Developer Experience Working Group (Q4: Oct–Dec 2025)
Purpose & Why
The Developer Experience (DevEx) Working Group exists to onboard, support, and empower developers and contributors in the Cardano ecosystem. For Q4 (Oct–Dec 2025), our focus is on creating a clear entry path for newcomers, addressing common beginner barriers, and inspiring participation through real stories and practical skill-building. In the process we are looking to document every bit of how to join Cardano in general.
This quarter lays the foundation for long-term engagement by ensuring that every participant:
- Understands where to find resources (repos, docs, tooling, support)
- Gains confidence with practical hands-on experience
- Sees clear pathways to contribute, both as developers and non-developers
- Feels part of a supportive, global community aligned around 2026 goals
Quarter Goals
- Onboard New Developers – Provide clarity on repos, docs, tools, and support channels
- Practical Skill Development – Through beginner and intermediate workshops (environment setup, token creation, wallet integration)
- Highlight Contribution/Builder Paths – Showcase developer and community builder stories
- Support and Troubleshoot – Open clinics to resolve common blockers and share solutions
- Documentation & Open Source Awareness – Teach newcomers how to contribute to repos, docs, and community resources
- Community Alignment – Reflect on 2025 achievements and build momentum for 2026
Session Plan (12 Sessions)
| Session | Title | Focus | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kickoff & Orientation | Clear map of the Cardano ecosystem | Directive teaching |
| 2 | Opportunities as a Dev in Cardano | Explore career and contribution roles | Overview & discussion |
| 3 | Hands-On #1 (Beginner) | Setting up a dev environment | Workshop |
| 4 | Very Important Links to Know | Official repos, docs, APIs, explorers, forums | Resource guide |
| 5 | Spotlight: Developer Story #1 | Beginner journey from idea to MVP | Story showcase |
| 6 | Hands-On #2 (Beginner) | Creating and transferring a native token | Workshop |
Session Details
Session 1: Kickoff & Orientation
- Objective: Provide a comprehensive map of the Cardano ecosystem
- Key Topics:
- Introduction to Cardano and Intersect
- Core repositories and their purposes
- Documentation resources and learning paths
- Community channels and support structures
- Deliverable: Complete ecosystem navigation guide
Session 2: Opportunities as a Dev in Cardano
- Objective: Show various career and contribution paths
- Key Topics:
- Smart contract development roles
- Infrastructure and tooling opportunities
- Community building and advocacy
- Open source contribution paths
- Deliverable: Career pathway documentation
Session 3: Hands-On #1 (Beginner) - Dev Environment Setup
- Objective: Get participants' development environments ready
- Key Topics:
- Installing cardano-node and cardano-cli
- Setting up Docker environments
- Testnet configuration
- Basic CLI operations
- Deliverable: Working development environment
Session 4: Very Important Links to Know
- Objective: Curate essential resources for daily development
- Key Topics:
- GitHub organizations and key repositories
- Documentation sites and API references
- Block explorers and debugging tools
- Community forums and support channels
- Deliverable: Essential bookmarks list
Session 5: Spotlight - Developer Story #1
- Objective: Inspire through real developer journey
- Format: Interview/presentation with community developer
- Focus: From beginner to building first MVP
- Deliverable: Recorded story for community inspiration
Session 6: Hands-On #2 (Beginner) - Native Token Creation
- Objective: Create and transfer custom native tokens
- Key Topics:
- Understanding native tokens vs smart contracts
- Minting policies and token creation
- Transaction building and signing
- Token transfer operations
- Deliverable: Successfully created and transferred token
Working Group Information
For operational details, roles, repository structure, and participation guidelines, please see the Working Group Overview.
This plan is a living document and will be updated based on participant feedback and community needs.