A developer community in Brooklyn, run by volunteers
GDG Brooklyn is a volunteer-run Google Developer Group. We host free talks, hands-on workshops, and hackathons across Brooklyn and New York City, from AI and cloud to mobile and web.
Our story
GDG Brooklyn started in 2017 for a simple reason: the good developer events were all across the river, and getting to them after work was enough friction that most people just did not go.
Since then we have run 46 events — evening talks, weekend workshops, hackathons, and our annual DevFest conference. The chapter has grown to around 1,565 members, and it is still organized entirely by volunteers in their spare time.
We are one chapter in the global Google Developer Groups program, which runs in hundreds of cities. That gives us access to speakers, materials, and the wider DevFest network — but the programming is ours, and so is the responsibility for it.
Four things we try not to compromise on
Free by default
Almost everything we run is free. When we do charge — for a full-day conference with catering — we keep it near cost and hold tickets back for anyone who cannot pay.
Practitioners, not pitches
Speakers talk about things they have actually built. We do not sell speaking slots, and sponsors do not get the stage by default.
Beginners are the point
A significant share of our attendees are at their first tech event. We brief speakers accordingly and we do not tolerate gatekeeping.
In Brooklyn, on purpose
There is plenty happening in Manhattan. We exist so you do not have to cross the river on a weeknight to find your people.
Is GDG Brooklyn part of Google?
No. Google Developer Groups are independent community groups run by local volunteers. Google supports the program and provides some resources, but we are not Google employees and we do not speak for Google. Nothing on this site is an official Google communication.
Do I need to know Google technologies to come?
No. Our sessions cover the broader ecosystem — AI, cloud, mobile, and web — and plenty of it has nothing to do with Google products. Come with whatever stack you use.
How much do events cost?
Most are free. Larger all-day events sometimes carry a small ticket price to cover venue and catering, kept as close to cost as we can manage.
I'm new to tech. Will I be out of my depth?
Probably not, and you will not be alone. A large share of our attendees are students, career changers, or people at their first event. Sessions are labeled by level, and nobody is going to quiz you at the door.
How do I speak at an event?
Submit through our call for presentations. We actively want first-time speakers and will help you shape the talk — several of our regular speakers gave their first ever talk with us.
Where do you announce events?
Everything goes on our Google Developer Groups chapter page first — that is where RSVPs live and where this site pulls its event data from. We also post on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Is there a code of conduct?
Yes, and we enforce it. All GDG events run under Google's Community Guidelines and Anti-Harassment Policy. Organizers are identifiable at every event, and any report is handled confidentially.
Can my company sponsor or host an event?
Yes to both, and venue hosts are especially welcome — space in Brooklyn is our most common bottleneck. Sponsorship covers food, venue, and materials, and keeps our events free.
About the Google Developer Groups program
GDGs are community groups for developers interested in Google's technologies and the wider ecosystem around them. Chapters are independent and volunteer-run. GDG Brooklyn is not affiliated with Google LLC, and nothing here is an official Google communication.
Read about the program