Cory LaViska, Shoelace creator, discusses the transition to Web Awesome within Font Awesome. They explore web standards evolution, design systems, API development, and the success of web components frameworks. The conversation includes scaling AST transforms, simplifying code shipping, transitioning to pure CSS and web components, and building functional components with Web Awesome.
Shoelace evolved into Web Awesome with Font Awesome, offering free and premium components.
Transition from Shoelace to Web Awesome tags aims to balance consistency and ease for users.
Web Awesome provides flexible integration options for diverse user preferences, simplifying setup and advanced functionalities.
Deep dives
Evolution of Shoelace to Web Awesome
Shoelace, a library of web components, evolved into Web Awesome through a partnership with Font Awesome, creating a higher-order design system. The rebranding aligns with the vision to offer free and premium features catering to various user needs. Web Awesome introduces a theme feature for easy customization, premium components like data grid and charting libraries, and focuses on maintaining ease of use for existing Schulace users.
Transition from Schulace to Web Awesome
With the launch of Web Awesome, there will be some minor changes like transitioning from Schulace tags to Web Awesome tags for better alignment with the platform. While some adjustments are necessary due to evolving APIs, the transition aims to focus on maintaining consistency and ease for users, balancing free features, and premium offerings efficiently.
Flexible Integration Approach
Web Awesome offers a flexible integration approach catering to users' varied preferences. By combining the simplicity of a CDN installation for quick setup with the option for NPM installation for advanced functionalities like TypeScript support and custom element manifests, users can choose between build step or no build step, accommodating diverse user needs and preferences effectively.
Changes in Web Development Tooling
The podcast discusses the changing landscape of web development tooling, highlighting the shift towards reducing complexity. With advancements like type annotations becoming native to programming languages and improvements in CSS, there is a trend towards simplifying build processes and eliminating the need for additional tools like SaaS. The focus is on making web development more inclusive, accessible, and less reliant on specialized expertise, aiming to streamline the development process and make it more efficient.
Value of Web Awesome Components
The podcast delves into the value proposition of Web Awesome components, emphasizing the extensive functionality and ease of use they offer. It highlights the range of features provided, from free basic components to the more advanced Pro versions, at a competitive price point. The discussion focuses on the practicality and efficiency of using pre-built components for rapid development, allowing users to focus on building functional applications first before refining the aesthetics. The emphasis is on providing a valuable resource for developers to create web interfaces efficiently.
Shoelace creator Cory LaViska joins Amal & Jess to tell them all about the forward-thinking library of web components that just joined the Font Awesome family to create Web Awesome.
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