The Dreamforce developer experience keeps getting bigger and better every year. This year is no exception, and we’re taking the developer experience to a new level! Join your peers from around the world and get hands-on with leading-edge cloud technologies, tools and best practices for developing with Lightning, Apex Code, Salesforce APIs, and all the latest Salesforce technologies. Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect on October 4-7th in San Francisco.

1. Experience Trailhead

This year, we have transformed the Dev and Admin zones into the fun, immersive experiences of the Developer Forest and Admin Meadow. Both areas will be entirely powered by Trailhead. But don’t wait until October — you can get started before the conference even begins! Get #DF16Ready and prepare your game plan with the Get Ready for Dreamforce trail. Whether you’re at a demo booth, a quick start, or attending an interactive training session, you’ll learn new skills powered by Trailhead. Think of Trailhead as your map for learning Salesforce — and having fun while you’re doing it!

2. Camp Out in the Developer Forest

Located in the Trailhead area of the 1st floor of Moscone West, the Developer Forest will be your home away from home for hands-on learning, meeting expert guides and fun! It’s also THE place to hang out on Tuesday evening from 6-8pm for the opening reception. Free drinks, hors d'oeuvres , fun prizes, and an informal atmosphere, makes this a great peak for the first day of Dreamforce.

One of the best things about the Developer Forest is that over 50% of the content is delivered by the community. Drop in on one of the four theaters offering engaging and thought provoking 30-minute sessions throughout the week. Make sure you don’t miss the Internet of Things (IoT) Cabin, for Salesforce-specific demos, real customer use cases, and hands-on workshops!

And you’ll want to keep coming back to the Developer Forest, because It’s the best place to learn while scoring amazing Salesforce swag. From the Trailhead Quest, to Mini Hacks, to the Trailhead Library, you will have no shortage of adventures along the way! Note that you may need an extra bag for all that swag, so pack accordingly.

3. Get Inspired at the Developer Keynote

The Developer Keynote will give you a sneak peak into the future of Salesforce development and is a great learning experience for developers of all levels. Join Srini Tallapragada, President, Technology at Salesforce, in this year's Developer Keynote, and learn how to build apps faster, smarter and for the future, today.

The keynote always sells out, so make sure you register for it in Agenda Builder. And arrive early for the best seat!

4. Have Fun with Hands-On Activities

Getting hands-on with Salesforce is among the most rewarding experiences at Dreamforce, and so we give you many opportunities to roll up your sleeves and dig in.

Check out some of the activities:

• Hands-On Workshops (HOWs) are 1-2 hour, deep dive workshops where you will be guided through hands-on exercises with Force.com and Heroku. Bring your laptops and get hands-on with help from Salesforce experts and community members!

• Camp Innovation - join our solution experts at Camp Innovation to get expert coaching on ideating and building your apps. Note that Trailhead pre-work is required.

• Quick Starts — short 15-minute tutorials in Trailhead, ranging from soft skills to high tech, for all skill levels

• Mini Hacks — fun challenges for beginners and experts that rewards your critical thinking and developer skills.

• Consultation Outpost — one-on-one time with expert guides who’ll answer your code, design, and career questions

• Trailhead Quest - follow a guided path through hands-on activities and inspiring demos to unlock hot swag like the coveted Trailblazer hoodie!  

5. Choose From Over 270 Sessions

Discover new ideas and best practices as you choose from hundreds of sessions from Salesforce and community leaders. Choose from more than 270 technical developer sessions on everything from beginner to advanced topics on Lightning Components, Apex code, Integration, application lifecycle management, UX, mobile, and more. All sessions will focus on tangible, practical takeaways, in code or demos, which you can leverage for your projects right away.

6. Expand Your Perspectives

Inclusion is one of our core values at Salesforce, and we are committed to creating an inclusive experience that welcomes all. We are honored to have ten amazing thought leaders joining us in the Developer Forest to share their experience, inspiration, and practical advice on careers, the future of tech, and inclusion. Learn more here.

Did you miss The Road to Dreamforce: Developers at Dreamforce? See what’s being built this year for Developers at Dreamforce. Experienced Dreamforce pros, Jacob Lehrbaum, Senior Director, Developer Relations, Kris Lande, Senior Director, Admin Marketing, and Tracy Kraft, Global Marketing Director, Heroku, get you up to speed on everything you need to know to get the most out of Dreamforce.