Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#1

Post by LinguaBrowse » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 3:37 AM UTC

I've been using Twitter / X for a good decade now, and while I've found it's a great place to connect with native app dev communities (I'm well connected with the React Native scene), I really struggle to connect with any web devs.

There are a few big names like Adam Wathan who are pretty active on Twitter of course, but considering how widespread web dev is, I see precious few up-and-coming web devs coding in public.

So, where are they? I have explored BlueSky a bit, but again it feels a bit like tumbleweeds (though maybe that's just my luck as a small account).

Are web devs more old-school, posting on bulletin boards and forums? Or is X still the answer, and I'm just getting aggressively packed into a different bubble?

… Or is it all realtime communication, like Slack and Discord, these days?

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#2

Post by King-Aaron » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 5:50 AM UTC

[flagged]

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#3

Post by kittikitti » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:02 AM UTC

I've found that layoffs and RTO have multiplied the toxicity of development communities. People will openly threaten to call your HR department if you say something wrong. Developers and engineers aren't trying to get better, they're just harming each other in a loop until the most evil one survives. It's cut-throat but not even in a good way, just extremely anti-social and aggressive.

I don't recommend any development communities. If you want to try Discord, many people who will try to get you fired are available to chat with. I talk with long time friends who are developers but it's mainly really sad conversations.

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#4

Post by politelemon » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:02 AM UTC

King-Aaron wrote: post #2

[flagged]

I think it's quite telling then, that a large amount of links posted on HN are sadly still to xitter

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#5

Post by tommica » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:03 AM UTC

King-Aaron wrote: post #2

[flagged]

And what discord and slack channels would you recommend?

Twitter is not really substantive, that is true, bit it is quite valuable in learning about something existing in the first place. For example yesterday I learned that "niri" DE exists from a random comment to a tweet, and it is quite an amazing tool!

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#6

Post by King-Aaron » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:07 AM UTC

tommica wrote: post #5

King-Aaron wrote: post #2

[flagged]

And what discord and slack channels would you recommend? Twitter is not really substantive, that is true, bit it is quite valuable in learning about something existing in the first place. For example yesterday I learned that "niri" DE exists from a random comment to a tweet, and it is quite an amazing tool!

[flagged]

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#7

Post by Bedlow » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:16 AM UTC

I'm only a casual dev but I see a lot of chat on Reddit, or Lemmy, the fediverse alternative. There's tech folk also using Matrix.

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#8

Post by colecut » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:57 AM UTC

King-Aaron wrote: post #6

tommica wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what discord and slack channels would you recommend? Twitter is not really substantive, that is true, bit it is quite valuable in learning about something existing in the first place. For example yesterday I learned that "niri" DE exists from a random comment to a tweet, and it is quite an amazing tool!

[flagged]

unreasonably judgmental rant against your solution

Vague/useless contribution of an alternative

here's a penny, bot

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#9

Post by tkel » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 6:59 AM UTC

colecut wrote: post #8

King-Aaron wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

unreasonably judgmental rant against your solution Vague/useless contribution of an alternative here's a penny, bot

It's OK to criticize without offering solutions

Re: Ask HN: Where do all the web devs talk?

#10

Post by phendrenad2 » Tue, Feb 03, 2026, 7:02 AM UTC

I think that X was the big web dev community, and as soon as it was taken over by rocket man, people scattered to the wind. I think most, however, didn't actually go anywhere and just decided to be less social.