Seattle has risen among the ranks of best destinations for tech in the country. Back in 2019, CompTIA placed Seattle at #4 in the top 20 cities for technology in the US. At the time, the city was ranked above San Francisco, a definitive feat.
That might hardly come as a surprise for people that know Seattle. According to Builtin, there are over 2,000 tech companies in the city with over 32,000 members involved in the tech community. That’s significant in a city with a population of around 800,000. It means Seattle is a hotbed for tech.
That hotbed includes a number of open-source groups, all of which hold numerous events. In fact, you’d be surprised at how many groups and events there are to be found. And it doesn’t matter what sector of technology you work in. If you’re a developer, a designer, a manager, or if you're an engineer working with a QA Services company, you’ll find a group or event perfectly suited to your interests or needs.
Let’s take a look at some of the Seattle groups and events that are focused on open source.
Open Source Groups/Events
She’s Coding Seattle is a group dedicated to any person in tech who identifies as a woman or as non-binary. This nonprofit group helps to close the gender gap in technology with the help of an open source website that educates allies and companies about the gender gap by developing mentorship-based volunteer groups. She’s Coding Seattle offers an offline and online safe community for women in technology and supports women in their tech-centric job searches (via events, collaborations, and a yearly conference).
The group currently includes 3,454 members and has a Slack group and a Code of Conduct.
Event times/locations: She’s Coding Seattle has a week Community Programming Night at Code Fellows (2901 3rd Ave Suite #300). Check out their calendar of events for more information.
Open Seattle is a group devoted to exploring the “intersection of civic engagement and technology to make a positive impact on the greater Seattle area.” This group is inclusive, multi-disciplinary, and works to improve local communities through civic innovation (collaborating to solve problems and build solutions for the public good). Open Seattle is the local chapter of the Code for America network.
The group currently has 3,414 members.
Event times/location: Fourth Wednesday of every month at various locations. Check the group’s Meetup page for more information.
Seattle OpenSource Linux is a group that was created for people of all skill levels to learn and discuss open source software. This group is informal, friendly, and ready to chat about all things open source. Bring your questions and you’ll probably get an answer. Members sometimes give talks about a subject or tool they are passionate about. Don’t be surprised if you find the group clustered around a laptop, trying to solve a challenging problem.
The group currently has 1,657 members.
Event times/locations: The group meets every 3rd Monday at Razzis Pizzeria (8523 Greenwood Ave. North Seattle).
Seattle PyLadies is a group dedicated to women (and those who identify as such) who are (or want to become) active participants and leaders in the Python open source community. The mission of the group is to promote, educate, and advance a diverse Python community via outreach, education, conferences, events, and social gatherings.
Seattle PyLadies also strives to provide a safe environment and friendly support network for women and a bridge to the Python community at large.
The group currently has 3,083 members.
Event times/locations: The group holds numerous events at different times and locations. Check their Meetup page for more information.
Open Source Adjacent Groups/Events
SeattleJS Hackers is a group not necessarily dedicated to open source, but they are a focused group of JavaScript hackers who come together to learn and hack in JS. The primary focus of the group is to “ignite and amplify” their personal productivity and collaboration.
SeattleJS Hackers organize weekly sessions at various Wi-Fi-ready offices, cafes, and bars around Seattle. The group currently includes 2,870 members.
Event times/locations: The group posts locations and times of meetings on their Meetup page.
Everything Is Broken (also known as Ei</3) is a unique group in that their primary purpose is to gather and “commiserate with, vent about, and help fix the broken things in our life.” This group would be of interest to anyone who’s job description includes subjects like open source, site reliability, production engineer, DevOps, automation, QA testing services.
The group currently has 1,751 members.
Event times/locations: The group posts meeting times and locations on their Meetup page.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of open-source (or technology in general) there are plenty of groups in the Seattle area ready for you to join. Don’t hesitate to stop by one (or more) of the meetings to see if one of these groups is perfectly suited for your needs.
For more information:
