the internet is you can create a new life, it's a matter of a click
embrace the internet, contribute, and eradicate the censors by pissing them off

lesbianbezos · Answer

I use Founders Cafe for this. Everyday, I co-work with founders from Stanford/Harvard/YC in person (in PALO ALTO!) and also virtually too (everyday they have cowork seshs)so fucking worth

heavyset_go · Answer

Get involved in open source projects with communities. You'll build rapport and connections will naturally spring from them.

chana_masala · Answer

How did you get a Duck Duck Go email address?

verdverm · Answer

Slack, discord, and similar chatty places. It's very niche, so joining several is helpful.

_bramses · Answer

Discord is a good bet