FAQ - try! Swift Conference

General

How is a Conference different from a Meetup?

A meetup is usually a small local gathering of people with shared interests that takes place monthly or weekly and lasts for about 2 - 3 hours each time, usually in the evenings. In contrast, a conference is a big international event that spans several days and that only typically happens once a year. try! Swift usually has 20+ international speakers and 300-700 attendees from all over the world!

By attending a conference such as try! Swift, you expose yourself to people and thinking about your field from all over the world, not just your locale. This will help you get ahead in your career - you will learn the latest technologies and have the opportunity to make connections with very important people in the global community.

What is the format of try! Swift?

During the conference days, there will be 20+ international speakers giving 20-minute presentations each about various Swift topics such as Open-Source Swift, Server-Side Swift and Swift on Android, as well as using Swift for iOS, watchOS, and tvOS development, and any new platforms Apple will announce at their annual WWDC conference. There will also be a few presentations about other important career-related topics, such as design and workplace best practices.

In addition to 20-minute presentations by our impressive international speakers, attendees will have the option to attend one-on-one office hours with each speaker. The official office hours are timed at 20 minutes, but usually these discussions last much longer, making this the most valuable part of the conference for both attendees and speakers. Speaker office hours are relatively unique to the try! Swift conference - most conferences only have a 5-minute public Q&A after each talk. Make sure to take this opportunity to meet the speaker in person and ask them about any issues you’re facing in your code that they may be an expert on!"

How can my organization get involved?

try! Swift is really a community conference, and we really rely on the local community to make it happen. If you'd like to make sure try! Swift stays in your community, we ask that you send your mobile team to the conference.

We are also looking for sponsors. If you’d like more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Where can I see the presentations topics?

You can view videos from previous try! Swift conferences in Tokyo and New York for a better idea of the type of topics that are discussed. We want to make sure that all speakers present the latest and most relevant topics, so topics are usually not announced until about two months before the conference, especially if the conference happens after WWDC.

Is there a CFP?

There is no CFP for try! Swift. Speakers are hand-picked based on many factors to make sure we can put together the best conference for the community. If you’d like to speak at a future try! Swift, please fill out this form.

Keep in mind that our community is filled with amazing developers and speakers. So if you are not selected for a try! Swift Conference right away, please don’t take it personally. We are limited by the number of speakers we can have at each conference and we’re doing our best to accommodate as many amazing developers and speakers as possible! For example, we make sure to change speakers for every conference around the world, so there are very few repeat speakers (there haven’t been any repeats in 3 conferences so far!).

I am a beginner. Is it ok for me to attend the conference? What can I expect from the conference and attendees?

Yes, of course! Some of our attendees are beginners. The conference will help accelerate your learning and make connections with others who have been in your shoes before (aka everyone!). We encourage all our attendees to keep a beginner’s mind and provide a friendly and harassment-free environment. You can view our Code of Conduct here.

Purchasing Tickets

What is the difference between the Super Swift Bird, Swift Bird, and Penguin tickets?

All tickets provide you the same conference experience - entry into the conference, access to presentations and office hours with 20+ international speakers, conference party, and much more! The only difference is price!

Putting on a conference requires a lot of risk, so we need your support! Those who support us early by purchasing a Super Swift Bird ticket, before all the details are announced, get the most discounted price.

Please wait until to buy the Swift Bird ticket if you’d like to first see the full conference schedule first.

If tickets are still available, you’ll have the option to buy the Penguin ticket the month before the conference. Note that those who wait this long will likely not get personalized conference badges.

Is the conference ticket amount refundable?

We will completely refund the full ticket price amount if you ask 60 days before the conference start date. We cannot issue any refunds closer to the conference due to the conference expenses associated with your purchase.

Can I transfer my ticket to someone else?

Yes, you can transfer your ticket to someone else at any point. If you can't attend the conference due to an unexpected reason, please send us a ticket transfer request to [email protected] with the new attendee’s name and email address, and we will help you transfer the ticket.

Can I apply two coupons at the same time? Maybe more than two?

No. As per Eventbrite, you can’t apply multiple discount coupons for a single event.

What happens once I purchase the ticket?

Please check your registered e-mail address with electronic ticket and invoice. We will ask you to show the ticket at registration on the first day of the conference and give you your badge, t-shirt, and special swag bag once you’re checked-in.

We will keep in touch with you over the next few months (especially as it gets closer to the conference) with the latest information.

Food

Is food included in the conference ticket?

Yes - we will provide a light breakfast, lunch, and two coffee breaks with snacks throughout each day of the conference. Dinner is not included, although there will be light food during the evening of the conference party.

Can I choose specific food type, what if I am allergic to some foods?

Please let us know about your food preferences or allergies in the questionnaire when you purchase the ticket and we will do our best to honor your request. We will let you know if if we cannot accommodate your allergy.

Venue

Will there be Wi-Fi?

Yes, there will be free Wi-fi at the conference! We will announce the connection details during the conference. However, keep in mind that this Wi-fi will be shared by 300 - 700 people, so please download Xcode and videos ahead of time!

Do I have to bring my laptop? is it even allowed?

Yes, you are welcome to bring your laptop. However, we recommend that you fully charge it at home, as there will be very few places to charge it throughout the conference venue. Please also keep your laptop with you at all times - we are not responsible for lost or stolen items.

How is the seating arranged? I didn’t get any seat number?

Don't worry, there will be enough good seats for everyone! We do not assign seat numbers, so please arrive early on each conference day to reserve your preferred seat.

Other

What should I do if I have a question that is not on this list?

No problem! Just email us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

To purchase your ticket, just choose an event. We look forward to seeing you there!