I’m still buzzing from Rails World 2025 in Amsterdam. It’s been almost two weeks, and while I’ve read plenty of reviews covering the talks, the city, and the vibe, I wanted to share my own take. This was not only my first Rails World, but also my first international tech conference - and it completely exceeded expectations.
Rails World sold out in just two minutes (yes, two minutes!) and somehow I managed to grab a ticket. I’d dipped my toe into the Ruby scene earlier this year at Brighton Ruby, which was fantastic but Amsterdam felt like stepping into the deep end - and I was ready for it.
Since selling my last company, I’ve been building again, and Rails has made that not just possible but genuinely fun. The “One Person Framework” motto really speaks to me, because it’s exactly how I’ve been able to launch products on my own. But what I learned at Rails World is that Rails isn’t only for solo devs. It’s just as powerful in the hands of big teams, and the talks proved that again and again.
The talks themselves? Brilliant. Each one had its own flavour - from practical advice to deep technical dives to glimpses of what’s next for Rails. Normally I’d pick a favourite or two, but here I left every session feeling like I’d learned something new and useful.
Still, the part that stuck with me most wasn’t the talks. It was the people. There was a sunrise run through Amsterdam with a group of total strangers who quickly felt like friends. A spontaneous open-invite dinner where I ended up chatting with developers from all over the world. And hallway conversations that revealed to me why this community is so special.
Even before I landed in Amsterdam, Rails World had set up a virtual chat to help people connect. For a first-timer like me, that was huge. It’s how I met two people I’d long admired from afar: Rhiannon from San Francisco, who’s building Active Agent, and Marcelo from Uruguay, co-founder of CedarCode (and a Rails World sponsor). Meeting them in person and hearing about their work was a highlight.
Then there was the surreal “full circle” moment. At that dinner I mentioned, I sat down, heard the voice of the person across from me, and instantly recognised it - David Hill, the creator of the “Ode To Rails Conf” podcast. I’d listened to almost every episode, including the one where he interviewed Rhiannon. And suddenly, there we all were, in Amsterdam, chatting like old friends. Kathy (my wife) and I spent the evening with Rhiannon and her husband Justin, talking about Ruby, Japan, and their project Active Agent.
Two days flew by in a blur. I met amazing people from every corner of the world, all working on interesting things and happy to share their stories. As someone brand new to this community, I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome.
That’s the thing about Rails World. Yes, it’s about the talks and the code. But more than that, it’s about the people, the connections, and the feeling that you’re part of something bigger. The Rails community is global, but it feels small and welcoming - and that’s what really stood out for me.
If you want to catch the talks, you can find them all here
And as for me? I’ll be refreshing my browser like mad when tickets for the 2026 edition in Austin go on sale. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.