Developer Marketing
January 9, 2025
min read

New year, new U: 10 proven strategies for developer adoption success in 2025

Eileen Ann
Senior Content & Customer Marketing Manager

As we usher in a new year, it's the perfect time to review innovative strategies for developer adoption. By fostering self-paced, hands-on learning environments and incorporating elements of gamification, companies can engage developers, enhance skill-building, and accelerate product adoption. Instruqt and its customers are at the forefront of this educational transformation.

Here are 10 best practices showcasing real-life success to illustrate how you can create impactful developer learning programs. We encourage you to visit our customer’s learning pages directly to explore the content and strategies firsthand!

1. Design hands-on learning for real-world applications

InterSystems' Developer Hub
InterSystems' Developer Hub

The InterSystems Developer Hub is a self-paced learning academy where developers practice real-world scenarios, such as integrating complex healthcare data using their IRIS platform. This hands-on approach ensures learners immediately see how their skills apply in professional settings. 

Quick tip: Structure labs around common user challenges to maximize engagement and relevance.

Want to learn more? Read our InterSystems customer story here.

2. Incorporate gamification to drive engagement

Isovalent's The World of Cilium
Isovalent's The World of Cilium

Isovalent’s Labs Resource Library uses gamification in its Cilium learning tracks, presenting users with a visually engaging map (The World of Cilium) that organizes labs by role (e.g., SecOps, cloud, and platform engineers). Learners collect badges and receive personalized recommendations based on their completed tracks, transforming training into an interactive, rewarding experience​

Quick tip: Gamify your learning using elements like badges, leaderboards, and thematic storytelling to make learning fun and memorable.

Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar with Isovalent here.

3. Develop role-based academies to tailor learning paths

Red Hat's interactive labs page
Red Hat's interactive labs page

Red Hat’s self-paced, interactive labs tailor content by role, offering curated learning paths for administrators, developers, and operators. These tracks allow learners to focus on skills relevant to their responsibilities.

Quick tip: Use personas to design learning paths that address the specific needs of different user roles or expertise levels.

Want to learn more? Read our Red Hat customer story here.

4. Offer certifications to validate skills

Solo.io's Labs page
Solo.io's Labs page

Solo.io hands-on technical labs for its Gloo Edge and service mesh solutions incorporate a certification component to emphasize skill validation and motivation. Developers showcase their knowledge by earning digital badges through Credly, boosting confidence and credibility.

Quick tip: Partner with platforms like Credly to issue shareable certifications on professional networks, increasing visibility and motivation.

Want to learn more? Read our solo.io customer story here.

5. Foster self-paced learning for continuous skill growth

Harness University
Harness University

Harness University combines instructor-led sessions with self-paced labs accessible through its university platform. This blended model ensures that users can learn at their own pace while benefiting from expert guidance when needed.

Quick tip: Include progress-tracking features to help learners visualize their journey and stay motivated.

Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar with Harness here.

6. Simulate real-world scenarios for contextual learning

Portworx's Hands-on Labs page
Portworx's Hands-on Labs page

Portworx's hands-on labs guide users through advanced Kubernetes disaster recovery scenarios. Learners work with realistic setups that mirror enterprise environments, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Quick tip: Build labs with ephemeral environments to allow learners to experiment freely without worrying about breaking things.

Want to learn more? Read our Portworx by PureStorage customer story here.

7. Enable collaborative learning through workshops and events

Teleport's Labs page
Teleport's Labs page

Teleport Labs integrates in-person workshops with its self-paced labs, allowing developers to collaboratively solve complex access management challenges. These workshops blend guidance with independent exploration.

Quick tip: Pair self-paced learning with live workshops to foster peer interaction and deeper engagement.

Want to learn more? Read our Teleport customer story here.

8. Leverage analytics to optimize learning experiences

Puppet's learning page
Puppet's learning page

Puppet (acquired by Perforce) analyzes user interactions and feedback to continuously refine its self-paced labs. This ensures that the content remains relevant and adapts to learners’ evolving needs.

Quick tip: Use analytics to identify and improve underperforming labs based on user feedback.

Want to learn more? Read our Puppet customer story here.

9. Integrate training into developer workflows

Snyk Learn
Snyk's Learn page

Snyk integrates its training directly into integrated development environments (IDEs), enabling developers to access lessons when vulnerabilities are detected. This just-in-time learning embeds education into daily workflows.

Quick tip: Embed training links or modules directly within the tools your audience uses most frequently.

Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar with Snyk here.

10. Expand learning opportunities beyond the product

Digital.ai Product Learning Center
Digital.ai's Product Learning Center

Digital.ai’s Product Learning Center features self-paced labs that go beyond basic product usage by exploring DevOps best practices and value stream management principles. This approach helps users not only master Digital.ai’s tools, but also understand how to optimize workflows across their organization.

Quick tip: To provide added value to learners, include labs that explore broader topics, such as best practices or industry trends.

Want to learn more? Read our Digital.ai customer story here.

Checklist for success

  1. Design hands-on learning for real-world applications
  2. Incorporate gamification to drive engagement
  3. Develop role-based academies to tailor learning paths
  4. Offer certifications to validate skills
  5. Foster self-paced learning for continuous skill growth
  6. Simulate real-world scenarios for contextual learning
  7. Enable collaborative learning through workshops and events
  8. Leverage analytics to optimize learning experiences
  9. Integrate training into developer workflows
  10. Expand learning opportunities beyond the product

Why Instruqt leads the way in developer adoption 

Instruqt is more than a platform—it’s a partner in transforming how developers adopt and engage with new technologies. With powerful features like interactive labs, analytics, and seamless integration, Instruqt enables companies to build impactful self-paced learning academies and gamified experiences that resonate with learners worldwide.

Let 2025 be the year you revolutionize your developer education! Talk to an Instruqt expert today to see how Instruqt can elevate your programs to the next level.

As we usher in a new year, it's the perfect time to review innovative strategies for developer adoption. By fostering self-paced, hands-on learning environments and incorporating elements of gamification, companies can engage developers, enhance skill-building, and accelerate product adoption. Instruqt and its customers are at the forefront of this educational transformation.

Here are 10 best practices showcasing real-life success to illustrate how you can create impactful developer learning programs. We encourage you to visit our customer’s learning pages directly to explore the content and strategies firsthand!

1. Design hands-on learning for real-world applications

InterSystems' Developer Hub
InterSystems' Developer Hub

The InterSystems Developer Hub is a self-paced learning academy where developers practice real-world scenarios, such as integrating complex healthcare data using their IRIS platform. This hands-on approach ensures learners immediately see how their skills apply in professional settings. 

Quick tip: Structure labs around common user challenges to maximize engagement and relevance.

Want to learn more? Read our InterSystems customer story here.

2. Incorporate gamification to drive engagement

Isovalent's The World of Cilium
Isovalent's The World of Cilium

Isovalent’s Labs Resource Library uses gamification in its Cilium learning tracks, presenting users with a visually engaging map (The World of Cilium) that organizes labs by role (e.g., SecOps, cloud, and platform engineers). Learners collect badges and receive personalized recommendations based on their completed tracks, transforming training into an interactive, rewarding experience​

Quick tip: Gamify your learning using elements like badges, leaderboards, and thematic storytelling to make learning fun and memorable.

Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar with Isovalent here.

3. Develop role-based academies to tailor learning paths

Red Hat's interactive labs page
Red Hat's interactive labs page

Red Hat’s self-paced, interactive labs tailor content by role, offering curated learning paths for administrators, developers, and operators. These tracks allow learners to focus on skills relevant to their responsibilities.

Quick tip: Use personas to design learning paths that address the specific needs of different user roles or expertise levels.

Want to learn more? Read our Red Hat customer story here.

4. Offer certifications to validate skills

Solo.io's Labs page
Solo.io's Labs page

Solo.io hands-on technical labs for its Gloo Edge and service mesh solutions incorporate a certification component to emphasize skill validation and motivation. Developers showcase their knowledge by earning digital badges through Credly, boosting confidence and credibility.

Quick tip: Partner with platforms like Credly to issue shareable certifications on professional networks, increasing visibility and motivation.

Want to learn more? Read our solo.io customer story here.

5. Foster self-paced learning for continuous skill growth

Harness University
Harness University

Harness University combines instructor-led sessions with self-paced labs accessible through its university platform. This blended model ensures that users can learn at their own pace while benefiting from expert guidance when needed.

Quick tip: Include progress-tracking features to help learners visualize their journey and stay motivated.

Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar with Harness here.

6. Simulate real-world scenarios for contextual learning

Portworx's Hands-on Labs page
Portworx's Hands-on Labs page

Portworx's hands-on labs guide users through advanced Kubernetes disaster recovery scenarios. Learners work with realistic setups that mirror enterprise environments, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Quick tip: Build labs with ephemeral environments to allow learners to experiment freely without worrying about breaking things.

Want to learn more? Read our Portworx by PureStorage customer story here.

7. Enable collaborative learning through workshops and events

Teleport's Labs page
Teleport's Labs page

Teleport Labs integrates in-person workshops with its self-paced labs, allowing developers to collaboratively solve complex access management challenges. These workshops blend guidance with independent exploration.

Quick tip: Pair self-paced learning with live workshops to foster peer interaction and deeper engagement.

Want to learn more? Read our Teleport customer story here.

8. Leverage analytics to optimize learning experiences

Puppet's learning page
Puppet's learning page

Puppet (acquired by Perforce) analyzes user interactions and feedback to continuously refine its self-paced labs. This ensures that the content remains relevant and adapts to learners’ evolving needs.

Quick tip: Use analytics to identify and improve underperforming labs based on user feedback.

Want to learn more? Read our Puppet customer story here.

9. Integrate training into developer workflows

Snyk Learn
Snyk's Learn page

Snyk integrates its training directly into integrated development environments (IDEs), enabling developers to access lessons when vulnerabilities are detected. This just-in-time learning embeds education into daily workflows.

Quick tip: Embed training links or modules directly within the tools your audience uses most frequently.

Want to learn more? Watch our on-demand webinar with Snyk here.

10. Expand learning opportunities beyond the product

Digital.ai Product Learning Center
Digital.ai's Product Learning Center

Digital.ai’s Product Learning Center features self-paced labs that go beyond basic product usage by exploring DevOps best practices and value stream management principles. This approach helps users not only master Digital.ai’s tools, but also understand how to optimize workflows across their organization.

Quick tip: To provide added value to learners, include labs that explore broader topics, such as best practices or industry trends.

Want to learn more? Read our Digital.ai customer story here.

Checklist for success

  1. Design hands-on learning for real-world applications
  2. Incorporate gamification to drive engagement
  3. Develop role-based academies to tailor learning paths
  4. Offer certifications to validate skills
  5. Foster self-paced learning for continuous skill growth
  6. Simulate real-world scenarios for contextual learning
  7. Enable collaborative learning through workshops and events
  8. Leverage analytics to optimize learning experiences
  9. Integrate training into developer workflows
  10. Expand learning opportunities beyond the product

Why Instruqt leads the way in developer adoption 

Instruqt is more than a platform—it’s a partner in transforming how developers adopt and engage with new technologies. With powerful features like interactive labs, analytics, and seamless integration, Instruqt enables companies to build impactful self-paced learning academies and gamified experiences that resonate with learners worldwide.

Let 2025 be the year you revolutionize your developer education! Talk to an Instruqt expert today to see how Instruqt can elevate your programs to the next level.

Sign up for newsletter

Here you'll get a quarterly newsletter made for growth-minded people

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Sign up for newsletter

Here you'll get a quarterly newsletter made for growth-minded people

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Try Instruqt Yourself

Get a closer look at how Instruqt can help you sell smarter and train better.

Take a self-guided tour of Instruqt