Skip to content

React Conferences to attend this month

It's October and I'll be attending two major React-focused conferences this month: React Conf and Next.js Conf. I plan to join both online — which is great because both events offer free virtual attendance. No travel, no hotel, no registration fees — just pick the talks you want to watch and learn.

React Conf 2025

React Conf is the official community conference for React. Expect keynote updates from the React team, roadmap discussions, and a broad selection of community talks that cover core React, advanced patterns, rendering strategies, concurrent features, performance, and integrations with modern tooling.

What to expect

  • Key announcements from the React team (library improvements, documentations, new APIs).
  • Deep-dive talks from community members about patterns, architecture, and real-world solutions.
  • Sessions focused on performance, concurrent rendering, and server/edge rendering strategies.
  • Practical demos and code samples you can apply to your projects.

How to join

  • The livestream and recordings are typically available for free — sign up via the React Conf landing page to get updates and session info: https://conf.react.dev/
  • Keep an eye on the schedule and add sessions you care about to your calendar (note the timezone).

Who should attend

  • Frontend engineers using React or thinking about adopting it.
  • Architects and engineering leads evaluating rendering strategies (client vs. server vs. edge).
  • Anyone migrating desktop apps to the web using web-first stacks (React + TypeScript + Next.js).

Next.js Conf 2025

Next.js Conf gathers the broader Next.js community — from hobbyists to enterprise builders. It's focused on things you can actually ship with Next.js: routing and layouts, server components, Incremental Static Regeneration, image optimization, and edge runtimes. This year’s conference also emphasizes AI-driven experiences and performance at scale.

What’s the difference between virtual and in-person

  • Virtual: Free access to livestreamed sessions and talks. You can tune in from anywhere; sessions are usually scheduled in Pacific Time (check the site for exact times).
  • In-person: Held at The Midway with limited tickets. In-person attendees get access to networking, workshops, and curated interactive experiences (meals and social time are typically included).

How to join

  • Register for the virtual stream and see the schedule at https://nextjs.org/conf
  • If you attend virtually, plan around the listed timezone (often 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM PT) and bookmark the sessions you don’t want to miss.

Who should attend

  • Developers building production apps with Next.js.
  • Teams exploring server-side rendering, edge functions, or improving SEO and performance.
  • Engineers looking to integrate AI features or optimize delivery with edge platforms.

Tips for getting the most from both conferences

  • Review the schedule beforehand and mark the sessions most relevant to your work.
  • Watch keynotes live for announcements; catch the recorded talks later for deep dives.
  • Try to attend at least one practical session and one architecture/strategy talk each day.
  • Save code samples and links from slides to a shared note (use GitHub/Gist or a private repo).
  • If timezone makes live attendance hard, prioritize sessions you want to ask questions about and watch the rest on-demand.

Why attending conferences matters (especially for React)

React and the surrounding ecosystem evolve quickly. Conferences are high-density learning events where you: - Learn about new APIs and patterns early, so you can assess adoption risks and benefits. - See real-world use cases and migration paths — invaluable when moving desktop apps to web-based UIs. - Discover performance and accessibility best practices that directly impact production quality. - Get inspired by how other teams solve similar problems (architecture, testing, deployment). - Build awareness around tooling (TypeScript integrations, bundlers, edge runtimes, AI tooling).

Attending — even virtually — helps you and your team stay current and make more informed technical decisions.

Training & Consulting — React, TypeScript, Next.js, and migrations

I offer hands-on training and consulting in: - React and TypeScript best practices (components, typing strategies, state management). - Next.js fundamentals and advanced features (SSR, SSG, ISR, server components, edge functions). - Migration planning and execution for moving desktop applications to the web (UI/UX adaptation, data access, authentication, performance tuning). - Architecture reviews, code audits, and performance optimization workshops. - Short, focused training sessions (half-day or full-day) and longer, project-based engagements.

If you'd like customized training, an architecture review, or help migrating a project, please get in touch via the contact page: /contact/ — or use the contact form on this site to start a conversation about your goals and timeline.

Summary

React Conf and Next.js Conf are both excellent, practical resources for staying up-to-date with the rapidly changing React ecosystem. They offer high-value talks, demos, and announcements — and both provide free virtual options so you can learn without travel. If you want help turning conference learnings into concrete improvements for your projects, I’m available to consult and train your team.