How to build a developer-first company [Video]

At my company, Descope, we are building a customer authentication and identity management product, meaning the end user and the developer are two sides of the same coin. Providing a great developer experience—by enabling our customers to easily add auth flows and user management to their apps—leads to a great end-user experience as the customer’s customers seamlessly and securely log in.

This kind of virtuous cycle exists at many developer-focused companies. When building a successful developer-first business, it’s critical to tie together the similarities between the customer experience and the developer experience while clearly delineating the differences.

Customers and developers: Similarities

There are many similarities across customer and developer onboarding. Both experiences try to reduce friction by streamlining any initial setup and minimizing technical hurdles to create a good first impression. Both try to build understanding by explaining the product’s value and functionality. Both nurture engagement through interactive elements, personalized communication, and clear pathways to success. Both are geared toward realizing value …