Engineering Mindset: Measure Not Assume

Episode 4 – Datastar and Hypermedia.

In this episode, Glen interviews Delaney, the creator of DataStar, a lightweight framework designed for building real-time collaborative web applications. Delaney shares his journey from being a 3D artist to a developer, emphasizing the importance of hypermedia and real-time visualization. The conversation delves into the efficiency of DataStar, its use of Server-Sent Events (SSE), and the framework's potential for collaborative web experiences. Delaney also discusses the challenges of WebSockets and introduces future projects like DarkStar, aimed at enhancing networking capabilities. Overall, the episode highlights the transformative potential of DataStar in modern web development. In this conversation, Delaney discusses the intricacies of DataStar, a real-time system for handling large volumes of messages. He emphasizes the importance of simplicity in programming, the significance of measuring performance, and the role of abstraction in software development. Delaney also explains the core functions of DataStar, including patch elements and signals, and how they facilitate real-time interactivity. The discussion touches on offline support, the growth of the DataStar community, and the non-profit model that supports its development. Delaney encourages developers to engage with the community and emphasizes the importance of building solutions to real problems.

Learn more about Datastar and Hypermedia:

• https://data-star.dev/
• https://data-star.dev/reference/datastar_pro
• https://hypermedia.systems/

Rama

If you like this podcast you might also like our modular network framework in Rust: https://ramaproxy.org

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:42 Delaney and his background
• 02:39 The Evolution of Hypermedia and Real-Time Systems
• 06:27 SSE and Compression
• 15:33 The Social Web
• 23:01 Why use datastar?
• 29:42 Web Transport and Darkstar
• 33:55 DataStar and Future Directions
• 46:04 Understanding Abstraction in Programming
• 50:19 DataStar: Key Functions and Concepts
• 53:27 Signals in DataStar: When to Use Them
• 57:25 Front-End Validation and User Experience
• 59:27 Offline Support and Web Applications
• 01:02:56 The Growth of DataStar and Community Engagement
• 01:07:09 The Challenges of Web Development
• 01:09:26 AI and Its Role in Development
• 01:13:22 DataStar and WebTransport: Future Directions
• 01:16:33 Dynamic Content and DataStar's Use Cases
• 01:18:35 Funding and Sustainability of Open Source Projects
• 01:31:02 Outro

Netstack.FM

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Music for this episode was composed by Dj Mailbox. Listen to his music at https://on.soundcloud.com/4MRyPSNj8FZoVGpytj.