GRWebDev: Grand Rapids Web Development Group

07/11/2026

How well do you know the code you didn't write?

Modern software is built on open-source libraries, third-party packages, and countless dependencies. They help us get to deliverables faster but they also introduce risks that many developers don't think about until it's too late.

Join us at this month's GRWebDev meetup as Tony R from Bindplane (now a Dynatrace company) breaks down software supply chain security in a practical, developer-friendly way. You'll learn how to model your software supply chain, strengthen your dependencies with simple habits, integrate security into your CI/CD pipelines, and explore how AI can help monitor everything behind the scenes.

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grwebdev-softwaregr-present-tony-ramos-software-supply-chain-simplified-tickets-1992659345744?aff=ebdsoporgprofile | https://www.meetup.com/grwebdev/events/315431156/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events
🕕: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
📅: Monday, Jul 27
📍: Start Garden (2 Fulton St. West · Grand Rapids, MI)

Whether you're a software engineer, student, DevOps engineer, or just curious about application security, this is an event you should definitely not miss!

Thank you to our sponsors: West Michigan Tech Talent , LaFleur Marketing, and Start Garden for making this event possible🙌

05/19/2026

Craving interesting conversations with fellow creatives? We've got you covered! 😎

Join us for Coffee with Creators at The Factory (coworking) this Thursday, May 21st. Drop in anytime between 8am to 9am ET for hot beverages and warm vibes. ✨☕️✨

RSVP on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/grwebdev/events/314496354/

03/28/2026

✨🪴 We're so thrilled to adorn our tables with lovely plants from V&V Nursery this weekend at Django Girls+ Grand Rapids! 🪴✨

03/18/2026

🌟 The weather may be cold, but there's hot coffee and warm conversation at Coffee with Creators! 🌟

Join us tomorrow morning at The Factory for caffeine, treats, and good humans. 😎 Come as you are anytime between 8am and 9am ET... there's a seat for you at the table!

RSVP on Meetup:

✨☕️ **Kickstart your morning at Coffee with Creators!** ☕️✨ Coffee with Creators is the casual, early-morning meetup for anyone interested in technology, design, and busin

02/16/2026

You may have heard of the Elixir language. But have you or your team actually used it in a client project?

Next week at GRWebDev, Torey Heinz from Vianet will present a practical case for Elixir as a noteworthy option in modern web development. If you’ve been wondering whether Elixir belongs in your stack, or you’re hearing about it for the first time, this presentation will give you a high-level overview of the language and practical examples to consider.

📍 Start Garden + Bamboo Grand Rapids, 2 Fulton St. West, Grand Rapids, MI
🗓️ Monday, February 23rd, 2026
⌚ 6:00 pm ET

RSVP on Meetup or Eventbrite:

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/grwebdev/events/313265613/
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grwebdev-presents-real-world-elixir-a-practical-introduction-tickets-1982618811235

🎉 A huge thank you to our sponsors LaFleur Marketing, West Michigan Tech Talent, and of course Start Garden for making this event possible! 🎉

Curious about Elixir? Join us this month to learn why Discord, Pinterest, and other large corporations love it. You will too.

01/26/2026

How a team operates is just as important as the code they write. This month at GRWebDev powered by LaFleur Marketing, we’re shifting the focus to the humans behind the software.

Join Array of Engineers’ Nora Bylsma and a panel of industry pros as they share "cautionary tales" and real-world management strategies that go beyond the textbook. We’ll kick things off at 6pm TONIGHT, Monday January 26th at Start Garden.

RSVP online:

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/grwebdev/events/312628653/
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grwebdev-presents-methodology-melee-how-we-build-digital-products-tickets-1979259579683

Success isn’t just the product; it’s the team that builds it. Join us this month as we unpack the human side of developing digital products.

01/20/2026

Behind every product is a team navigating priorities, deadlines, tradeoffs, and the very human realities of collaboration. Methodologies come and go, but how often do they actually match the messy, high-pressure environments we work in every day?

Mark your calendars for next week, Monday January 26th, as we step back from the buzzwords and join a thoughtful conversation about what works in project management; and what doesn’t. Nora Bylsma, Carlus Henry, Chris Ruiter, Kate Mora Woods, and Melissa Bugai will explore the intricate dynamics of what really happens between planning and production and shed light on the challenges and decisions that shape the software we ship.

📍 Start Garden, 2 Fulton St. West, Grand Rapids, MI
🗓️ Monday, January 26th 2026
⌚ 6:00 pm ET

RSVP on Meetup or Eventbrite:

https://www.meetup.com/grwebdev/events/312628653/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grwebdev-presents-methodology-melee-how-we-build-digital-products-tickets-1979259579683

🎉 A huge THANK YOU to our sponsors LaFleur Marketing, West Michigan Tech Talent, and of course Start Garden for making this event possible! 🎉

Success isn’t just the product; it’s the team that builds it. Join us this month as we unpack the human side of developing digital products.

01/05/2026

Behind every digital product is a team of humans designing, building, testing, and deploying. Keeping track of all of this activity is a science all of its own, and choosing the most effective strategy is a complex - and sometimes controversial - prospect.

Is Agile the only way to survive, or is it just "Waterfall in disguise"? Do sprints truly help us ship, or can they lead to burnout? And what happens when the "Best Practices" we learned in a book meet the reality of a 4pm Friday deployment?

Join us at Start Garden on Monday, Jan 26th as we break down the heavy hitters of project management methodologies. Array of Engineers' Nora Bylsma will lead a discussion with a panel of industry pros to investigate the "human" side of building software.

RSVP online:

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/grwebdev/events/312628653/
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grwebdev-presents-methodology-melee-how-we-build-digital-products-tickets-1979259579683

Success isn’t just the product; it’s the team that builds it. Join us this month as we unpack the human side of developing digital products.