Hey, open-source friends! 🎉
FOSDEM weekends are intense. Talks all day, devrooms to jump between, hallway conversations that somehow turn into deep discussions about documentation, governance, or why that one bug still exists.
So once the laptops close for the day, we do what open-source communities do best. We meet. We talk. We grab a beer.
This year, we are happy to invite you to our third FOSDEM community meetup. Each year, it has grown a little. More people, more projects, more familiar faces, and more new ones. For 2026, we are going a step further, with more partners joining us.
On Friday, 31 January 2026, we are hosting an informal open-source meetup in Brussels together with our friends from Nextcloud, OpenProject, and Passbolt.
No talks. No slides. Just people.
A long-standing presence at FOSDEM
For several years now, XWiki has been closely involved in FOSDEM, including co-organizing the Collaboration and Content Management Devroom. It has become a place where maintainers, users, and contributors exchange practical experience about documentation, knowledge sharing, and collaboration in real-world environments.
The meetup is a natural continuation of that work. After 2 successful editions, this 3rd meetup reflects how much the community around these projects has grown. The goal stays the same: create a relaxed space where open-source enthusiasts can meet. You can ask questions, share feedback, or simply listen and learn from others who work with open-source tools every day.
Why this meetup exists
We spend most of the year collaborating online. Issues, pull requests, forums, chats, and calls. FOSDEM is one of the rare moments when many of us are in the same city at the same time.
This meetup is simply about taking advantage of that.
It is a place to continue conversations started during the day or finally meet someone you have only known by their username. It is also a space to talk openly about how real teams facing real constraints use open-source tools.
Whether you already have XWiki, CryptPad, Nextcloud, OpenProject, or Passbolt in your tech stack, or you are just curious about how these projects are used in practice, you are welcome. You do not need to prepare anything. If you care about open source and enjoy good conversations, you are in the right place.
And yes, Belgian beer helps.
What to expect
- A relaxed evening with people from different open-source communities
- Easy networking without awkward pitches or forced introductions
- Drinks on us to get things started, plus light snacks
- A casual atmosphere after a full day at FOSDEM
Bring your questions, bring your ideas, and most importantly, bring yourself! You can stay for 10 minutes or for the whole evening. Both are fine. Oh, and did we mention there’ll be Belgian beer? 🍻
When and where
- Date: Saturday, 31 January 2026
- Time: From 20:00, until late
- Location: Scott’s Bar & Kitchen, Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 2, 1000 Brussels
The venue is central, easy to reach, and well suited for a friendly crowd that tends to grow as the evening goes on.
How to join
The meetup is free, but places are limited. Registration helps us make sure there is enough space, enough drinks, and enough room for everyone to feel comfortable.
If you already know you will be in Brussels for FOSDEM, we recommend registering early. And if your plans change, please let us know so someone else can take your place.
We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. Grab a beer, meet people, and spend the evening with the open-source community.