3 days ago
Ruby Central hosted the final RailsConf in Philly. What's next for the dev support org?
This is a guest post by Shan Cureton, executive director of Ruby Central.
Philadelphia's long-standing strength in healthcare, education and technology has created a foundation for a tech community that continues to push the boundaries of innovation and open source.
That's why, when Ruby Central hosted its final RailsConf last month, it happened right here in Philadelphia.
The decision to host RailsConf's final chapter in Philadelphia was a deliberate one. The city's developer community has grown deep roots in open source and the presence of organizations like (the event's official media sponsor) helped make the case.
The energy at RailsConf 2025 reflected that. Longtime community members reunited, early-career developers found their footing through Ruby Central's Scholars and Guides program and hallway conversations buzzed with gratitude and curiosity about what's next.
It marked the end of RailsConf as a standalone event and the start of a new era for Ruby Central. Starting in 2026, its annual RubyConf event will become the singular in-person hub for the global Ruby community. That shift is part of a broader strategy to refocus resources where they're most needed: infrastructure, regional events and open source sustainability.
While RailsConf is ending, Rails itself isn't fading into the background. Ruby Central is actively exploring ways to feature Rails-related content at future RubyConfs, though no decisions have been made about a dedicated track. Many of the contributors who helped shape the framework's legacy remain deeply engaged in the community.
Now, while the structure may be changing, this pivot will have an impact on both Philly and the larger tech community. The shift allows Ruby Central to channel more resources into sustaining core open source tools, expand support for local and regional events and keep Rails content alive. New initiatives like the RubyGems Podcast will also strengthen year-round engagement, ensuring developers remain connected beyond the conference stage.
A fitting Philly send-off
For nearly two decades, RailsConf has been the flagship gathering for the Ruby community. The 2025 edition, held at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown, was both a celebration and a send-off.
Philadelphia was the right place for RailsConf's final act, not just because of its hospitality and tech credentials, but because it reflects where open source is headed: a blend of legacy and possibility, deeply rooted but always growing.
The lineup reflected the past and future of Rails. The creator of the framework, David Heinemeier Hansson, sat down for a candid fireside chat with Elise Shaffer. Shopify's Aaron Patterson (also known as Tenderlove), a community mainstay, closed the conference with a keynote that struck the right mix of humor, heart and technical insight.
Ruby Central also used the occasion to launch The RubyGems Podcast, hosted by Open Source Director Marty Haught. The show is one of several new tools aimed at keeping developers connected between conferences.
Developer orgs come together to make the most impact
Ruby Central's evolution has been building for a while.
After merging with Ruby Together in 2022, the nonprofit took over stewardship of RubyGems and Bundler—critical tools used billions of times by developers worldwide. In 2023, the organization introduced formal governance through its Open Source Software Committee. And just ahead of RailsConf, it launched a new fiscal sponsorship program to support maintainers and projects like the Hanami framework.
The idea behind these years of changes is simple but impactful: Let Ruby Central handle the administrative side of fundraising — donations, accounting, compliance — so that maintainers can stay focused on code and community. More projects are expected to join in the coming months.
By focusing on a single flagship conference, Ruby Central can deliver deeper programming and expand access year-round through live streams, scholarships, community partnerships and regional event support. This approach aligns with the organization's mission to foster inclusivity and long-term sustainability, with initiatives like GitHub's global event grants program already helping make it possible.
Ruby Central's next chapter is about focus: continuing to support the developers, maintainers and contributors who power much of the internet itself.
