Developers are the new buyers: why developer experience matters

Modern apps are built by connecting a mix of technologies. This shift has turned developers from just users into key decision-makers. Developers pick the models, APIs, and platforms that shape the future. For companies aiming to engage developers, releasing cool features is not enough. Success really depends on how easy it is to integrate, have up-to-date documentation, great code samples, and all the little details that contribute to making an outstanding developer experience (DX). In this talk, we’ll discuss practical tips and strategies for adopting a developer-first mindset. You’ll learn how to design user-friendly APIs, minimize barriers to adoption, and ultimately build tools that developers appreciate and that propel your business forward.

Transcript

1. Developers Are The New Buyers: Why Developer Experience Matters Nicolas Grenié (@picsoung) Developer Advocate at Typeform Talent Arena 2025
2. What is Typeform? • A refreshingly different form builder • Helps over 150,000 businesses collect the data they need with forms, surveys, and quizzes that people enjoy • Drives 500 million responses every year • Integrates with essential tools like Slack, Zapier, and Hubspot 2
3. Who am I 3 Barcelona @picsoung Developer Advocate at Typeform 15 years in APIs
4. “ 62% of developers have influence over technology purchasing decisions in their organizations. STACKOVERFLOW DEVELOPER SURVEY (2023) 4 🔗
5. HR need a tool to manage job applications and applicants Example: HR needs 5
7. Buying criteria 7
8. + Developer Experience 8
11. Inspiration to improve your DX 11
13. Optimize for TTFHW Onboarding 13 Time To First Hello World
14. Introduce yourself and get to know your customers Onboarding 14
16. Guides Quickstarts References Onboarding + Documentation 16 Different moments in the Developer journey Introducing concepts Many ways to access the information Interactive progressive tutorial
17. Changelog Documentation 17 Your API is evolving Your are taking care of it Your communication is intentional
19. API playground Documentation + Debugging 19 Test and debug the API right in the doc Visual, no code required
20. Webhook & API logs Debugging 20 Source of truth Replay events Test with mockup data
22. Meet Developers where they are Tools & Integrations 22
23. Meet Developers where they are Tools 23 Just swap in the code No need to recode the app Facilitate adoption
24. What About AI?! 24
25. Documentation Agents AI for DX 25 Answer first level questions Trained to answer technical questions In the doc, Discord, Zendesk
26. (talking!) Documentation Agents AI for DX 26
27. (talking!) Documentation Agents AI for DX 27 Showcase the product (Conversational Agent) Redirects you to the relevant page
28. MCP (Model Context Protocol) AI for DX 28 Agents can call APIs Augment LLMs with custom tools Make your API LLM-ready
29. DX is so much more 29 SDKs Sandbox Postman collection OpenAPI Error messages API design Tutorials Sample apps Office hours
30. A good DX could seal the deal Developer Experience should not be an afterthought 30
31. Nicolas Grenié Developer Advocate @picsoung Thank you Feedback appreciated