Shows
Chats with Kent C. DoddsWrapping up Season 6 of Chats with KentKent says goodbye at the end of another season of the "Chats with Kent" podcast, which featured interviews with speakers for the upcoming Epic Web Comp 2025 conference in Salt Lake City. The host, Kent C. Dodds, expresses excitement about the lineup of speakers and encourages listeners to attend the conference in March 2025. He also mentions that the talks will be available on the EpicWeb.dev platform for those who miss the live event.Meet at Epic Web Conf.Guest: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comđť•Ź: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: ken...
2025-03-1001 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsOf Things Epic: The Principles Behind Great Decisions with Kent C. DoddsKent C. Dodds sits down with Jason Lengstorf to discuss his talk at Epic Web Conf, Of Things Epic, where he dives into the principles behind effective decision-making in web development. Rather than focusing on which tools to pick, Kent emphasizes the need for a framework that enables developers to make confident decisions that scale. He draws from his experience with the Epic Stack, highlighting the importance of clear reasoning behind technical choices.Key topics in this conversation include:Why decision paralysis is unnecessary in modern web development.How the Epic Programming Principles provide a solid...
2025-03-0913 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsEpic Image Optimization with Andre LandgrafAndre Landgraf joins Kent to discuss his talk at Epic Web Conf, Epic Image Optimization. In this conversation, they explore the challenges and trade-offs of optimizing images for the web, particularly when handling large numbers of event photos or user-generated content. Andre shares how building his own image optimization pipeline gave him a deeper understanding of the process, allowing him to make more informed decisions when choosing external services.Kent and Andre also discuss:The evolution of All Things Web, a meetup Andre organizes in the Bay Area.The importance of community in web development and...
2025-03-0812 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBuilding, Learning, and Networking with Jason Lengstorf at Epic Web ConfIn this conversation, Jason Lengstorf, creator of CodeTV and the Web Dev Challenge, joins Kent to discuss:His background in engineering, developer relations, and open-source at companies like IBM, Gatsby, and Netlify.The Web Dev Challenge, a fast-paced, team-based competition that brings developers together to solve unique coding challenges in just four hours.The free Epic Web Conf hackathon happening the day before the conference, where attendees can join the challenge, build something cool, and showcase their work.His philosophy on career growth, taking calculated risks, and building a career you...
2025-02-1318 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsRemix, React, and the Web Platform with Ryan FlorenceIn this conversation, Ryan Florence, co-creator of Remix and React Router, joins Kent to talk about the evolving landscape of web development. He shares insights on:The motivation behind moving core Remix features into React Router.The rising importance of AI-driven development and how it affects frameworks.Betting on the web platform as a long-term strategy for performance, portability, and future-proofing applications.How Remix is being reimagined with a focus on web-native capabilities.The role of conferences in building meaningful career relationships.Ryan also shares his personal...
2025-02-1222 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJavaScript: The Origin Story with Annie SextonAnnie Sexton joins Kent to talk about her upcoming talk at Epic Web Conf, JavaScript: The Origin Story. In this discussion, she shares her love for history and why documenting the evolution of programming languages is so important. They dive into:The rushed creation of JavaScript and how it shaped the language.Competing languages of the era and how JavaScript won out.The unexpected ways JavaScript evolved into a web powerhouse.Why software history often gets overlooked and why it matters today.How understanding the past helps developers write better code for the future.Annie’s talk wi...
2025-02-1109 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsEpic Federation: Scaling Web Infrastructure with Zackary JacksonZackary Jackson joins Kent to discuss his upcoming talk at Epic Web Conf, Epic Federation: Scaling Web Infrastructure. As an expert in large-scale web architecture, Zack has helped build critical tools like Module Federation and RSPack, both of which power ByteDance’s global infrastructure.In this conversation, Kent and Zack cover:The challenges of managing thousands of developers and repos across multiple teams.Why ByteDance chose to build its own bundler in Rust instead of adopting an existing solution.The impact of slow build times on product velocity and how tooling improvements significantly reduce development friction.Th...
2025-02-0916 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsEpic Bets: Practical Tips for Betting on Yourself with Aaron FrancisAaron Francis joins Kent to discuss his talk at Epic Web Conf, Epic Bets: Practical Tips for Betting on Yourself. In this conversation, Aaron reflects on his non-traditional path into tech, his experience being laid off, and how he prepared himself to be resilient in the face of career uncertainty. He shares insights on why developers should focus on skill stacking, personal branding, and long-term sustainability in their careers rather than chasing trends.Kent and Aaron also explore:How to future-proof your career without falling into the trap of chasing hype.Why writing and sharing your...
2025-02-0810 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsShipping Reusable Full-Stack Components with Fran ZekanFran Zekan, an engineer from Croatia with experience in hardware, robotics, and web development, joins Kent to discuss his talk, Shipping Reusable Full-Stack Components. Fran explains how React Server Components (RSCs) allow developers to build truly self-contained, reusable full-stack features—something that has long been a staple in the Rails ecosystem with Rails Engines.In this conversation, Fran and Kent discuss:How RSCs simplify full-stack development by eliminating the need for multiple setup steps.Comparisons between RSCs and Rails Engines, and how they bring backend-like encapsulation to React.Real-world examples, including a Stripe Checkout component that ca...
2025-02-0714 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsLearning-Driven Development with Josh CirreJosh Cirre, a developer advocate and content creator, joins Kent to discuss his talk at Epic Web Conf: "Learning-Driven Development." Josh shares his philosophy on learning by doing—where the best way to master new technologies is by applying them to real-world projects rather than passively consuming tutorials.Josh and Kent discuss:The importance of curiosity in learning and how small observations can spark deeper exploration.Why focusing on what you want to build rather than what you want to learn leads to better retention.The challenges of transitioning from acting and comedy to tech, and ho...
2025-02-0616 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDemystifying AI: Building an AI Assistant for Better Presentations with Kira CorbettIn this episode, Kent is joined by Kira Corbett, an AI-focused developer educator with deep experience in robotics, simulation, and human-computer interaction. Kira discusses her background in building real-world systems and how her transition to web development has shaped her approach to optimizing user experiences.Her talk at Epic WebConf, "Building an AI Assistant to Deliver Your Best Presentations," explores how AI can enhance communication skills, streamline productivity, and create better engagement in various fields—not just software engineering. Without spoiling too much, Kira hints at an interactive experience that will challenge the audience’s expectations about AI-p...
2025-02-0510 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBuilding Connections and Community at Epic WebConf with Taylor DesseynTaylor Desseyn, VP of Global Development at Torque.dev and host of the Guidance Counselor 2.0 podcast, joins Kent to discuss his role as an emcee at Epic WebConf and the importance of networking in tech. Taylor shares insights on how developers can maximize their time at conferences, from preparing in advance to actively building meaningful connections.Taylor emphasizes the value of in-person events, explaining how they provide an opportunity to deepen online relationships, connect with industry leaders, and open doors to new career opportunities. He also shares practical career advice, including how to effectively network, follow up...
2025-02-0411 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBeyond Code Assist: Driving Impact as a Next-Gen Developer with Mark TechsonMark Techson, a developer advocate at Google working on Angular, joins Kent to discuss the intersection of AI and developer productivity. His Epic WebConf talk, "Beyond Code Assist: Driving Impact as a Next-Gen Developer," explores how developers can go beyond using AI for simple code assistance and instead integrate AI into their workflows to accomplish more.Mark emphasizes that the world of software development is evolving, and AI tools are becoming integral to the way we work. He shares insights on how developers can position themselves to thrive, avoid stagnation, and embrace the opportunities AI provides.
2025-02-0310 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBuilding Accessible Web Apps with Shruti KapoorShruti Kapoor, a frontend engineer at Slack and an Epic Web instructor, joins Kent to dive into the intricacies of accessibility in web development. With over a decade of experience, Shruti has dedicated herself to educating developers on building accessible and inclusive applications.Her Epic WebConf talk, "Building Accessible Web Apps," will focus on real-world accessibility challenges, showcasing a live demo where she transforms a web app to improve usability for all users. She emphasizes how accessibility is more than just ARIA labels—it requires a thoughtful UX approach, including proper focus management, screen reader behavior, and in...
2025-02-0210 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBuilding Bulletproof Design Systems with Eva FerreiraEva Ferreira, a frontend engineer, educator, and design systems expert, shares insights into what makes or breaks a design system. As a tech lead at Mable and a long-time web development instructor, Eva brings years of experience building UI components, optimizing accessibility, and implementing robust frontend architectures.Her talk at Epic WebConf, "Bulletproof Design Systems," dives into the biggest challenges teams face when adopting a design system. She covers topics like onboarding new users, proving the system’s value with measurable success metrics, and avoiding the trap of a single maintainer. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to...
2025-02-0110 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBuilding AI-Powered Presentations with Eve PorcelloEve Porcello, an experienced educator and speaker, shares her insights on AI-powered presentation tools and communication skills for developers. With years of experience teaching JavaScript, React, and GraphQL, Eve now focuses on how AI can assist in learning, teaching, and public speaking. Her Epic WebConf talk, co-presented with Kira Corbett, explores the development of an AI assistant to enhance presentation delivery. They’ll showcase AI-powered tools like ml5 for voice recognition and interactive elements that can make presentations more engaging and accessible.Kent and Eve also discuss the evolving role of AI in web development, th...
2025-01-3111 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDemystifying Type Inference with Jared ForsythJared Forsyth, a front-end infrastructure engineer at Khan Academy, shares insights into type inference and programming language design. With nearly a decade of experience working with React and React Native, Jared has a deep appreciation for tooling and developer experience. His Epic WebConf talk, "Hindley and Milner Walk Into a Bar," will break down type inference algorithms and how they improve developer ergonomics by reducing the need for excessive type annotations.Jared and Kent discuss the practical benefits of understanding language internals, including how it can improve debugging, enhance problem-solving skills, and make learning new languages easier...
2025-01-3009 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsWhat React 19 Means for React Router with Brooks LybrandBrooks Lybrand, Developer Relations Manager for Remix at Shopify, joins Kent to explore the impact of React 19 on React Router and modern web development. In his talk "What React 19 Means for React Router," Brooks will highlight React 19's integration with server components, web component support, and simplified APIs for meta tags, links, and more. These updates promise to enhance developer experience and streamline app-building processes.Brooks shares his insights on the evolution of Remix, Shopify's stewardship of the project, and the shift towards unifying React paradigms for better portability. He also discusses his passion for building communities...
2025-01-2614 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsAI-Powered Development and Solopreneurship with Devon NeillDevon Neill, a software developer and solopreneur from Cape Town, South Africa, shares his experience navigating solopreneurship, including learning the ropes of marketing, user engagement, and copywriting. Devon highlights the importance of streamlining development workflows with AI tools and introduces his Epic WebConf talk. His talk explores diving into the AI hype, comparing various tools, and integrating them with the Epic Stack to take ideas from concept to production in just 20 minutes.Devon and Kent also discuss the benefits of attending in-person conferences, from building meaningful connections to feeling part of the tech community. Devon shares how...
2025-01-2413 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsCreativity, Conferences, and Connection with Bree HallBree Hall, a frontend software engineer and developer advocate at HubSpot, emphasizes the role of creativity in coding and professional growth. Bree discusses how personal projects like CSS art, including her recreation of a Nintendo Switch, help her stay inspired and improve her technical skills. She and Kent reflect on the unique value of in-person conferences for building professional and personal relationships, highlighting Epic WebConf as a hub for inspiration and community.As one of the emcees for Epic WebConf 2025, Bree looks forward to connecting with attendees and hearing from an incredible lineup of speakers. Bree also...
2025-01-2308 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsIntroducing Season 6 of Chats with KentKent introduces a new season of the "Chats with Kent" podcast, which will feature interviews with speakers for the upcoming Epic Web Comp 2025 conference in Salt Lake City. The host, Kent C. Dodds, expresses excitement about the lineup of speakers and encourages listeners to attend the conference in March 2025. He also mentions that the talks will be available on the EpicWeb.dev platform for those who miss the live event.Meet at Epic Web Conf.Guest: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comđť•Ź: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comđť•Ź: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcd...
2025-01-2301 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsChats with Kent Season 5 Wrap-upIn this final episode of season five, Kent C. Dodds recaps the enriching conversations with the speakers of Epic WebConf 2024, expressing gratitude and excitement for the upcoming event in April. He encourages listeners, whether planning to attend the conference or not, to revisit the season's episodes for timeless web development advice. While season six remains unplanned, Kent thanks his audience for their continued support and hints at future engagements, urging them to stay tuned.Meet Kent at Epic Web Conf.Guest: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsHost: Kent C. Dodds
2024-04-0501 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsNavigating Growth and Innovation in Tech with Dan FarrellyIn this episode, Kent C. Dodds interviews Dan Farrelly, the CTO and co-founder of Jest, about his journey from front-end engineer to CTO, the challenges of scaling a tech company, and the importance of staying small to maintain agility and innovation. Farrelly shares insights into the evolving challenges of a tech team, from infrastructure to front-end development, and emphasizes the value of a generalist approach in a small, dynamic team. The conversation also delves into Farrelly's upcoming conference talk on improving long-standing APIs and his enthusiasm for learning from and contributing to the developer community.Watch this...
2024-04-0312 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsOpen-Source Development and Standards with Zeno RochaIn this podcast, Zeno Rocha, open-source advocate and founder of Resend, joins host Kent to discuss the dynamic world of web development and the shift towards SDK-first strategies. They reflect on the evolution of developer tools and the significance of user experience in product development. Rocha and Kent stress the necessity of high standards to stand out in web development, and they also touch upon the value of developer conferences for fostering relationships and collaborations. They look forward to engaging with peers at an upcoming event in Park City, Utah, and consider potential topics like the tech industry comparison...
2024-04-0110 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMaximizing Networking Opportunities with Madison KannaIn this episode, host Kent and Madison Kanna, the upcoming MC for Epic WebConf, discuss the benefits of attending conferences like Epic WebConf beyond just the informational content. They delve into how conferences can be a goldmine for networking, transforming online contacts into real-world connections. Madison explains her path and how initiatives such as her Sunday book club can cultivate community and continuous learning. Kent offers advice to introverts on navigating networking at these events, and together, they highlight their excitement for the Epic WebConf, underscoring the professional and personal growth opportunities it promises, further amplified by Madison's promotional...
2024-03-2712 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDeep in Databases and Full Stack Dev with Tyler BenfieldIn this episode, Tyler Benfield, a staff software engineer at Prisma, joins Kent to explore the world of databases and their critical role in full-stack development. Tyler shares insights from his journey from front-end development to mastering database performance and optimization, while also touching on the trend of front-end developers upskilling to become full-stack, leveraging languages like JavaScript and TypeScript. The conversation concludes with a preview of Tyler's session at the upcoming Epic Web Conference where he will cover topics such as SQLite, varying database types, performance tuning, and share personal anecdotes, offering an engaging learning opportunity for web...
2024-03-2511 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsExploring Modern Web Development and UI with Una KravetsIn a conversation with Kent, Una, an expert in UI and a presenter at the upcoming EpicWebConf, delves into the dynamic world of modern web development. She underscores the importance of keeping up with the advances in UI capabilities and CSS, the shift towards more declarative techniques, and the necessity of adapting to new web standards. Una champions the vital role of community input in shaping web development and looks forward to the invaluable exchanges that come from in-person interactions, especially as the industry anticipates returning to face-to-face events post-pandemic. Her discussion calls on developers to remain adaptive, engage...
2024-03-2010 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsThe Limitations and Potential of SQLite with Glauber CostaIn the latest podcast, Glauber Costa, CEO of Turso and an ex-Red Hat contributor, speaks with Kent about the often overlooked yet robust SQLite database technology. Sharing their personal experiences with SQLite, they discuss its functionality, suitability in production, and the importance of version control in document evolution. Costa encourages developers to recognize SQLite's potential and looks forward to learning more about real-world challenges at the upcoming web development conference, promising insights into effectively utilizing databases in technology projects.Watch this episode.Meet Glauber at Epic Web Conf.Guest: Glauber CostaTwitter...
2024-03-1809 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsThe Web and Design Systems with Michael ChanIn the podcast hosted by Kent C. Dodds, Michael Chan, celebrated as Chantastic, shares his insights on the evolution of web development and the critical role of design systems. He discusses how design systems should evolve with product development, the importance of documentation, and the dynamic nature of design systems contrary to the belief that they are static. Michael advocates for the empowering aspect of creating personal software and looks forward to the future where emerging tools will not only prevent breaks but also enhance development workflows. The conversation ends with a positive outlook on the web’s future an...
2024-03-1514 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsUser Experience and Web Development with Ryan FlorenceIn a conversation with Kent, Ryan Florence, co-creator of Remix and React Router, discusses how web development and user experience intersect, and the impact of personal interaction at events like the upcoming Epic WebConf. He updates listeners on the Remix singles project, which integrates extensive open-source work with his business ventures, and tackles the complexities developers face when merging existing React applications with new frameworks. Ryan also addresses the double-edged nature of bundlers in web development, providing performance benefits while obscuring the underlying API. The episode concludes with a call for web applications to prioritize reliability, speed, and intentional...
2024-03-1318 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsSparking Positive Energy in Tech and Beyond with Mark TechsonIn this episode, Kent and Mark Techson, from Google's Angular team, traverse the expansive terrain of web development, drawing parallels between coding and music. Mark, blending his industry wisdom with musical passion, provides an intriguing perspective on the structural similarities between the two. He also explores the vital role of an MC in enriching event experiences and fostering engagement. Throughout the conversation, Mark’s candidness about his personal journey as a developer and parent adds a relatable dimension, painting a rich, holistic picture of life in tech.Watch this episode.Meet Mark at Epic Web Co...
2024-03-0809 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBuilding Community and Innovation in Web Development with Kent C. DoddsIn this enlightening conversation, Kent C. Dodds shares his transition from a full-stack web developer to a renowned educator and community influencer within the web development sphere. He recounts his initial steps into public speaking, his experiences with rejection and eventual success in the conference circuit, and the pivotal role these platforms have played in his career.Kent also delves into his work on creating and promoting quality web development education through platforms like testingjavascript.com, epicreact.dev, and his involvement with the Remix community. The discussion further touches on his anticipation for the upcoming Epic Web...
2024-03-0413 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBalancing Tech Careers and Personal Life with Michelle BakelsIn the podcast, Michelle Bakels, a seasoned software developer and the Program Director for Developer Health at G2i, joins Kent to explore the necessity of balancing a tech career with personal life to ensure overall well-being. Drawing on her experience with health challenges stemming from work stress, Michelle underscores the importance of the Developer Health Operating System initiative, which aims to promote healthier working habits in the tech world. They discuss the pitfalls of self-imposed stress, the need for effective resource management, and the role of communication in navigating the ever-evolving realm of software development, with a particular...
2024-03-0110 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsHarnessing the Power of AI in Web Development with Barry McGeeIn a thought-provoking podcast with Kent, Barry McGee from Shopify shares insights on the integration of AI in web development and the evolving landscape of remote work. Having transitioned to remote working in 2016, Barry brings a wealth of experience from significant tech companies and discusses the future of web performance, AI's role in enhancing user experiences like the context-aware search in Shopify's Shop App, and the strategies for maintaining application performance at scale, including the importance of caching. As web development continues to evolve, Barry's perspectives offer a glimpse into the symbiotic relationship between AI advancements and efficient remote...
2024-02-2812 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJourney into Web Development and Remix with Lina MahrouchLina Mahrouch, a software engineer, recounts her transition from professional gaming to web development and her subsequent mastery of Remix for full-stack applications. The podcast highlights Remix's strengths in data handling, caching, and SEO, while also pointing out common pitfalls in its use. Kent and Lina stress the importance of networking in career advancement, particularly through conferences like the upcoming Epic WebConf. Discussions also touch on the exciting potential of AI in web development and the enduring value of personal interactions in the tech industry.Watch this episode.Meet at Lina Epic Web Conf.
2024-02-2109 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDemystifying DivOps with Ben IlegboduKent C. Dodds welcomes Ben Ilegbodu to discuss his work with front-end platforms and the coined term "DivOps," focusing on non-UI aspects like configurations and optimizations that enhance app performance and developer workflows. Ben shares insights into why JavaScript's ecosystem fosters a unique need for DivOps, emphasizing its role as a legitimate discipline crucial for app optimization and improved user experiences. The conversation also touches on the diverse challenges and solutions within DivOps, expectations for the Epic WebConf in Utah, and the value of community and knowledge sharing in advancing the field. Additionally, Ben's personal goal to visit every...
2024-02-1910 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsLocal First Architecture and Side Projects with Alex AndersonWeb developer Alex Anderson speaks with Kent about his side project, Thorium, an open-source spaceship bridge simulator game designed for science education, which also encapsulates the principles of Local First architecture. Anderson elaborates on the advantages of Local First design in ensuring direct data access and enhancing web syncing, all while balancing privacy with user experience. A specific focus is given to integrating Local First architecture with a Remix app to enable seamless online and offline app functionality. Additionally, the conversation touches on the personal joys and communal aspects of baking, showcasing the human side of tech experts engaged...
2024-02-1209 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsExploring the Power of CSS Custom Properties with Adam ArgyleIn this insightful conversation with Kent, Chrome team's CSS and UI expert Adam Argyle delves into the transformative power of CSS custom properties in web development. Likening them to a basil leaf that elevates a meal, Adam teases his upcoming talk at Epic WebConf, promising to elaborate further on the subject. He spotlights current innovations in Chrome and CSS that include color variants, automated designer interactions, and dynamic features such as view transitions and scroll-driven animations. These developments not only enrich web design but also advocate for progressive enhancement to ensure a captivating and interactive user experience. Adam's expertise...
2024-02-0906 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsIntroducing Season 5 of Chats with KentKent C. Dodds introduces Season 5 of "Chats with Kent," highlighting its unique focus on the speakers of the upcoming Epic WebConf 2024 on April 11th. This season aims to familiarize listeners with the conference speakers through 10-15 minute intros, offering insights into their backgrounds and what they'll be discussing. Kent encourages both attending the conference in person for a richer experience and utilizing the available live stream for those unable to attend. This season serves as a platform for listeners to engage with the content and speakers, whether they plan to participate in-person or online.Meet at Epic...
2024-02-0902 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTiger Abrodi Chats About Advancing Your SkillsThe path of teaching yourself to code isn't for the faint of heart. It takes consistency, discipline, and the ability to recognize you're actually making progress. Tutorials are an excellent tool, but they are also a trap. If all you do are tutorials, retaining the skills you learn is going to be extremely difficult. Without applying those skills they aren't going to become ingrained, and you aren't going to see how they're used in context. You also won't make progress if you aren't being consistent. Without consistency, your skills will fade and when you start coding again...
2021-10-0431 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJhey Tompkins Chats About Building Awesome DemosIt's easy to become entrenched in what you already know how to do. You might have a fun project idea that requires creating really awesome CSS animations, and it might seem out of reach if you haven't done anything like that before. But getting through that mental block is an extremely rewarding experience. You gain technical skills and improve your general problem-solving abilities. If you've ever struggled with side-projects, check out this episode where you'll learn how Jhey Tompkins never seems to run out of things to build and get his expert advice on how he problem...
2021-10-0434 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsScott Moss Chats About Time ManagementScott Moss is a retired Navy Veteran who made the career change into software engineering after becoming a father. His journey wasn't an easy one, and as a dad, he had to learn many lessons in work-life balance. For us developers who have kids, his struggle is one that almost all of us can relate to. This industry has an extremely high ceiling, and there is a culture of grinding every day after work in order to make it big. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking "this is what is best for my family"...
2021-10-041h 05
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMark Dalgleish Chats About Vanilla ExtractThere is a diverse range of philosophies when it comes to CSS. Settling on something that fits the needs of your team and application can be a real challenge. Mark Dalgleish, the co-creator of CSS Modules, has been working on an option that might make that choice less of a challenge!Vanilla Extract is kind of like "CSS-modules in TypeScript", allowing you to write CSS in your TypeScript, with locally scoped variables, and generate static CSS files on runtime. If you're interested in getting a deeper look, as well hear more about design systems, CSS in JS...
2021-10-0439 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJosh Comeau Chats About Gaining a ReputationWhether you know it or not, we all have a "personal brand". It's the summary of the part of yourself that you present to the public. And while there are negative connotations to the term, it doesn't have to be that way. Building a personal brand for yourself is a very useful tool for cultivating a community of like-minded people. But it's not a quick process, and it's not something that you can hack if you want the real thing. In this episode, Josh Comeau chats about how he grew a community and reputation around CSS, and...
2021-10-0432 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJosh Comeau Chats About Effective LearningConstantly learning is something that we all have to do as developers. If you're a JavaScript developer then chances are CSS is something that hasn't been easy to learn for you. It doesn't have the error messages JS does and when things go wrong you can have no idea what's even happening.Well in this episode Josh Comeau gives us some effective strategies to not only learn CSS, but to learn any library, language, framework, etc that you might want to know!HomeworkAfter solving a problem you were stuck on, take about 10 minutes...
2021-10-0431 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsStephan Meijer Chats About Side-ProjectsSide projects are important in our line of work. They sharpen our skills and sometimes they can even take off and lead our career in a new direction. But seeing people create these amazing projects over a weekend can be demotivating as a junior developer. "How can they do that when I'm five days deep into a todo app? What do they have that I'm missing?"The answer might be a disappointment to some, but often it is because they have 10+ years more experience than you do. But don't let this demotivate you! You don't lack intelligence...
2021-10-0430 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTracy Lee Chats About PositivityWe have to remember that we are all human beings with social and emotional needs. Our career suffers when we fall into a pit of negativity or when we put up mental barriers that prevent us from interacting with people we might've wanted to talk to. In this episode, Tracy Lee chats about the importance of remembering that everyone, even the awesome people speaking at the conference are all human. When we idolize people it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking they're "better" than we are. We might miss out on opportunities to speak with...
2021-10-0432 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsSandrina Pereira Chats About AccessibilityBuilding our apps to be accessible is absolutely necessary, but building a great a11y friendly experience is extremely challenging when we ourselves aren't in a situation that requires the use of a screenreader is keyboard-only navigation.We can't fully rely on tools to audit the a11y score of our apps. With the challenge being distinctly human, computers aren't able to get a complete picture.That's why it's necessary for you to use these alternative methods for web navigation yourself. Try navigating your app's pages blindfolded while using a screen reader, or trying to...
2021-10-0432 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsIan Sutherland Chats About Improving Developer ExperienceEverything that developers do is DX (Developer Experience). But, it can be hard to know when it is appropriate to spend the time to improve the DX at your workplace. You also might be curious about what you can do to enhance the DX. Repetitive tasks are an easy one to look out for. If you find yourself doing something again and again it's probably worth automating. This could come in the form of tests, scripts, generators, and snippets! For example, if you find yourself having to test some state that takes multiple steps to reach on...
2021-10-0430 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsIan Sutherland Chats About Getting Involved In Open-Source"I should really get more involved in open-source" is something that's always on the back of our minds. You are fully aware of how rewarding it could be but that perfect opportunity to contribute never comes up. Ian Sutherland, a maintainer of Create React App and contributor to NodeJS, used to be in that position. He had always struggled with getting into open source, he wanted to do something substantial but nothing ever came up. One day, he noticed a tiny bug in create react app. Ian quickly fixed it and put in a PR. Once he...
2021-10-0431 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsVlad Magdalin Chats About The No-Code MovementVlad Magdalin is the founder of Webflow, a powerful visual development tool that enables people to create professional websites without writing code. Webflow is on a much lower level of abstraction than something like Squarespace, and users still need to understand the core fundamentals of web development. You might think that tools like these are going to take jobs away from developers, but it actually does the opposite! When innovative technologies allow more people to do work that was once restricted to experts, it benefits everybody. That's what the no-code movement is about. Removing barriers, and giving...
2021-10-0435 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTaylor Bell Chats About Effective TeachingTeaching what you know is a great way to give back to your community, grow your reputation as an expert, and to even make some extra income. But, just because you're an expert doesn't automatically mean you'll be able to effectively transfer your knowledge and skills to others.Taylor Bell works for egghead, and one of his main focuses is helping instructors plan courses through an academic discipline known as "instructional design". Specifically, the "Understanding by Design" methodology is used. This process ensures that instructors are able to effectively teach what they know and be confident in...
2021-10-0433 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDaria Caraway Chats About Having a Generalist SkillsetSoftware development has always been a fast-paced sector. New and better technologies are constantly coming out and if companies don't keep up they'll soon be out of date. Daria has experience with multiple teams who were upgrading their stack, and through that has discovered joy in being a generalist who is capable of working with a variety of technologies and able to see the big picture.She has found having a generalist skillset both keeps her interested and gives her the ability to communicate with the front and backend teams in ways they both understand...
2021-10-0431 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDaria Caraway Chats About TypeScriptTypeScript has been taking over, and for good reason. Have you ever had good end-to-end or integration tests that ended up being invaluable during some refactoring? You can think of TypeScript in the same way. It's amazing when it's done well, but when done poorly it's misleading and a huge headache. Because of this, migrating to TypeScript is not a magic bullet. When converting large pieces of code from JavaScript to TypeScript you need to be cautious about typing things correctly, don't be afraid of using unknown and moving on if you're unsure. In this...
2021-10-0435 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMichael Jackson Chats About RemixTwitter and Instagram had a problem that would ordinarily be simple on smaller scales. They needed to be able to generate IDs on the order of millions per second. Twitter used a brute force method of having a triple-redundant service that generates the IDs. However, Instagram had the elegant solution of inserting a little script that could generate thousands of IDs per second but was sharded across 256 nodes. This illustrates that with the right abstraction for the job, you'll be saved a ton of time and resources. This has been Remix's philosophy. There was a...
2021-10-0450 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsLydia Hallie and Evan Bacon Chat About Leveling Up Your JSThe JavaScript ecosystem is vast and solves a wide array of problems. Because of this, it is key that you have a foundational understanding of JavaScript if you want to be able to work across the JS spectrum. It is also helpful to know the layers of abstraction that are going on. Become familiar with what comes with the browser like the navigator API and what comes with Node like file system or assert. If you can understand these parts then it becomes easier to know how to use JavaScript in whatever context you are in.
2021-10-0430 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTitus Wormer Chats About Natural Language Processing ToolsTitus Wormer does a lot of work with natural language processing. He is the creator of Retext, Remark, and many many more open-source projects. In this episode Titus chats about his extensive open-source work, and goes a bit deeper into his ecosystem of natural language processing tools and plugins. You'll also learn about abstract state trees and their practical applications!HomeworkPlay around on astexplorer.netFollow along with Kent's blog post - Write Your Own Code Transform for fun and profitResourcesSponser Titus on GithubGuest: Titus WormerTwitter...
2021-10-0430 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTitus Wormer Chats About ECMAScript ModulesIt's time to embrace ESM (ECMAScript Module). NodeJS is providing support for ESM out of the box. With ESM modules coming out of the experimental stage we're going to see a lot of packages begin to embrace it. ESM provides superior organization of your code by allowing you to more easily create smaller, reusable chunks of code. ESM gives you a "module scope" where not only are functions and variables available to each other in the same module but also allows you to explicitly make them available to other modules. There is also the Loader API that...
2021-10-0433 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsWill Johnson Chats About Landing a Job in TechWill Johnson used to work for call centers and factories, but he managed to make the daunting career change into tech. This especially isn't easy when you're clocking in 12 hour days. To make time to grow Will was waking up early, staying up late, and doing stuff on weekends."It was very, very time consuming, but it was one of those things where like I knew if I got that one chance that all of this would be worth it."In addition to building up technical skills, networking is absolutely critical for landing a roll.
2021-10-0429 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsRyan Florence Chats About RemixModern web development has given us a cornucopia of powerful abstractions. But as we've moved to higher levels of abstraction Ryan has noticed that we are reinventing the wheel in places, especially with what the browser provides by default. Remix aims to solve this problem. Remix is trying today's benefits of a highly dynamic page, but still have that same feeling of simplicity that we had with PHP. The whole point of Remix is to emulate what the browser does so that you don't need those full page reloads, but programmers get to just develop...
2021-10-0437 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsCher Scarlett Chats About The Consequences of Modern SoftwareWeb development isn't as simple as it used to be. We can't view the source of any webpage and be able to recreate it anymore, it's all bundled and obfuscated. That increased complexity comes from the increasingly larger role that the internet is taking on in our society and the need for our websites to do more than display static information.The growing role of software in our society has had its consequences. Addictive design, and biases being built into software waste people's time at best, but also have the devastating ability to ruin lives. In this...
2021-10-0437 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJoel Hooks Chats About Standout Developer PortfoliosLanding your first developer job isn't easy. Companies don't want to take the risk of hiring a junior, they have no idea how competent you are. A traditional resume doesn't adequately prove your abilities.Why would they just take your word for it? In order to standout you need to show those hard-earned skills off! You need to publicly showcase your work. That doesn't just mean spinning up a fancy blog or linking your Github full of tutorial projects you followed along with. Tutorials are excellent for personal growth but they don't prove that you're...
2021-10-0430 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMaggie Appleton Chats About Creating Effective Visual MetaphorsAlmost everything we experience in the world we experience through metaphor. Even when we talk about abstract things that don't have physical form, we talk about them in terms of directionality and bodies. Stock markets go up, our moods are low, and past years are behind us. So what makes this useful to us on the internet? Strong visual metaphor is really key for people understanding things. Capturing someone's attention is critical, and you want people to immediately understand what you're trying to tell them before you lose their attention.If communicating to...
2021-10-0430 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMichael asks Kent about his site rewriteKent's spent the last several months completely focused on rewriting his website, recording new episodes for Chats with Kent, and creating an all new podcast called the Call Kent Podcast.Michael Chan joins Kent to ask him about the motivation to rewrite kentcdodds.com with Remix. Kent explains what technology he used to create the unique experience on the site and why Gatsby falls short of the needs of most apps. Michael also asks about the new teams feature of kentcdodds.com and how it helps you get more out of the content.Kent also...
2021-10-0445 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTanner Linsley Separates UI State And Server StateTanner Linsley is the creator of react-table, react-charts, and react-query. Tanner also has a startup called nozzle.io where they track rankings in Google and do cool things around technical SEO.A lot of Tanner's libraries were born out of necessity at nozzle. We often reach for abstractions that were built to solve problems that we don't have and that ends up creating awkward problems for us. We wind up with poor performance or a bigger bundle size than we need, so having a custom made solution can be a good thing.Your UI state...
2020-05-1936 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsSerene Yew Provides MentorshipSerene Yew runs Pixeltree, a software consultancy that focuses on sourcing junior talent and providing them with the mentorship that they need so they can bridge the experience gap and get a job.What better way to incite change than to be that change? You can have a huge influence on someone by taking on a mentorship role. And, not only does mentorship benefit who you're mentoring, but it also benefits you. Serene finds that every single person that she's mentored has changed her in some way for the better. They all taught her something that she...
2020-05-1929 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsSaron Yitbarek's Path Into TechSaron Yitbarek started a company called Code Newbie, which started as a Twitter community and grew into a couple of podcasts and a conference.Saron first became interested in technology after she read the Steve Jobs book, it was the first time she got introduced to technology in a way that she could relate to, where tech was talked about through the eyes of design, art, and storytelling. So, she started calling CEOs of startups until she got an internship, which led to a job. Saron wanted to get into development, though, so she quit her job...
2020-05-1937 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsPreethi Kasireddy Reinvents HerselfSoftware development isn't limited to "nerds." During her time at Andreessen Horowitz, Preethi met thousands of entrepreneurs. What she realized was that software engineering is what these entrepreneurs use to change the world. They're able to code the future they believe in using software engineering.A lot of people were surprised that Preethi gave up a promising career in venture capital to become a developer. But, Preethi says that the greatest artists reinvented themselves often. There's something unique and special about the periods in our lives where we are working on improving ourselves. We kind of lose...
2020-05-1933 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMichael Chan Encapsulates StateOne of the things Michael loves about React is that it's a lot easier to make a black box of abstraction with iron-clad React components that don't leak.Something that concerns Michael deeply about any technology is when we put too much inside of it. We saw this pretty early on in React, where everyone was taking all manner of state and putting it into Redux. We have to think about the principle of co-location and the fact that the closer you put related things together, the easier it will be to maintain in the longterm.
2020-05-1939 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMichael Chan Teaches You How To Break Into The IndustryIt was around 2008-2010 when Michael's family's business went under due to the recession. From that point, Michael spent every spare second he had reading whatever he could. He'd be reading Ruby and JavaScript documentation while he pushed his son on the swing.In this episode, Michael talks about what it takes to break into the tech industry. He explains how interviews are a hackable skill and the importance of building relationships in the industry.HomeworkSit down for 5 minutes and think about what you really want to do with your life and figure...
2020-05-1933 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJustin McMurdie Breaks Apps Into Micro-ServicesMost applications on the backend and the front end get built as a monolith, but you could improve your developer experience and performance if you broke your applications out into microservices.The pros and cons are the same for monorepos and microservices. Microservices is a different paradigm. And so, there's a lot of training that goes involved for different people to understand the various deployment processes. The microservices system is slightly more complex in some ways, but on the pro side, you gain some performance benefits where you can scale up services by themselves.A...
2020-05-1932 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsTalia Nassi on Testing in ProductionWhat does it mean to test in production? Simply put, testing in production means testing your features in the environment where your features will live. So what if a feature works in staging, that's great, but you should care if the feature works in production, that's what matters.An excellent tool for testing in production is feature flagging. Feature flagging allows you to separate your code deployment from your feature release. So, when you use a tool like future flagging, you're able to target specific users to see your feature, and you can test your feature and...
2020-05-1929 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsDr. Michaela Greiler Makes Code Reviews Your Team's SuperpowerDr. Michaela Greiler is focused on helping teams make code reviews their superpower!During Dr. Michaela's time at Microsoft, they found that developers were spending six hours a week doing code reviews. You have to ask yourself if that time is really being well spent.How do you ensure that code reviews are worth the time? There is a huge variety of experiences with code review. It can be really good, and it can be really, really horrible as well. There is not a lot of formal training around it.Formal training would...
2020-05-1932 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsCourtney McCleve On Developing EmpathyThe internet is one of those resources that we have available to us, and it's fantastic at what it does. However, there's a lot of content that isn't super curated and isn't in a format that makes it digestible. Courtney is interested in making the web accessible not only in the way we typically think of accessibility for people with disabilities who need screen readers and other assistive technologies but also for people with mental disabilities or difficulty learning.We can help by improving the way we present the information, make it more accessible, and use words...
2020-05-1928 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsAmelia Wattenberger Breaks The UX MoldIn her free time, Amelia Wattenberger enjoys creating "code sketches." On the surface, they might just look like silly examples, but she's learned concepts or ways of doing things through these tiny code examples. You can learn a lot by playing with something in isolation and then trying to see how you can apply it to a production application later.Amelia then goes on to share her process of creating a blog post. Step one is thinking of the main idea she wants to communicate. Step two is asking herself who she is trying to communicate with...
2020-05-1933 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsAlex Anderson Creates Web-Based Spaceship ControlsThorium is the software that space centers use for the computer controls and the flight director controls of simulated space ship experiences!The cool thing about Thorium is that it's entirely web-based. Alex is using React to build Thorium and a 3D universe. The 3D universe is being driven by react-three-fiber by Paul Henschel, which is a fantastic piece of software.Alex says that if you are privileged enough to have the time and the energy and the resources to be able to do side projects, that you should go for it. He believes side...
2020-05-1933 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsLaurie Barth Chats With Kent About Growing Outside Of Your Comfort ZoneLaurie has a tough time saying no, and she ends up trying a lot of different things, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Attempting to learn something new gives you the fresh perspective of a beginner starting from nothing. We get comfortable and take for granted the pieces of knowledge we have on our skills.You have to find a balance, though. It's demotivating to feel dumb all of the time. You need to use the thing you learned for some time, so you advance beyond the beginner phase of the skill. If you jump from...
2019-11-2731 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsEve Porcello Chats With Kent About Sustainably Expanding SkillsA lot of times, when people are learning something new, they feel, "Oh, I have to learn this fast and my manager's counting on me to learn this," and everything's super stressful. As software engineers, we continually have to learn new things, and carrying that stress is tough on our mental health, so we must learn how to mitigate it.Don't worry about being an expert. Try to be okay with being a beginner at something. You shouldn't expect more than that from yourself when you start learning something new.It's essential to break your...
2019-11-2730 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsKen Wheeler Chats With Kent About Going For Challenging OpportunitiesAlmost every demo Ken has done at a conference was wildly out of his league technologically. The deadline for the conference pushes him to grow rapidly. Conference-driven development. Elon Musk says, "If it's physically possible, then we can make it happen." Take stock of the situation and ask yourself what the reality of it is, is it possible? If so, then you can accomplish it.It's not possible to take the second step or even the last step unless you've taken that first step. Finding a simple way to take that first step and just going for...
2019-11-2731 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsErik Rasmussen Chats With Kent About Maintaining Open-Source LibrariesErik built the Redux Form library to help manage form states in Redux. He decided to open-source Redux Form, and it exploded and became very, very popular.People kept coming up to Erik with additional use cases, and the form library itself kept growing to the point where the bundle size got out of hand and saying yes to all the requests for features created a monster.So Erik came up with his second form library "final-form." This time he created a plugin architecture to reduce the maintenance and make the library more capable of...
2019-11-2736 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsAngie Jones Chats With Kent About Automated Visual TestingVisual testing is like snapshot testing with images. So when your application is in the state that you want it to be in, you verify this as a human being, and then utilize tools to take a picture of your application in that state.Visual testing isn't a new concept, but the technology was previously flaky. But now, Applitools is using AI and machine learning to be able only to detect the things that we care about as human beings.Visual testing catches issues that your scripts won't detect, and Applitools is especially powerful at...
2019-11-2729 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsNader Dabit Chats With Kent About Keeping An Optimistic MindsetHow do you stay optimistic when being bombarded with negativity every day? Nader reminds us that, statistically, we are living in the safest and most prosperous period in human history. Nader went through a lot of hardship growing up, and it caused him to assume the entire world was that way, but in reality, it wasn't. Try to maintain perspective, and remember that your experiences aren't reflective of the world as a whole.The voice in your head talks about yourself in a way that you'd never treat another person. Be mindful of yourself and treat yourself...
2019-11-2728 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsKelly Vaughn Chats With Kent About Personal FinanceKelly got into personal finance while she was struggling financially in grad school. Your very first step to getting your money under control should be to know where your money is going. Sit down and look at the last three months of your bank statements and categorize your purchases.Being able to visualize and measure where your money is going is a fantastic first step for people wanting to at least see if you could make some changes to the way that you're spending your money.After you figure out where your money is going...
2019-11-2726 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsJen Luker Chats With Kent About Finding Inspiration From AnywhereJen puts knitting before the fact that she is a senior software engineer when she defines who she is; this doesn't make her a worse engineer than someone who eats, sleeps, and breathes code.With each new thing you learn, whether you're good or bad at it, you'll tend to discover something about it that teaches you something new. With everything Jen learns, she tries to bring it back into the ways she interacts with the world, whether that's through some art medium or programming.Technological progress has been an evolving process of standing on...
2019-11-2728 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsHenry Zhu Chats With Kent About The Responsibilities Of A MaintainerHenry Zhu's transition from a programing role to a more managerial role as Babel's maintainer has been hard. As programmers, we tend to value our work based on the number of commits or pushing features. When you are a manager, you're not writing much code anymore.There's still an expectation that maintainers should be writing code. Still, maintainers also have to triage and merge things, release process, onboard, market, write documentation, test, make videos, and give talks. Because of all this, a maintainer's time is best spent figuring out how to get more people involved with a...
2019-11-2732 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBianca Gandolfo Chats With Kent About Lifestyle DesignWe're all really busy but we are also ambitious and have goals, but a lot of the time those goals aren't defined so well.It's important that our goals are well defined and manageable, we're hard on ourselves when we aren't making progress towards them. You want to expend your energy on the things that are providing you with value, and when you expend your energy beating yourself up, it's worse than wasted energy because it's energy directed at making life worse for you.Bianca started Code and Coffee to take people through the process...
2019-11-2732 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsLindsey Kopacz Chats With Kent About A11yWhen Lindsey started, she didn't know what accessibility even meant. She would see that there was an "accessibility error" and fix it, but she didn't understand why she was fixing it. A11y clicked for her when she realized that the point of accessibility was to make the web usable for people with disabilities.Code, at its core, is about people, and it allows people to use and purchase products. Ultimately we code to make people's lives better, and if you aren't making your site accessible, then you are discriminating against the one in four people living...
2019-11-2731 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsLessons Learned From Four Major Projects with Shirley WuShirley Wu has been freelancer since 2016, creating data visualizations for her clients. In this episode, Shirley talks about the four projects that had the most significant impact on her.In 2017 Shirley created an interactive visualization of the musical, Hamilton. It blew up on the internet. It was the first time a project of her's had a significant response. It made her realize that code could be beautiful, colorful, and inspiring. The audience might not remember the figures or the writeup, but they will remember the emotional response they had.Her next project was less fun...
2019-08-0540 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsGetting Started With Code Live-Streaming With Suz HintonSuz started streaming because she wanted to show people that hardware coding is just like regular everyday coding, it's just for smaller, dumber computers. It's been two and a half years since she started streaming and her reasons have changed since then. Suz has a community of fourteen thousand that gathers around her stream now. Despite her now much busier schedule these days this community motivates her to keep coming back and getting open source work done.Suz talks about how you need to be doing it for the right reasons if you want to actually stick...
2019-08-0529 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsYou Can Learn A Lot For The Low Price Of Your Ego With Shawn WangYou can learn in private, or you can learn in public. 99% of developers work and learn privately in the shadows, so why shouldn't you? Something magical happened when Shawn started creating resources and sharing what he learned in public. More advanced people began to help him by correcting him when he was wrong. By learning publically, he was able to both teach and learn at the same time!"You can learn so much on the internet for the low, low price of your ego." If you keep your identity small, you can remain open to new ideas...
2019-08-0532 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsBecome Intentional With Your Time With Scott HanselmanGetting involved in the world of open-source isn't trivial, especially when we are new to this industry and don't a lot of technical experience. Those of us with the privilege of knowledge and expertise should lend it to others. Lift others, and one day they may do the same.Scott Hanselman talks about how he isn't a "transactional networker," he doesn't keep score or expect something in return for helping others. Living this way is freeing and fulfilling, even if at times you get burned by someone.It's hard to find fulfillment when we are...
2019-08-0531 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsThere Aren't Any Shortcuts To Expertise With Sara VieiraWhen something is easy for us, it more than likely is just familiar to us. It's easy to forget how challenging it was to learn what we know. When we tell someone who is still learning that something is easy, it diminishes the accomplishment of learning something new.People who are good at things put in the time and the practice to get where they are, there isn't a shortcut to experience. We can gain experience by building things. But what do you build?In this episode, Sara Vieira talks about how to find ideas...
2019-08-0530 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsA Few Excellent Reasons For Why Should Give GraphQL A Try With Peggy RayzisPeggy Rayzis is the engineering manager at Apollo, where she leads the developer experience team.Peggy talks about how Apollo touches every layer of development. There are a lot of ways that you can implement GraphQL in your application. It's incredibly flexible. You can even have GraphQL running entirely on the front-end! Peggy recommends that you implement it in your existing application by creating a GraphQL layer that sits between your front-end and underlying services.Why would it be worth all of the effort to refactor your application from a REST architecture to a GraphQL...
2019-08-0532 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsThe State Of WebAssembly With Lin Clark and Till SchneidereitLin Clark and Till Schneidereit from Mozilla discuss where WebAssembly came from and where it's going. WebAssembly was inspired by asm.js, a subset of JavaScript that could be compiled from a language such as C++. WebAssembly can take the idea further since it doesn't have the same limitations that JavaScript does.Lin and Till talk about why even a front-end developer would use WebAssembly, which leads to a discussion on one of the primary use cases of WebAssembly, performance optimization. They also get into the nitty-gritty of WASI, or the WebAssembly System Interface, which allows WebAssembly...
2019-08-0536 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsFunding Open-Source Maintainers Using Ethical Advertising With Eric BerryIt's challenging to sustain open source projects, a lot of time and energy is poured in without any compensation in return. Eric Berry created CodeFund to give developers who are finding it difficult to justify putting their time into open source projects a means to get compensated.Open source today is not the same as it was five years ago. Ninety-six percent of all web apps are using open source. The web relies on it. Sixty-five percent of all projects have only one or two maintainers, and their work is providing value to a lot of companies...
2019-08-0533 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsCreating Successful Mentor Relationships With Emma BostianEmma Bostian launched codingcoach.io, a free, open-source project that connects mentees with mentors. Emma discusses how she launched Coding Coach before she had a real database. It's better to have your product out there than to sit on it until it's perfect, you can always iterate.Mentoring doesn't just help others, you improve your teaching skills, and it also just looks good to be a mentor.Mentees should respect a mentor's time since they are doing it for free. When asking someone to be your mentor briefly describe where you're currently at, and some...
2019-08-0531 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsMake Your Apps Resilient UsingFinite State Machines With David KhourshidIn this episode, David Khourshid gives the rundown on how finite state machines can make your app more testable, more resilient to bugs, and easier to refactor.David's initial interest in finite state machines stemmed from his background in music. With music, there is a universal notation that crosses genre boundaries. David thought what if there could be music notation for logic? Well, it ends up people have been trying to figure this out for the last thirty years.A finite state machine can only be in exactly one state out of a limited number...
2019-08-0532 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsA Rundown Of What's Next For React With Dan AbramovWhat's next for React? In this second interview with Dan Abramov React's direction is discussed along with overviews of exciting new features.Dan gives a great rundown these incoming features. React suspense is going to provide a baked-in solution for the problems that async data fetching causes with component rendering, and concurrent mode is bringing non-blocking rendering. Further insight is provided into what problems sparked the need for these new features and why they were the chosen implementations.There's also discussion on React Fire modernizing React DOM, JSX v2, if React is a framework or...
2019-08-0552 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsRealigning Your Model of React After Hooks With Dan AbramovIn this episode, Kent and Dan talk about the ways in which you'll have to reconstruct your mental model of how React works in order to get the hang of hooks, and how hooks more closely align with React's intended model.React has made multiple attempts at figuring out a way to share state between components. Mixins, higher-order components, render props, and now hooks. Dan Abramov walks through what went right and what went wrong with each of the implementations prior to hooks. None of these implementations lined up with React's model, they were too indirect, or...
2019-08-0545 min
Chats with Kent C. DoddsEstablishing Your Personal Brand With Cassidy WilliamsCassidy Williams is an engineer at Codepen. In the last five years, Cassidy has worked for five companies. She had left each on her terms as she learned through experience what she wanted and didn't want. Figuring out what you like and what you don't like is critical for ending up somewhere that you're happy with, Cassidy calls this establishing your personal brand. The term "personal brand" has negative connotations to it, it seems unauthentic, but really what it means is figuring out who you are and making that public, it's as authentic as you make it....
2019-08-0533 min