Recap Shopware Unconf 2024

However, even without a set agenda, the event provided ample space for captivating talks, inspiring discussions, and groundbreaking ideas. Dive into this blog post as we revisit our impressions and the atmosphere of the event.

Cologne Creativity and Shopware Fun: Our Recap of Unconf 2024!

From March 22nd to 24th, it was that time of the year again - the Shopware community gathered for the annual SCUC in Cologne. Already on Friday evening, at the pre-party in the old fire station, the mood was lively. Old friends were greeted and new contacts were made over Kölsch, cola, and water.

Day 1: It's Pre-Party Time

The countdown was over, the excitement was huge – the Shopware Unconf 2024 in Cologne was just around the corner! As one of the main sponsors, we supported the event vigorously, and this was the third year in a row. Our maxcluster team was represented by 7 employees from the areas of development, sales, marketing, and management, and we were not alone! What did we have in store this time? Well, besides a bunch of nostalgia in the form of retro buttons (of course, designed by our creative minds in-house), we also brought along our faithful companions Tux and the superheroes Berta and Bertie.

Day 2: Between Talks, Fun, and Strawberry Cake

On March 23rd, after a short stroll through Cologne, we finally arrived at the location of the SCUC - Tor 28. A place that is perfect for such an event, but only becomes the perfect venue for the SCUC through the loving organization of FireGento e.V. At this point, a huge thank you to Carmen Bremen, Rico Neitzel, Fabian Blechschmidt, and Claudia Teubner for their tireless efforts!

UnConferences are the antithesis of stiff, pre-determined conferences. Here, the agenda is only proposed by the community on the day itself and coordinated with "stickies". And very important: There is always plenty to eat and good coffee!

Saturday had something for everyone. Whether tech topics like "Composable Architecture & MACH – A Critical View", "HTTP-Caching" and feedback on the latest Shopware 6.6 update, or softer topics like "Career decisions in a post-AI world", "Don’t be a jerk: Mental health & tech", and "Photography for total beginners and other people" - everyone found their topic here. And then came Mollie's Shopware quiz as a super entertaining change. At the end of the day, Claudia Teuber provided a reality check on well-known and lesser-known fairy tales in her talk "Once upon a time - the stories behind the stories".

We also made our contribution! Our colleagues Adrian and Alfred also got to fill two sessions with content over the weekend. Our Linux developer Adrian Gillmann gave an exciting talk on how to install Shopware 6 in just 30 minutes with all the necessary performance settings and covered tools like Redis, Varnish, and OpenSearch. Alfred led a discussion on Redis alternatives, specifically discussing KeyDB and Dragonfly. Even the presence of some Shopware core developers couldn't faze Adrian – (almost) everything went smoothly.

The after-show party took place this time, just like at the Mage UnConf in October, at the Eigelstein Torburg. The impressive location, with a view of the illuminated Cologne Cathedral, offers a perfect mix of a calm atmosphere for intense conversations and musical variety for the occasional dance.

Day 3: We'll be back!

After the after-show party on Saturday, it was time for the final round on Sunday. Sunday started similarly to Saturday with the selection of topics for the day. On the agenda were topics such as "Shopware CLI – What can it do?", "Improving Twig performance with static, analytical code", "Powerpoint-Karaoke" and "Content Management in Shopware". But also non-technical topics like a "Ask-me-anything" session on the topic of "Being an undertaker" met with great interest.

Our Résumé

The Shopware Unconf is THE hotspot for networking around the topic of e-commerce. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. With exhausted but radiant faces and a bag full of inspiration, we returned home. The ShopwareUnconf 2024 was once again an unforgettable experience – full of laughter and new insights. Until next year, Cologne! We can't wait to celebrate with you again! An UnConf is always a special experience, and we are already looking forward to the Mage UnConf in autumn and the SCUC next year. See you soon!

And how did the community perceive the SCUC24?

There was so much to report, and in the end, we couldn't summarize it better than our esteemed colleagues. So why not check out the following blogs:

• The team at Mothership has released the first retrospective, detailing each session
• Splendid Internet provides a comprehensive overview of how an UnConf works and presents the topics covered

Published on 04.04.2024 | Shopware Unconf 2024 | DW