16 Years of DevOpsDays: A Look at the Numbers
Since the first DevOpsDays in Ghent in 2009, the community has organised well over 700 events across every populated continent. Here's what the shape of that history looks like.
The long arc, 2009–2026
Events grew steadily from a handful in the early years to a peak of 81 in 2020 (yes, the pandemic year). The virtual format lowered the barrier to entry: no venue costs, no travel logistics, no border controls. 2020 briefly turned every organiser's "we could totally run one" into an actual event.
2021 was the hangover. Numbers dropped nearly in half (42), reflecting both organiser burnout and the awkward middle period between virtual and in-person. From there, in-person events rebuilt: 56 in 2022, 64 in 2023, 68 in 2024.
The most recent years show a mild decline: 60 in 2025 and 53 confirmed for 2026 so far. To me, it looks less like a slump and more like a return to a stable, sustainable equilibrium.
Where DevOpsDays happen
The all-time regional picture:
| Region | Events |
|---|---|
| USA | 261 |
| Europe | 192 |
| Brazil | 106 |
| East Asia | 32 |
| Latin America (excl. Brazil) | 32 |
| Canada | 29 |
| South & Southeast Asia | 26 |
| Africa | 18 |
| Oceania | 18 |
| Central Asia | 14 |
| Middle East | 13 |
USA and Europe together account for roughly 61% of all events ever held. That's the headline, but it undersells one thing: Brazil. 106 events makes it the single most active country after the USA (by a comfortable margin).
The post-COVID picture
Restrict the lens to 2022 and later, and the picture shifts:
| Region | 2022–2026 |
|---|---|
| USA | 89 |
| Europe | 80 |
| Brazil | 61 |
| Latin America (excl. Brazil) | 17 |
| East Asia | 12 |
| Central Asia | 10 |
| South & SE Asia | 8 |
| Canada | 8 |
| Africa | 6 |
| Oceania | 4 |
| Middle East | 4 |
A few things stand out:
- Brazil is on the come-up. From 5 events in 2022 to 18 in 2025. At current rate it will outpace Europe within a year or two.
- The USA is slowing down. From 22 events in 2022 to 11 (so far) in 2026; a real decline, which speaks to shifting business priorities.
- Europe is remarkably steady. Bouncing between 14 and 18 events a year through the whole post-COVID period.
- Central Asia has quietly arrived. No events at all before 2018; now a consistent presence in double digits.
OK, so now what?
DevOpsDays is smaller than it was at its 2019–2020 peak, but I think we're healthier for it. More distributed, less dependent on any single region, and drawing organisers in places (Baku, Almaty, Tashkent, Kazan) that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. The centre of gravity is still transatlantic, but it's drifting south and east, one event at a time.