On 23 April, WATA Factory in Jerez hosted the first edition of GDG Jerez (Google Developer Group), a meetup focused on mobile app development that brought together developers from across the area.
The response was very positive: the venue was filled to capacity. After quite some time without events of this kind in the province, there was a real desire to meet up again, share ideas and catch up in a friendly setting.
Talks on .NET MAUI and Jetpack Compose
The first session was led by Marco Antonio Blanco, with “Introduction to app development with .NET MAUI”. During the talk, the framework was demonstrated in action through a simple app, which helped attendees understand how the code is structured and how it can be deployed across different platforms, both desktop and mobile.
Next, Susana Córdoba gave the talk “Compose without chaos: how to structure UI with UDFs and small composables”, focusing on interface development with Jetpack Compose. The session addressed how to maintain cleaner and more scalable code by working with small, reusable components and applying patterns such as unidirectional data flow.
Both sessions shared a practical approach, backed by real-world experience. This allowed us not only to better understand the technologies, but also to see how they are currently being used and where they stand compared to other alternatives.
Community networking
Following the talks, the event continued with a networking session where attendees could exchange views and share experiences.
Conversations centred on mobile development, tools, and other topics that are gaining prominence, such as artificial intelligence. It was a good opportunity to meet other developers from the region and discuss the day-to-day realities of the sector.
The day ended, as was to be expected, with pizzas, in a more relaxed atmosphere that allowed conversations to extend beyond the technical content.
WATA Factory and the tech community
For WATA Factory, hosting this first GDG Jerez meetup is not a one-off event. It forms part of a clear commitment to boosting the local tech community.
We believe in the importance of creating spaces where knowledge can be shared, ideas exchanged and connections made with other professionals. Initiatives like this help to strengthen the ecosystem and create opportunities that extend beyond the event itself.
The community’s response confirms that these kinds of events make sense, and that it is worth continuing to support them.
Thank you to everyone who came along, to the speakers for sharing their expertise, and to GDG Jerez for trusting WATA Factory with this first edition.
See you at the next one. This has only just begun.
