Behavior-Driven Development

This session is designed for **juniors**, **new graduates**, and **non-tech attendees** who want to understand how **AI** can help in building microservices. You’ll learn the best practices for building microservices from scratch, including **writing acceptance criteria** and **creating REST APIs**. We’ll also demonstrate how **AI tools** like ChatGPT can help you write better code, catch errors early, and automate common tasks, making development easier and faster. By the end of this session, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to design and build microservices, all while using AI tools to optimize your workflow. 🧪 **What You’ll Learn:** * **Microservice Architecture Best Practices**: Learn core principles like **decoupling services** and **scalability**. * **Writing Acceptance Criteria**: How to define clear requirements that ensure your microservice works as expected. * **Creating REST APIs**: Learn how to design secure, scalable APIs for communication between microservices. * **AI in Microservice Development**: How AI tools like ChatGPT can assist with code writing, error-checking, and test generation. 💡 **Why It Matters:** * **Scalable Services**: Microservices break down large systems into smaller, manageable parts that are easier to maintain and scale. * **AI Assistance**: Tools like ChatGPT help you automate parts of the development process, speeding up coding and reducing errors. * **Real-World Applications**: These practices are in high demand, and mastering them will equip you with valuable skills for modern software development. 👨‍💻 **Who Should Attend:** * **Juniors** and **new graduates** looking to learn microservices and AI in development. * **Non-tech people** interested in how AI can assist in coding and building software. * Anyone looking to understand **modern development practices** and how AI can improve workflows. 🕓 **Schedule** * 18:15 - Networking * 18:40 - Program starts * 19:20 - Q&A - networking * 19:30 - End

Hi folks! Welcome to our July Cloud Native London meetup! Join us to hear from our two speakers and network with your fellow techies over pizza and drinks, or alternatively chat and following along on Youtube or LinkedIn! 6:00 Pizza and drinks 6:30 Welcome 6:45 Architecting Safe Autonomy: High-Stakes Autonomous Agents Need Deterministic Checkpoints for Safety (Hossein Kakavand, Luther Systems) 7:15 Putting Open GitOps to the test (Steve Fenton, Octopus Deploy) 7:45 Wrap up See you there! Cheryl (@oicheryl) **Putting Open GitOps to the test (Steve Fenton, Octopus Deploy)** The Open GitOps principles sound plausible, but the world is full of surprising realities. Join Steve Fenton and explore the GitOps research to see whether GitOps delivers on its promises, based on an analysis of over 600 perspectives from roles like DevOps engineers, developers, platform engineers, and cloud infrastructure engineers. *Steve Fenton researches the socio-technical systems behind software delivery; how organizations, people, and technology actually work together (or don’t). At Octopus Deploy, he explores GitOps, Platform Engineering, Continuous Delivery, and compliance through a lens shaped by punk history, psychology, and the kind of genre fiction that asks uncomfortable questions about systems and society.* *He’s an eight-time Microsoft MVP (DevOps), a DORA Community Guide, a CD Foundation Governing Board member, and a contributor to the CNCF Platform Engineering Community Group. He’s written books on TypeScript, Octopus Deploy, and Web Operations Monitoring, and occasionally writes horror fiction.* *https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefenton/* *https://mastodon.social/@stevefenton* *https://bsky.app/profile/stevefenton.co.uk* **Architecting Safe Autonomy: High-Stakes Autonomous Agents Need Deterministic Checkpoints for Safety (Hossein Kakavand, Luther Systems)** The more freedom we give an autonomous agent, the more it drifts into hallucinations or policy violations, yet clamping it down with prompts kills the reasoning we want. Think Brownian Motion versus a Brownian Bridge: a random walk wanders anywhere, but pin it at fixed points and it moves freely between them while always landing where it must. Deterministic checkpoints are those pins. InsideOut applies this to infrastructure. It works with the user to shape a feature set, stack, config, Terraform and cost estimates, then deploys and manages the infrastructure in real time for monitoring, alerts and changes. Each stage must produce a structured artifact validated against fixed rules, and if a check fails only that stage repeats, catching errors before they propagate. High-stakes actions stay locked down by design: the agent can request a deploy by presenting a button, but never holds the cloud keys itself. The result is an agent that is more productive precisely because it is safely unconstrained. *Hossein Kakavand holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University. He has been with several start up in AI, ML and Distributed Systems, with IPOs on NASDAQ and LSE. He is currently a Co-Founder of Luther Systems focused on solving the Enterprise Operations problem at scale. @HosseinKavavand* ***Check out [https://www.oicheryl.com/cloudnativelondon](https://www.oicheryl.com/cloudnativelondon) if you're interested in speaking or sponsoring.***

***Enter the live meeting room here: [https://discord.gg/5wgxtr4c2u](https://discord.gg/5wgxtr4c2u)*** ***Download the engine here: [https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download](https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download)*** Welcome to the **Unreal Engine Workshop!** In each session we'll tackle essential game design discussions, then transition into hands-on project creation. Participants will build and expand their skills continuously as we explore every aspect of game development. From basic blueprints and interactive mechanics, to advanced rigging, animation, environment design, and lighting, we'll work our way up to creating small complete games. We encourage experimentation and peer teaching, so whether you're a beginner or experienced developer looking to deepen your expertise, our sessions provide a supportive environment to learn, create, and innovate together in Unreal Engine 5.

Join us at the next monthly London Security Engineering meetup! **🍕 6:00pm: Arrive** \- Kick off the evening with light refreshments and networking \(30 mins\) 🎤 **6:30pm:** **Main Talk** \- Kat Traxler\, who will be speaking on: "Azure's Unnamed Operators \- Threat Modelling Platform\-Level Identities\." **☕ 7:15pm: Q&A -** Questions and discussion **🍻 7:45pm: Pub** \- We usually go to a neighbouring pub for a drink after\! This event is a good opportunity to gain practical insights, meet fellow security professionals and discuss the latest trends in the industry. 📅 **When:** Wednesday 1st July 2026 *This event is made possible by the teams at Maze, MMC and Tracebit.*

**🥋 Feel Safer, Get Stronger, Train Smarter - Battersea Park Bandstand** Join our friendly, outdoor Kung Fu classes in Battersea Park, focused on practical self-defence, functional fitness, and calm under pressure — all taught in a relaxed, ego-free environment. These sessions are designed to help you build real martial skill, improve strength and mobility, and develop confidence that carries into everyday life. No prior experience needed. Many people stay on afterwards for a relaxed social at the Pear Tree Café, just a short walk away. \*\*\* **🧠 About the Classes** Whether your goal is to improve fitness, learn practical self-defence, reduce stress, or simply try something different, these classes are open to **all levels (ages 16+)**. Training blends **traditional Kung Fu methods** with a modern understanding of movement, wellbeing, and long-term health. You’ll learn how to: * Handle punches and common attacks effectively * Use footwork and positioning to avoid strikes * Improve flexibility, balance, and joint mobility * Condition the body safely and progressively * Practise breathing and mindful awareness for calm and resilience Sessions are **beginner-friendly**, taught at a sensible pace, and structured to help you build skill step by step — without intimidation or pressure. \*\*\* **📍 When & Where** 🗓 Saturdays 2:30–4:30pm 🗓 Wednesdays 6:30–8:30pm 📌 **Battersea Park — Central Bandstand** We train outdoors year-round. If it rains, we train under cover nearby. Sessions are adapted sensibly to conditions — part of building resilience and presence. The location is well connected and easy to fit into a normal working week. \*\*\* ## 💰 Pricing 🎟 **First Class (Intro Offer): £10** A one-time introductory session to try the class and see if it’s right for you. If you decide to continue within 48 hours of your first class, this £10 will be deducted from your first class block. *** 🥋 **Training Options** After your first session, training continues via class blocks: **5-Class Block — £75** *(most popular for beginners)* Valid for 2 months A great way to build a solid foundation and get a real feel for the system. **10-Class Block — £120 (best value)** Valid for 4 months Ideal for regular training and steady long-term progress. *** All sessions are 2 hours and designed to give you practical, progressive development each time. Classes are booked in advance. Blocks are non-refundable but flexible if you need to miss a session. **📩 Booking & Contact:** ✉️ [joe.cheung75@gmail.com](http://joe.cheung75@gmail.com) 📱 WhatsApp/text: 07914 411979 \*\*\* **🎒 What to Bring** * Loose, comfortable clothing. * Water. * An open mind - everything else is taught step by step. \*\*\* **💬 What Students Say** *"* *Joe makes everybody feel welcome, and more importantly, he is a great teacher. Rather than a one size fits all approach, he tailors the class to your strengths and weaknesses and he is extremely patient."* – Natalie, beginner *“A true gem for anyone searching for a holistic system to train strength and awareness.”* – Julius, beginner *“I strongly recommend his services for 16 year olds and over. If you are passionate about martial arts then this class will open your mind to many classical & practical Kung Fu styles.”* – George, White Sash \*\*\* **🔔 Important Info** * Please let me know in advance about any injuries or health conditions. * Classes are non-refundable. * Regular training builds confidence, skill, and resilience over time. \*\*\* **👤 About the Instructor** I’m Joe Cheung, a black sash instructor in Baji Zhandao Kung Fu. My martial arts background includes: * 12+ years Baji Zhandao Kung Fu (2nd Black Sash) * 10+ years Bujinkan Ninjitsu (2nd Dan Black Belt) * 2 years Urban Krav Maga Private one-to-one lessons are also available — just ask. \*\*\* **🧭 What Is Baji Zhandao?** Baji Zhandao means *“Battlefield Style”*. It blends over 10 powerful Chinese martial systems into one adaptable method: * Baji Quan * Yang Tai Chi Quan * Pigua Zhang * Tongbei Quan * Bagua Zhang * Xingyi Quan This system was developed by Grandmaster Chen Fu Sheng — a former Chinese Special Forces instructor with 50+ years of real-world martial experience. 🔗 More information: [bajizhandao.co.uk](https://bajizhandao.co.uk) \*\*\* **✅ Ready to Begin?** If you want to feel safer, get stronger, improve mobility, and train in a grounded, supportive group — you’ll be very welcome. Train outdoors. Build skill for life. Leave stronger than you arrived.

AI assistants are getting more capable. The question is how we build effective workflows around them. At DevDay London, [Lucy Joyce](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-joyce-597485166/), [Ash Shakrani](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-shakrani/) and [Arun Kurian](https://www.linkedin.com/in/arun-mathew-kurian-39b8aa5a/) will explore harness engineering through the lens of a payment integration. From requirements and design through to implementation, they’ll demonstrate why context alone isn’t enough for successful AI-assisted development. Drawing on real-world experience, they’ll show how engineering harnesses, reusable context, standards, and validation workflows help teams move beyond experimentation and build reliable, scalable AI-assisted development practices. **This session will unpack:** 🎯 Why “more context” isn’t the answer on its own 🎯 What engineering harnesses are and how they create reliable feedback loops 🎯 How standards, workflows, and validation reduce AI-generated rework and technical debt 🎯 Practical techniques teams can adopt immediately to improve AI outcomes 🗓️ **Save the Date:** 2nd July, 2026 📍 **Location:** Sahaj Software, 1 Quality Court, London, WC2A 1HR 🕕 **Time:** 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (BST) The evening will feature: 🎤 **One engaging talk** with Q&A 🤝 **Plenty of time for networking** over free pizza and non-alcoholic drinks Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect, and share with fellow tech enthusiasts. 👉 Please click the link below to register. https://sahaj.ai/events/harness-engineering-in-practice-from-requirements-to-implementation/

🇯🇲🔥💪🏽 DANCEHALL FITNESS!! 🔥💪🏽🇯🇲 Every SATURDAY 10am! 📍Falcon Park 14 Cranleigh Mews, London SW11 2QL 🔥🤸🏽‍♀️ High Energy Group WorkOuts! 💪🏽🔥 Qualified Personal Trainers & DJs! All Ages And Fitness Levels Welcome! DJs playing Strictly Dancehall Music! 🔊🇯🇲 If you would love to join us or get involved follow us and send a DM us on Instagram @dancehallfitness_ Get ready to sweat with Dancehall Fitness! Fitness moves that’ll boost your energy and mood! Tickets: Via Eventbrite: Search Dancehall Fitness #LondonFitness #LondonWorkouts #exercise #OpenAirFitness #StartNow

We are delighted to announce that manifesto have kindly agreed to host the Umbraco London July Meetup at their offices in Whitechapel, and are very kindly providing us with food and drinks. **Please register and sign up in advance** so that we can give a list of attendees to reception and comply with their building regulations. [manifesto](https://manifesto.co.uk/) is a company that uses and champions Umbraco CMS, particularly within the context of digital transformation and sustainability, including being Certified B Corp. We are welcome from 18:30 onwards, we shall look to get started around 18:45. We'll finish by 21:00 when we take the conversations to a local pub. \-\-\-\-\-\- **\*\* AGENDA \*\*** **#1** **Welcome and Latest News** Peter Cooper from manifesto with Lotte, Ravi and Richard from Umbraco London **#2 Codegarden 2026: One Umbracian's Experience** John Seto will be sharing his highlights from Codegarden 2026 - what he learned, what inspired him, and what it means to be part of the wider Umbraco community. He'll also be talking about his experience of the Green Track, a community initiative encouraging contributors to travel to Codegarden by greener means, with free tickets awarded to those selected by Umbraco HQ. **#3** **manifesto RazorKit** by Nurhak Kaya and Pete Cooper At manifesto, we have created a new component-driven development experience specifically for [ASP.NET](http://ASP.NET) Core Razor and Umbraco applications. This approach allows us to develop, test, and document our UI components in isolation within a live application through an interactive preview environment, eliminating the need to navigate through the entire application flow. In this talk, we will provide hands-on details about this approach and discuss its benefits for both development teams and clients. \-\-\-\-\-\- If you realise you can't make it please be sure to change your RSVP to No in case there are people on the waiting list. \-\-\-\-\- If you would like to contribute to our meetups please in touch by email (hello@umblondon.co.uk) - we are always looking for people to give talks, or London-based Umbraco agencies to host us for the evening. Please read the [Code of Conduct](https://bit.ly/UmbLondonCodeOfConduct) for all our events.

Hello and welcome to our special joint meetup between **Cloud Platform Engineering London**, **Cloud Platform Engineering Leaders**, **Data & AI Leaders**, **AWS AI UG**, **Azure AI UG**, and **GCP London**. This crossover event brings together platform engineers, cloud architects, data and AI leaders, SREs, engineering managers, technology executives, and practitioners exploring how AI is reshaping modern cloud platforms, developer workflows, business transformation, and enterprise engineering. This is a special **Community Stack ecosystem event**, bringing together several of our cloud, platform, and data-focused communities for an evening of practical talks, senior technical discussion, and cross-community networking. A huge thank you to **[Arrows](https://www.arrowsgroup.com/)** for hosting and sponsoring this event, and for supporting the growth of the cloud, platform engineering, data, and AI community in London. Speakers and sessions: **Get a High Return-on-Investment from AI Business Transformation** **Nora Balla, Founder and AI Business Transformation Lead, Add Velocity** Nora Balla is the founder of Add Velocity, an AI-native business transformation and implementation consultancy. Nora has gained extensive experience across investment products, business transformation, finance operations, and regulated asset and wealth management environments. Previously a freelancer, she now operates in a collaborative delivery model, helping organisations scale AI and automation solutions in complex business settings. Her experience includes finance transformation at Harley-Davidson, reporting process improvements in commercial real estate funds, and supporting the Aladdin implementation at Royal London Asset Management. In this session, Nora will explore how organisations can achieve a stronger return on investment from AI business transformation. The talk will cover the opportunities and high-value use cases, the real risks organisations need to manage, the skills required for the agentic era, how to define and measure success, and practical tips for improving efficiency when working with AI systems. **Agents in the Fastlane** **Ryan Cormack, Principal Engineer, Motorway** **Luke Marrai, Engineering Manager, Motorway** Motorway has used traditional AI and machine learning for years to enhance and improve its systems. But how can those years of learning be applied to build the next generation of agentic systems for users? In this session, Ryan Cormack and Luke Marrai from Motorway will explore how they are enhancing the functionality of Motorway’s platform to provide more accurate search results for dealers looking to acquire stock through the online marketplace. The talk will cover how Motorway is using **AWS AgentCore** to run its agentic systems, and how evals are being used to ensure the system performs as expected. Ryan Cormack is a Principal Engineer at Motorway, the UK’s leading used car marketplace, where he leads technical strategy and drives AI-powered transformation across the engineering organisation. With over 14 years of experience building and scaling systems on AWS, Ryan specialises in turning architectural best practices into practical engineering outcomes, from cloud modernisation programmes to the adoption of agentic workflows and AI-native developer tooling. Luke Marrai is an Engineering Manager at Motorway, supporting engineering delivery and helping teams build effective, scalable technology for one of the UK’s leading automotive technology platforms. Agenda: **18:00** — Arrival, refreshments and networking **18:30** — Welcome and introduction **18:35** — Get a High Return-on-Investment from AI Business Transformation — Nora Balla **19:00** — Break and networking **19:20** — Agents in the Fastlane — Ryan Cormack and Luke Marrai **20:00** — Networking **20:45** — Close **Join us on June 11th:** We are also hosting the **Cloud Native & Open Source AI Conference** on **June 11th in London**, bringing together a fantastic line-up of speakers across AI, cloud-native, open-source, platform engineering, leadership, and modern infrastructure. You can view the full speaker line-up and event details **[here](https://www.communitystack.io/conferences/cloud-native-london)** **About the communities:** This event is jointly hosted across **Cloud Platform Engineering London**, **Cloud Platform Engineering Leaders**, **Data & AI Leaders**, **AWS AI UG**, **Azure AI UG**, and **GCP London**. Together, these communities form part of the **[Community Stack ecosystem](https://www.meetup.com/pro/generative-ai-uk-community/)**, bringing together technical practitioners, leaders, partners, and organisations across cloud, platform engineering, data, AI, and open technology. We are always keen to hear from speakers, hosts, sponsors, and community partners. If you would like to speak, sponsor, or host a future event, please reach out to **[Ethan Sumner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethansumner404/)** via LinkedIn. This event follows the **[Community Stack Code of Conduct](https://www.communitystack.io/code-of-conduct)** and **[Privacy Policy](https://www.communitystack.io/privacy-policy)**, ensuring a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all attendees.

**Moved from original date (requested by several members) due to the heat wave!** Most businesses know they have repetitive tasks, manual workflows, and administrative bottlenecks - but few know where to start when it comes to automation. In this practical introductory session, we'll explore how modern businesses are using AI, workflow automation, and intelligent agents to streamline operations, reduce costs, and free up teams to focus on higher-value work. You'll learn how to identify the best automation opportunities within your organisation, map existing processes, and build a roadmap for implementing automation without disrupting your business. We'll also demonstrate real-world examples of automated sales, marketing, customer service, finance, and operational workflows that are delivering measurable results today. Whether you're a business owner, manager, operations leader, or technology professional, this session will provide a clear framework for turning automation from a buzzword into a competitive advantage. ### What You'll Learn * Where automation delivers the biggest business impact * How to identify and prioritise processes for automation * The difference between traditional automation, AI, and intelligent automation * Common automation mistakes and how to avoid them * Real-world case studies and live demonstrations * A practical roadmap for getting started immediately ### Who Should Attend Business owners, founders, directors, operations leaders, department heads, and anyone interested in making their organisation more efficient through intelligent automation.

**Please register on [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ljc-meetup-at-neo4j-smarter-search-with-spring-ai-and-neo4j-tickets-1991379537804) to join this event.** **About this event** We're excited to invite you to our next Meetup, co-hosted with neo4j! Join the London Java Community for an evening of technical talks, networking, and knowledge sharing hosted by Neo4j. This month’s meetup explores two of the hottest areas in modern software development: integrating Generative AI into Java applications and deploying Machine Learning models within Java ecosystems. Whether you’re a Java developer, architect, data engineer, or simply curious about the latest innovations shaping our industry, this session will provide practical insights and real-world examples from experienced practitioners. **SPEAKER 1** **Akmal Chaudhri**, Neo4j Title: Smarter Search with Spring AI and Neo4j Abstract: In this session, we'll walk through a Spring Boot app that integrates Spring AI with Spring Data Neo4j to build intelligent search over real Goodreads book data. We'll cover how to set up a Neo4j vector store, generate embeddings via OpenAI and expose results through a REST API. We'll also explore how graph search and vector search work together and what it takes to configure and connect these pieces in a Spring application. If you've been wondering how to bring GenAI capabilities into your existing Spring stack, this talk offers a practical, code-first look at how it all fits together. Bio: Akmal is a technical leader and evangelist with extensive experience across databases, AI and developer enablement. Specialised in technical writing, education and community strategy, he has a proven ability to translate complex technology into clear, engaging narratives that inspire learning and adoption. He is a regular international speaker, published author and contributor to thought leadership in data systems, AI and developer education. **SPEAKER 2** **Matt Scott**, CTO, Nimbus Pay & **Alex Callinan**, Data Scientist, Nimbus Pay Title: Integrating Machine Learning models with Java Abstract: This presentation walks Java developers through the full journey of integrating machine learning into their applications. It then weighs up the pros and cons of two practical deployment paths. Matt Scott bio: Matt is a cloud-native architect and fintech leader with over twenty years building secure, scalable payment platforms, including containerized JVM-based systems. As CTO of NimbusPay Technologies, he designs cloud-agnostic card issuing solutions, with deep expertise in Java architecture, distributed systems, and DevSecOps. Alex Callinan bio: Alex is a Data Scientist at NimbusPay Technologies, where he builds and ships machine learning models into production. He's passionate about bridging the gap between trained models and the real-world applications that put them to work. This event is organised by RecWorks on behalf of the London Java Community. The London Java Community is sponsored by Hazelcast, Neo4j, Redis, and Discover

*We'll update this with the specific topic(s) once they're set for the month.* A relaxed, community-driven Unity GameDev meetup. No strict agenda — just developers getting together to talk shop, share projects, and exchange ideas. Some topics that may come up (based on attendee interest): * Frame Debugger & performance tooling * Addressables & additive scene workflows * Input System, localization, responsive UI * AI integration approaches * DevOps & LiveOps experiences * Full lifecycle: idea → cross-platform publishing * Favorite Asset Store tools and hidden gems * Weird Unity quirks we've all run into Nothing is locked in. Bring a project if you'd like, bring a question, bring a lesson learned — or just come hang out and meet other developers. All skill levels welcome. Food and drinks provided.

You can sleep in on the Sesquicentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/

### Chaos in July \| Free Chaos Warrior Mini Event Embrace the ruinous powers this July with Chaos Warriors at The Arcane Foundry. Join us for a paint and sip experience where you’ll receive a free Chaos Warrior miniature and be introduced to one of the most iconic forces in Warhammer Fantasy and The Old World. Whether you’re new to the hobby or a seasoned painter, this event is your chance to forge a champion of darkness. Learn how to paint dark armor, corrupted metals, glowing runes, and battle-worn textures that define the look of Chaos. From grim warriors sworn to the Dark Gods to towering figures of intimidation, you’ll explore the lore, aesthetic, and presence of Chaos on the battlefield. All supplies are provided, space is limited, and the path to glory begins here.

Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on. That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable. In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork. This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it. We’ll cover: * Why “it looks good” is not enough * How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints * How to compare LLM outputs more systematically * Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness * How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results * Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates for this series are simply placeholders at the moment. We are working on our 2026 schedule, and adjustments are forthcoming. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. 4. As the Etch toolset evolves, so too will the class outline below. **Introduction:** Our Site Building with Etch class provides detailed instructions on the philosophy of the Etch development framework, as well as in-depth, hands-on instruction on using the Etch environment and associated tools. Anyone familiar with Kevin Geary and the Digital Gravy set of products will tell you that they offer ground-breaking approaches to professional WordPress site development. As we write this, the Etch toolset and environment are rapidly taking shape, with weekly quantum leaps forward in WordPress development methodologies. As early investors in the Etch product offering and its development process, we are actively testing and evaluating the toolset as it takes shape. We are beyond excited to see how WordPress site development is being modernized, and can't wait to bring this course set to you. It will be a paradigm shift in page and site development within WordPress, as well as moving your development mindset light-years forward. Join us as we explore Etch and dive deep into development approaches that will genuinely elevate your craft as a website developer and agency provider. Scalable, responsive, compliant websites are now within easy reach, and Etch provides both the platform and toolset to take you there. **The breakdown of the 10-class series is as follows:** * Class 01 - TBD * Class 02 - TBD * Class 03 - TBD * Class 04 - TBD * Class 05 - TBD * Class 06 - TBD * Class 07 - TBD * Class 08 - TBD * Class 09 - TBD * Class 10 - TBD Throughout the class sessions listed above, we cover the following key areas of web development with Etch: * **Introduction to Etch Interface:** * Familiarization with the toolset's layout and understanding how to navigate and interact with its various components. * **Visual Site Building:** * Techniques for creating layouts using Etch's interface, incorporating sections, divs, containers, and elements to build semantically correct page structures. * **Styling and Design:** * Utilizing Etch's styling approach to customize elements, apply global CSS classes for consistent design, and leverage features like Flexbox and CSS Grid for responsive layouts. * **Dynamic Content and Custom Fields:** * Integrating dynamic content from custom post types and custom field plugins (like ACF, Meta Box, and even built-in fields) to build data-driven websites. * **Component Building:** * Creating and managing reusable components for headers, footers, post type layouts, and other site-wide elements. * **Performance Optimization:** * Understanding how Etch contributes to fast-loading websites and implementing performance best practices. * **Advanced Features:** * Depending on the class level, it might delve into advanced topics such as conditional logic, interactions, and custom code integration to enable more complex functionality. The series aims to equip participants with the skills to efficiently build, customize, and maintain WordPress websites using Etch, catering to both beginners and experienced web developers alike.

We have moved to guild.host. Look us up there. https://guild.host/events/buckeye-cocoaheads-rcavwd