Modern Web

Jack Herrington talks with Tracy Lee on the latest trends in JavaScript development and developer culture. They talk about evolving web development tools and philosophies and the abstractions that come with these new frameworks. Jack and Tracy talk about the potential of HTMX and Astro, highlighting trends towards simplicity in tech and the role of client-side libraries like HTMX in bridging front-end and back-end development.

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Join Ben Lesh, Adam Rackis, and Tracy Lee as they talk about observables landing in the browser and its potential impact on the use of RXJS. They also talk about the significance of listening to customers vs having a strong vision in software development, and explore the factors that contribute to the success or failure of frameworks. Finally, they discuss the potential impact of AI automation on job roles and the outsourcing of tech jobs.

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

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Atila Fassina is a devrel engineer at Crabbula and on the Solid DX team. He is passionate about creating content and in this show we talk about his involvement with SolidJS and developer experiences in general. Rob and Atila discuss how to improve DX, performance optimizations, and the nuances behind developer documentation and how to create a comprehensive toolkit for developers. Atila also talks about the upcoming stable release of Solid and its integration with Tauri V2 for mobile app development.

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Tracy Lee, Adam Rackis, Ben Lesh host Chance Strickland to discuss new web APIs, CSS, Tailwind and Atomic CSS pros and cons, React Server Component implementations, and so much more on this podcast.

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What is the current state of React and its influence from Vercel? What are the challenges of upgrading to React 18 and the impact on testing? The hosts also cover the potential for the runtime Bun to become the default for node development. The conversation explores the future of front-end development, the complexities of modern web development, and the influence of content creators in the industry.

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Loren Sands-Ramshaw, Developer Relations Engineer at Temporal joins Rob Ocel to talk about reliable application development. They introduce the topic of durable execution and talk about reliability in systems, unraveling common issues developers face and showcase the benefits that durable execution can bring to software development. They also talk about the challenges of traditional programming and the complexities of event-driven architecture.

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Ever been curious about neural networks? Chris Gardner talks neural networks, covering fundamental concepts, historical development, and practical applications. What?s the difference between AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning? Learn about the practical application of neural networks in solving complex problems with large datasets and the importance of understanding underlying concepts. The episode also explores the challenges of training neural networks and the ethical considerations and biases inherent in machine learning models.

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In this episode, James Quick has an in depth discussion with Dustin Goodman about Astro, a static site generator, and its features. The two go deep into the future of Astro, how it competes with the current web landscape, and Astro?s features such as the View Transition API support, the image optimization component, Astro v3. They also discuss island architectures and Astro pulling in other frameworks and the excitement around the new Qwik integration and what it means for developers.

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Rob Ocel and Adam Barrett interview Jason Laster, Co-Founder of Replay, and learn about time travel debugging and how Replay's browser development tool makes debugging easier and faster. One of the hardest issues in debugging is collecting enough information about an issue that you can reliably reproduce it and then validate the fix. In this podcast, Jason discusses how Replay helps capture information and gives you the ability to not only revisit bugged behavior, but add additional breakpoints, and even test fixes as if they were present in the system at the time.

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In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Ben Lesh (Author, RxJS), Adam Rackis (Senior Software Engineer, Spotify) and Tracy Lee (Google Developer Expert, RxJS Core Team) discuss several hot topics bouncing around the web lately: 

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On this episode of Modern Web Podcast, host Simone Cuomo interviews Alvaro Saburido, a DevRel engineer and open-source developer. Alvaro talks about his project TresJS, a declarative way to create 3D experiences in Vue.js, and the importance of community-driven projects. He also discusses CentOS, Vitepress, the potential for innovation in virtual and augmented reality and the power of open-source.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

On this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Dustin Goodman is joined by Ben Ilegbodu and Jonathan Creamer to discuss the role of DivOps engineering. They discuss the ?back-end? of front-end development and the complexities of shipping modern front-ends to the web. They discuss the transition from backend engineering to DevOps, explore insights from Jonathan Creamer on managing a fork of Yarn, emphasize the ongoing need for DivOps engineering for innovation, delve into the concept of sublinear scaling, and highlight the importance of documenting decisions to enable scaling businesses.

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On this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel interviews Daniel Roe, a framework lead at Nuxt, Google GDE, and Microsoft MVP. They discuss Daniel's journey into open source, the role of hype and venture capital in the open source ecosystem, and ways to contribute to open source projects. Finally, they discuss the challenges the open source ecosystem faces and why this is an issue that more companies and developers should be paying attention to.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

On this episode of Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel interviews Andrea Griffiths, a Senior Product Manager at GitHub. Andrea shares her story of transitioning into tech and product management from a nontraditional path, and how paid internships and open source contributions helped her along the way. They discuss the role of product manager, what they do, and how product managers need to have empathy and bridge the gap between stakeholders, users, and engineering teams. They also talk about how to build truly global tech communities and reach out to developers across the world who speak every language.

[00:00:00] Tech career journey: GitHub via Latin America [00:03:56] Non-traditional career success through open source. [00:08:59] Gain experience, open source, support dreams. [00:13:15] Innovate, share, learn  [00:18:01] Product management: Global expansion, execution, feedback, accessibility, localization, KPI. [00:21:33] Product managers bridge teams, stakeholders, users.   [00:26:21] Product manager: glue, communicate, empathize. [00:31:06] Empower global tech communities  [00:35:56] Global expansion for all developers. [00:40:39] Grow global developer communities: GitHub?s mission.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs.

On this episode of Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel interviews Mark Erikson, the Redux maintainer and senior front end engineer at Replay.io. They discuss the arcane complexities of publishing JavaScript packages to NPM today, the balance between developer experience and user experience when it comes to open source libraries, the unique troubles for React/Next library authors, and the responses to Mark?s wildly successful blog about upgrading Redux to use ESM.

00:00:01] Ecosystem evolves, nobody at the wheel. [00:07:02] Open source library complexity: Dev exp. vs user exp. [00:13:11] ESM vs CJS: Technical merits, tree shaking, syntax. [00:18:35] Lazy-load files with CJS/ESM. [00:23:37] Publish libraries in multiple formats, React server components. [00:30:38] React team locks out valid code paths. [00:35:26] Open source maintainer responsibility: Maximally compatible, widely respected. [00:42:25] Competing philosophies on web evolution. [00:47:54] Unifying competing standards for developers. [00:53:19] Expertise gained through unexpected challenges.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this episode of the Modern Web podcast, hosts Rob Ocel and Tracy Lee interview Aiden Bai, the creator of the Million.js library, a replacement for the Virtual DOM implementation in ReactJS. They talk about the process of creating Million.js as a high schooler, how the library speeds up React applications using blocks and the Million Compiler, and what the future of the library looks like. The conversation also touches on the alternative experience and education paths to becoming a developer, as well as the future of open source libraries, venture funded libraries, and indie hacked frameworks.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs.

On this episode of Modern Web, Tracy Lee, Ben Lesh, Adam Rackis, and Dax Raad discussed the cloud offerings of SST and the advantages of using AWS. Adam was excited about SST's cloud wrappers and the fact that they were built with Solid instead of React to meet ambitious performance requirements. SST helps people build on AWS by simplifying the hundreds of services available and providing an experience that allows users to become experts in AWS. Dax discussed his experience with React and Solid, and the trade offs between the two.

[00:02:40] Building on AWS made easy. [00:06:00] Simplifying AWS: Less than five services. [00:10:43] Hidden gem: IoT core pubsub real-time. [00:14:33] AWS back-end and front-end support. [00:17:20] Reaching new audiences with NextJS. [00:20:06] Simplicity over complexity: Solid wins. [00:24:01] GitHub-powered effortless development for all. [00:26:24] Serverless event-driven architecture solves cold start issue. [00:30:13] Granular auto-scaling, milliseconds up/down.

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In this podcast episode, hosts Rob Ocel, Alyssa Nicoll, and Mark Thompson discuss the "Angular Renaissance." They reflect on Angular's evolution from its early days through the pivotal transition to Ivy to the current trend of biannual releases, highlighting the community's warm and supportive nature. The focus then shifts to the upcoming release of Angular 17, emphasizing the significance of control flow features and deferred loading in optimizing applications. The team underscores the importance of community engagement, evidence-driven development, and the promising future of Angular. They also tease an upcoming developer event in November, encouraging listeners to stay updated on the latest developments.

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this podcast episode, Tracy Lee, Ben Lesh, and guest Adam Rackis talk through the successful fusion of TypeScript and React. They chat about various web frameworks, like Angular and Svelte, emphasizing the impact of TypeScript support on the development process. The episode also highlights the excitement around Svelte's new feature, signals, and speculates on its potential standardization, as well as React 18's challenges and the evolution of the React ecosystem.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this podcast episode, Jerome Hardaway and Rob Ocel explore AI-powered development. They discuss the importance of active engagement in tech communities and the value of skill development. Jerome highlights the changing landscape for junior developers and the availability of free online resources for learning.

The episode also emphasizes AI's practical benefits, such as boosting productivity and aiding job readiness. It dispels misconceptions about AI hindering creativity, presenting it as a valuable tool for developers.

This episode is sponsored by CircleCI.

In this episode, hosts Rob Ocel and Tracy Lee are joined by Chuck Carpenter and Robbie Wagner from the Whiskey Web and Whatnot podcast. They discuss the future of web development, highlighting the industry's shift towards performance-focused development over flashy animations. They explore the longevity of jQuery, the use cases of frameworks like AngularJS and Ember, and the potential for combining components of Ember with Astro. The hosts also touch on the challenges of convincing stakeholders about performance and the need for developers to prioritize foundational web skills. Throughout, Robbie and Chuck share insights from The Whiskey Web and Whatnot podcast, celebrating its 100th episode.

Sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this podcast episode, Rob Ocel chats with Kathleen McMahon, a senior design systems engineer at Northwestern Mutual and a key contributor to the W3C Design Tokens Community Group.  

Kathleen McMahon kicks off the conversation by defining design systems as versatile collections of patterns and efficiencies that streamline workflows in design and engineering. She emphasizes that design systems can encompass diverse elements, such as design patterns, component libraries, CSS frameworks, and more, tailored to the unique needs of a company or product. The focus isn't on rigidity but rather on promoting consistency and efficiency while allowing flexibility for innovation.

The dialogue then shifts to Kathleen's role as a design systems engineer and the dynamic nature of her work, influenced by factors like team size and company maturity. Kathleen shares her experiences in both small, multifaceted teams and larger, specialized teams at Northwestern Mutual. She provides insights into the varied responsibilities, from creating design tokens and components to ensuring accessibility and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.

Rob and Kathleen delve into the invaluable role of design systems in simplifying workflows for designers and developers. Kathleen highlights how design systems liberate creative energy by offering reusable patterns, enabling teams to focus on solving more complex problems. They also explore the strategic decision of whether to build a design system within a specific framework or keep it framework-agnostic, shedding light on the considerations and potential challenges associated with third-party component libraries.

The episode culminates with a discussion of ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) and its pivotal role in enhancing accessibility within design systems. Kathleen discusses the opportunities and challenges of leveraging libraries like Adobe's React ARIA hooks for accessibility.

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this episode of the Modern Web podcast, host Rob Ocel engages in a conversation with Willow, also known as Ghost. Willow is not only one of the co-founders of Svelte Sirens but also an active member of the Svelte community, known for her contributions and expertise.

The episode dives into Willow's personal journey into web development. Willow shares how she stumbled upon Svelte through a YouTube video and was immediately drawn to its exceptional capabilities. She described the pivotal moment when she realized Svelte?s potential to revolutionize web development.

One of the key highlights of the episode is the emergence of SvelteKit and its transformative effect on web development. Willow underscores the remarkable flexibility of SvelteKit, emphasizing how it allows developers to effortlessly tackle various project types, from single-page applications (SPAs) to static websites, all without the burden of extensive configuration overhead.

Host Rob Ocel- Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Guest Willow aka GHOST-  Co-Founder of Svelte Sirens

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Kayla Sween to discuss her tech journey, the conference scene, organizing events, and the trials of managing your own deployments in AWS. Along the way they talk about the benefits and challenges of online, live, and hybrid conferences, why all developers should look to attend conferences, how small teams can grow into more complicated DevOps configurations, and how Flightcontrol aims to make that process less painful. Finally, they discuss living with ADHD and how learning about yourself and others can be so empowering. Guest Kayla Sween - MagnoliaJS Organizer, Front End Developer

Host Rob Ocel - Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this special episode of the Modern Web podcast, Tracy Lee and Ben Lesh are joined by Netflix Engineering Managers Ryan Burgess and Jem Young. They tackle the transition from coding to management roles, debunking myths and shedding light on real challenges. Emphasizing that management isn't a simple promotion, but a unique career track requiring distinct skills. Their candid conversation exposes the value of experienced architects guiding junior team members, fostering well-rounded teams.

The group engages in lively banter, debunking the idea that management is the sole path to career growth, exploring industry trends, including streamlining management hierarchies for efficiency. This episode resonates with diverse tech career trajectories, inspiring you with insights into leadership, team dynamics, and the evolving landscape.

Hosts Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs Ben Lesh, Author of RxJS

Guest Jem Young, Engineering Manager at Netflix Ryan Burgess, Engineering Manager at Netflix

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Tracy Lee is joined by co-host Jessica Wilkins and guest Chris Coyier, co-founder of CodePen, a company that provides an online code editor. They discuss various topics related to web development and technology.

Chris talks about his background and his work at CodePen. They are currently working on CodePen 2.0, a major update to the platform. Chris mentions that although the interface of CodePen may not have changed much over time, there's value in maintaining reliability and consistency for users.

They touch upon the challenges of keeping up with the ever-evolving landscape of web technologies. Chris expresses the importance of providing an online code editor that supports various technologies and languages, allowing users to experiment without setting up complex development environments. He also acknowledges the growing trend of AI integration in coding tools.

The conversation then shifts to the debate surrounding different tools, frameworks, and technologies in the web development space. Chris emphasizes the need for cohesiveness among these technologies and their documentation, allowing developers to easily combine tools without friction. He mentions other online code editors like StackBlitz and CodeSandbox and their innovations.

The interview highlights the importance of community and the role it plays in the success of projects like CodePen. Chris shares his dedication to maintaining the platform and ensuring its growth and relevance while also addressing potential business challenges, such as balancing free users and paid subscribers. The discussion reflects the dynamic nature of web development and the various factors that drive innovation and growth within the industry.

Hosts Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs Jessica Wilkins, Software Engineer at This Dot Labs

Guest Chris Coyier, Co-Founder of CodePen

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel dives into the intricate world of reliability engineering in software development with Maggie Johnson-Pint, co-founder of Stanza Systems. Uncover the secret behind the stampede effect that can cripple your application during traffic surges and gain insights into the indispensable need for a balanced blend of proactive and reactive strategies to ensure unwavering reliability.

Reliability engineering goes beyond mere availability metrics, encompassing user experience, performance, and trustworthiness. While the giants of the industry like Google and Silicon Valley enterprises discuss it at length, the broader developer community often finds these concepts elusive. Stanza deciphers the code to crafting resilient systems that sail through unexpected challenges and observability that unveils the hidden dynamics of your software.

Picture a scenario where your system functions flawlessly until it's pushed to its limits. Stanza?s solution: wield the power of rate limiting and masterful traffic management. Empower your application to scale seamlessly, even during maintenance or surges in demand. Don't let downtime tarnish your reputation ? keep the traffic flowing while maintaining control.

But that's not all ? we introduce you to Stanza, the game-changing tool designed to bring reliability optimization to your fingertips. Stanza revolutionizes the way web developers navigate the intricate world of performance. Imagine dynamically fine-tuning content delivery based on system load. Drawing inspiration from industry giants like Netflix, this approach enhances perceived reliability while alleviating system stress.

Whether you're a part of a small team or a burgeoning enterprise, Stanza's integration fits seamlessly into diverse tech stacks, including serverless environments. It's your all-in-one solution, offering features like request limiting, prioritization, and real-time adjustments. We're here to demystify complex concepts, paving the way for a brighter, more reliable digital landscape.

Elevate your application's reliability, user experience, and performance to unparalleled heights. Embrace the synergy of proactive and reactive measures with the roadmap laid out in this interview. Experience the transformation ? explore Stanza and unlock a new era of software reliability!

This Dot Labs is a development consultancy that is trusted by top industry companies, including Stripe, Xero, Wikimedia, Docusign, and Twilio. This Dot takes a hands-on approach by providing tailored development strategies to help you approach your most pressing challenges with clarity and confidence. Whether it's bridging the gap between business and technology or modernizing legacy systems, you?ll find a breadth of experience and knowledge you need. Check out how This Dot Labs can empower your tech journey at thisdot.co.

Host Rob Ocel, Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Guest Maggie Johnson-Pint, Co-Founder of Stanza Systems

Uncover the best ESLint hacks with open source maintainer Josh Goldberg in this episode of the Modern Web Podcast.

Enhancing Your Code Quality: TypeScript ESLint brings a new dimension to linting by blending ESLint's capabilities with TypeScript's type-checking. Now, developers can analyze TypeScript code with ease, utilizing linting rules and tools that leverage TypeScript's type-checking APIs. Say goodbye to tedious manual checks and embrace the power of automated code analysis.

Version 6.0 Breakthrough: Discover the latest release of TypeScript ESLint V6.0, where preset configurations have been thoughtfully reworked. Developers can now enjoy more granular control over rules, tailoring their linting experience to suit their team's unique preferences and needs. With the separation of stylistic, strict, and opinionated rules, your codebase will reach new heights of consistency and excellence.

User-Centered Experience: TypeScript ESLint focuses on developers' needs, actively seeking community feedback and engaging in discussions to ensure the best possible experience. Embrace the power of user-centered and informative error messages, guiding developers in mastering TypeScript and embracing its full potential. Get ready to elevate your TypeScript development with TypeScript ESLint V6.0, offering low configuration, high impact, and unrivaled performance.

Boost your code quality and streamline your TypeScript development process with TypeScript ESLint. Say goodbye to manual checks and tedious errors, and unlock the potential of automated code analysis. Take control of your linting experience with V6.0's reworked presets, tailored to your team's preferences. Experience the future of linting with user-centered and informative error messages, guiding you towards mastery of TypeScript. Elevate your development journey with TypeScript ESLint V6.0, the ultimate tool for developer-friendly, efficient, and powerful linting.

Host Rob Ocel- Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Guest Josh Goldberg- Open Source Maintainer

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode of Modern Web, Tracy Lee and Ben Lesh are joined live at RenderATL by Francesco Ciulla, Tessa Mero, Ady Ngom, and Jessica Wilkins! 

Tune in as they double click into the highly debated subject of Tailwind CSS and explore the advantages, readability concerns, and overall consensus on its usage. Discover why Tailwind CSS is making waves in the industry, particularly for new projects, and how it can simplify your development process while enhancing productivity.

But that's not all! The conversation takes an intriguing turn as the group dives into the realm of web components. Hear opinions on whether web components can be a viable alternative to traditional frameworks. Gain insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding web components, including server-side rendering and widespread adoption.

Hosts Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs Ben Lesh, Author of RxJS

Panel Francesco Ciulla, DevRel at daily.dev Tessa Mero, Developer Advocate at Appwrite Ady Ngom, Chief Consultant at Techlabs 28 Jessica Wilkins, Software Engineer at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast live at RenderATL, Tracy Lee interviews Michelle ?Mish? Mannering. As an advocate for developers at GitHub, Mish emphasizes the importance of effective communication and creating tutorials that cater to developers of all levels.

Get inspired as Tracy and Mish reveal their unconventional journeys into the tech industry, proving that diverse backgrounds can lead to remarkable success in Developer Relations. With their infectious enthusiasm, they describe the joy of engaging with the vibrant developer community, attending events, and witnessing awe-inspiring projects come to life.

Tune in now to the Modern Web Podcast and join Tracy and Michelle as they delve into the exciting world of Developer Relations, uncovering valuable insights, and fostering a stronger developer community.

Guest Michelle "Mish" Mannering, Developer Advocate at GitHub

Hosts Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this episode of Modern Web, co-hosts Tracy Lee and Ben Lesh sit down live at RenderATL with Scott Tolinski, co-host of the Syntax podcast and of Level Up Tutorials, to discuss his journey as a web development tutorial creator and YouTuber. He shares his experiences of transitioning from a full-time developer to creating YouTube tutorials as a side project. Initially, Scott started his YouTube channel to fill his free time but eventually saw it gain popularity and became his full-time career in 2017. However, he faced challenges when attempting to monetize his content and struggled to convince his audience to pay for his courses after providing free content for years.

Scott also talks about the technical aspects of his work, highlighting the benefits of using Svelte, a JavaScript framework, and his preference for its close resemblance to the DOM. He also mentions the evolution of his content creation strategies, such as releasing teaser videos on YouTube to redirect viewers to his website, where the main courses were available behind a paywall.

The conversation touches on the challenges of being a YouTuber, including the unpredictability of ad revenue and the abundance of kids' content that can be both entertaining and controversial. Scott expresses his openness to his own children exploring YouTube but emphasizes the importance of allowing them to choose their own path.

Overall, the interview provides insights into Scott Tolinski's experiences as a developer, YouTuber, and co-host of the Syntax podcast, highlighting his journey from creating free tutorials to monetizing his content and the challenges he faced along the way.

Guest Scott Tolinski, Co-host of Syntax.fm

Hosts Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs Ben Lesh, RxJS Core Team Lead

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

Andrew Knight, popularly known as automation panda, was recently interviewed on the Modern Web Podcast by host Rob Ocel. Andrew, a software quality champion, developer advocate, and test automation expert, shared his insights and experiences in the interview. He spoke passionately about testing and the importance of improving software quality. Andrew discussed the challenges he faced early in his career and how he recognized the opportunity to enhance software stability, readability, and speed through effective testing.

The conversation then shifted to the current state of testing in various tech communities. Andrew highlighted the wide variation in testing practices across companies, irrespective of programming languages or tech stacks. Smaller companies often lacked proper testing processes, while larger companies relied on traditional testing approaches that were deeply ingrained.

Advancements in web testing frameworks and tools were another topic of discussion. Andrew acknowledged the long-standing availability of functional testing, which simulates user interactions with a website. However, he pointed out the emergence of newer tools like Cypress and Playwright, which provide a modern developer experience, making web testing more accessible, efficient, and enjoyable. Andrew also emphasized the importance of addressing user experience and visual aspects of testing, where human evaluation remains crucial but can be supplemented by visual testing tools like Applitools.

The interview concluded with a glimpse into the future of autonomous testing. Andrew highlighted that while autonomous testing could never completely replace human exploratory testing, it held potential in understanding the behavior of software applications. The vision was to train autonomous agents to recognize established workflows, adapt to specific applications, propose test cases based on observed behaviors, and potentially execute these behaviors autonomously. This approach would allow developers to focus more on designing desired behaviors and less on implementing specifications.

Throughout the interview, Rob Ocel and Andrew Knight discussed the trade-off between investment and return in software testing. They reflected on the value of maintaining extensive test coverage and questioned its significance compared to the effort required to sustain it. Andrew emphasized the importance of focusing on valuable behaviors and understanding customer needs when prioritizing testing efforts. They also touched upon the idea that not all edge cases or hypothetical scenarios warrant investing time and resources in testing if they have minimal real-world impact.

Other topics covered in the interview include Andrew's talk on the eight Software Testing convictions, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, which emphasize intentional design, accessibility, and the value of quality in software development. The discussion also revolved around the value of personas, engaging with real users to understand their needs and prioritize testing efforts accordingly. The interview highlighted the delicate balance between investing in quality and delivering value in software development and testing, with a focus on valuable behaviors and iterative learning from user interactions.

Host

Rob Ocel, Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Guest

Andrew Knight, Principal Developer Advocate at Applitools

This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this episode of Modern Web, Tracy Lee and Adam Barrett talk with Kevin Åberg Kultalahti of Svelte Society to discuss the long anticipated release of Svelte 4. Listen in as they explore the exciting technical enhancements that Svelte 4 brings to the table, including its reduced package size, enhanced web component support, and optimized performance.

Svelte 4 introduces a revolutionary approach to web development by compiling components at build time rather than relying on a runtime framework. This means smaller bundle sizes, faster loading times, and improved performance for your applications. We delve into the technical details of how Svelte achieves this impressive feat, providing practical examples and insights into the inner workings of the framework.

Compatibility is a key concern for any web development framework, and Svelte 4 addresses this head-on. With improved web component support, Svelte 4 enables seamless integration with existing codebases and allows developers to leverage the power of Svelte in combination with other frameworks or libraries. Our discussion explores the compatibility aspects of Svelte 4, highlighting its flexibility and ease of adoption for both new and existing projects.

Whether you're a seasoned developer looking to stay at the forefront of web development trends or a newcomer eager to explore the latest innovations, this episode offers valuable insights and practical examples that showcase how Svelte 4 can revolutionize your web development workflow. Don't miss out on this opportunity to unlock the true potential of Svelte 4 and take your projects to new heights. Tune in now and discover the power of this cutting-edge framework!

Guest: Kevin Åberg Kultalahti, Svelte Society @kevmodrome

Hosts: Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs @ladyleet Adam L. Barrett, Software Engineer at This Dot Labs @adamlbarrett

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Ben Lesh (RxJS Core Team Lead) and Ryan Carniato (Principal Engineer at Netlify, Creator of SolidJS) to discuss Signals. They talk about what Signal are, why they're suddenly so popular, how Signals differ from Observables, and whether Signals (or Observables) should be integrated into the web platform. They also cover how engineers should think about the "Signals hype", and how Signals are implemented differently from framework to framework.

Guests Ryan Carniato - Principal Engineer @Netlify, Creator of @solid_js, and the CEO of Signals - @RyanCarniato Ben Lesh - RxJS Core Team Lead, and the CEO of Observables? - @BenLesh

Host Rob Ocel - Architect and Engineering Lead @ThisDotLabs - @robocell

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Debbie O'Brien (Senior Program Manager at Microsift and Playwright Developer Advocate) to discuss automated testing with Playwright! They talk about the evolution of the testing pyramid, how to write Playwright with the Playwright recorder, and some of the upcoming features of Playwright to deal with Shadow DOM, frames, selector issues, and so much more! 

Guest Debbie O'Brien: Senior Program Manager at Microsoft and Playwright Web Developer Advocate. @debs_obrien

Host Rob Ocel: Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs. @robocell

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Rick Conrades, Engineering Manager at This Dot Labs, to discuss software development and engineering management! They discuss how to identify and mitigate risks, how to make difficult technology tradeoffs, and how to "manage up"! Finally, they share tips for all software engineers about relating to engineering managers, and the surprising challenges that engineering managers face with their teams.

Guest Rick Conrades, Engineering Manager at This Dot Labs

Host Rob Ocel, Software Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Jesse Tomchak is joined by Sam Julien, Director of Developer Advocacy, for Auth0 at Okta. What is the day to day of someone in developer advocacy outside of what we see from blog posts and conference talks? Sam is passionate about helping developers become the best versions of themselves through Tiny Experiments book, and his current newsletter, Developer Microskills. We dive into the idea of self taught developers, developer productive that is actually effective, sustainable progress, and so much more.

Guest Sam Julien - Director of Developer Advocacy, Auth0 at Okta

Host Jesse Tomchak - Architect and Engineering Lead at ThisDotLabs - @robocell

Developer Microskills newsletter (https://developermicroskills.com) Sam's website (http://www.samjulien.com/) How to Finish What You Start article (https://www.samjulien.com/how-to-finish-what-you-start) Guide to Tiny Experiments book (https://learn.samjulien.com/guide-to-tiny-experiments) Getting Started in Developer Relations book (http://www.gettingstartedindevrel.com)

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Jenny Truong, Head of Operations and Developer Relations at Stately, to talk about state machines, XState, and mental health. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of starting a company from an open-source project, the benefits of user research and how Stately has used it to develop their new stately studio, and they extensively discuss Jenny's recent talk at AgentConf on looking at moods, burnout, and stress through the lens of state machines. Finally, they talk about the fun of being a doughnut connoisseur.

?Guest Jenny Truong- Head of Operations and Developer Relations at Stately 

Host Rob Ocel - Architect and Engineering Lead @ThisDotLabs - @robocell

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Dominik Dorfmeister (Frontend Tech Lead at Adverity and Maintainer of TanStack Query), to talk about open-source software, TanStack Query, and more! They discuss the rapid growth of the TanStack, how Dominik first became involved as a core team maintainer and the challenges he's faced, the future of the TanStack and data-management as a driving force in front-end framework development, using TanStack in other frameworks, and the joys of skiing.

Guest Dominik Dorfmeister, Frontend Lead at Adverty and Maintainer for TanStack Query

Host Rob Ocel, Software Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Jesse Tomchak is joined by Tanner Linsley of smash hits like TanStack Table, Query, and Router, for a discussion about Tanner's latest project: TanStack Start. Tanner discusses the problems he?s trying to solve, how building on existing ideas in the community has accelerated development pace, and how he went about solving it in a very "TanStack" fashion.

Guest Tanner Linsley, Co-Founder at nozzle.io and Creator of TanStack

Host Jesse Tomchack, Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel, is joined by Trecia Kat, to talk about breaking into tech, building a social media following, and finding community. They discuss how to find a niche through being yourself on social media, choosing between DevRel and engineering career paths, CSS, and even their hopes and fears for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Guest

Trecia Kat, Self-Taught Developer and DevRel Engineer

Host

Rob Ocel, Engineering Lead & Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

On this episode of The Modern Web, we catch up with Scott Spence, Developer Relations Engineer at Storyblok, and SvelteSociety London meetup organizer. We dive into the ins and outs of Svelte, ramping up from React, what?s it like to a second career developer, and the importance of paying it forward to developers who are new to the community.

Guest

Scott Spence, Developer Relations Engineer at Storyblok

Host

Jesse Tomchak, Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

This week on Modern Web Alyssa Nicoll from Progress takes the web out of the browser and into native apps. Bringing you the cutting edge of native applications with embedded web technologies, Angular offers the best of both worlds. We take some minor detours into learning backend technology stacks as a long life JavaScript developer, and the awesome communities and friends we?ve made along the way. Join us for a spectacular journey and a couple tangents.

Guest

Alyssa Nicoll, Sr. Developer Advocate at Progress

Host

Jesse Tomchak, Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Gant Laborde (CIO @infinite_red, Author of ?Learning TensorFlow.js: Powerful Machine Learning in JavaScript?, Chain React organizer), to talk about React Native, conference organizing, and the promise of AI in development.  They discuss the flexibility and power of hybrid native apps, the upcoming new architecture of React Native, the trials and tribulations of organizing conferences, the state of AI tooling and education, and the opportunities and challenges for developers in a future working alongside AI.

Guest

Gant Laborde - CIO at Infinite Red, Author of ?Learning TensorFlow.js: Powerful Machine Learning in JavaScript?, Chain React organizer, Google GDE and Microsoft MVP

Host Rob Ocel - Architect and Engineering Lead ThisDotLabs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel, is joined by Shai Reznik, Founder and CEO at HiRez.io and Community DevRel at Qwik, to talk about Qwik. They discuss the history of front-end development and frameworks, what has led to this recent surge in framework development, what architectural principles Qwik values most, how Qwik and QwikCity differ, how to build Qwik apps, and so much more!

Guest

Shai Reznik- Founder and CEO at HiRez.io and Community DevRel at Qwik

Host

Rob Ocel- Software Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Jordan Powell, Developer Experience Engineer Cypress, to talk about Component Testing in Cypress. They discuss the explosive recent growth of Cypress, the exciting new features just launched in recent versions, and the changing shape of the testing ?trophy?. Then, they dive deeply into component testing in Cypress: motivations, best practices, tips, and so much more!

Guest

Jordan Powell- Developer Experience Engineer at Cypress

Host

Rob Ocel- Software Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode Jesse Tomchak is joined by Paige Kelley to talk about the ins ad outs of building a design system including the gritty details of coordinating an actual micro frontend. They also talk about the return to conferences, what changes they've noticed in the conference experience, what it's like to speak at a tech event, and more.

Guest

Paige Kelley- Senior Software Engineer at Pax8

Host

Jesse Tomchak- Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this podcast, Rob Ocel and Adam L. Barrett talk with Alex Olivier, Product Lead at Cerbos, to discuss Authorization. They discuss how authorization (AuthZ) differs from authentication (AuthN), how Cerbos works and how it makes authorization simpler, what differentiates business logic from authorization logic, how to test authorization logic, and more!

Hosts

Adam L. Barrett - Senior Developer at @thisdotlabs - @adamlbarrett Rob Ocel - Architect at @thisdotlabs - @robocell

Guest

Alex Olivier - Product Lead at @cerbosdev - @alexolivier

For more information on Cerbos, check out cerbos.dev.

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Ray Gesualdo, live at Connect Tech 2022, to discuss API development and how the process is a lot like building with the internationally famous toy, Legos. They share some fond memories of growing up and now raising kids around Legos, talk about the traits and characteristics of the best component and service APIs, and show how some of the great victories and lasting lessons of Lego apply to building more resilient, modular, reusable, and consistent software.

Host

Rob Ocel- Software Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs

Guest

Ray Gesualdo- Staff Software Architect at SalesLoft

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel and Jesse Tomchak are joined by Cory House at Connect Tech 2022 to discuss the past, present, and future of React. They talk about: lessons learned from 7 years of React (featuring discussions of coupling, testing, and hooks), how to pick a React meta-framework, and what pillars they think successful developers should prioritize.

Hosts

Rob Ocel- Software Architect and Team Lead at This Dot Labs

Jesse Tomchak- Software Architect at This Dot Labs

Guest

Cory House- Founder of ReactJS Consulting

Sponsored by This Dot Labs