Backend Banter

Theo Browne, CEO of Ping.gg and TypeScript advocate, discusses his background in Elixir and why he switched to TypeScript. They also explore the origins of Elixir and the benefits of using Vercel and Next.js. They touch on misconceptions about building from scratch, the role of TypeScript in checking code, and the debate over explicit return types. The importance of being a good engineer and following your passion is also highlighted.

Pekka Enberg, CTO of TursoDB, talks about running SQLite on the edge and discusses the benefits of using SQLite as an embedded database. They explore the challenges of distributing a centralized database worldwide and improving performance with AWS Lambda. They also touch on using Postgres and Elasticsearch for transactional data and analytics, and discuss write guarantees and data consistency in databases.

The near-cinematic trailer for the backend banter podcast. Featuring The Primeagen, Melkey, TJ Devries, Miriah Peterson, Bill Kennedy, and Brian Morrison from PlanetScale. Hope you like the pod!

Rob Walling, an entrepreneur and author of several books on startups, discusses the journey from coding to founding successful companies. He emphasizes the value of backend development skills, whether in full-time roles or freelancing. Rob shares personal stories about transitioning from a coder to an entrepreneur, the importance of recurring revenue in SaaS, and the pitfalls faced by non-technical founders. He also critiques traditional waterfall development, advocating for adaptive methods in today’s fast-paced tech landscape.

Miriah Peterson chats with Lane about how great Go tends to be for not only backend application development, but also data engineering roles. Miriah hosts Golang meetups and conferences alongside her full time job, so they also discuss how in person networking can help your new career as a programmer.

Lane chats with Mat Ryer, a host of the amazing GoTime.fm podcasts sits down with Lane to chat about his experience as a Go developer. Among other things, they chat about how Mat used Go to successfully build and sell a multi-million dollar company.Learn back-end development - https://boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.comMat Ryer's Twitter: https://twitter.com/matryerGoTimeFM: https://changelog.com/gotimeMat on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@matryer7143Blue Monday: https://github.com/microcosm-cc/bluemondayBig Tent Pod: https://bigtent.fm/

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Michael Green, an expert on Python programming, debates the language's effectiveness in backend development. He shares insights on using Python for large production projects, weighing its accessibility against performance compared to lower-level languages. The conversation dives into typing systems, touching on static vs. dynamic typing and the importance of testing strategies. Michael also reveals fascinating tips on optimizing CSV parsing and integrating C code for enhanced performance.

Lane chats with Travis Wagner, aka TechSavvyTravvy, the man behind the "crablang" fork of Rust. They talk about the issues with the Rust foundation that caused the fork, how the fork works from a technical perspective and other open-source shenanigans.Learn back-end development - https://boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.comTravis's Twitter: https://twitter.com/techsavvytravvyTravis's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/techsavvytravvyCrablang: https://github.com/crablang/crabLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!

The Primeagen, expert in unit tests and building cli tooling, talks about coding experiences, job dissatisfaction, and the value of building command line tools for back-end developers. They also discuss their preferences for concise tools, the Unix philosophy, and their interest in trying out OCaml and Rust for string processing and tool development.

James Q Quick, an experienced developer, shares tips for landing your first coding job. They discuss the value of a computer science degree, differences in learning tools between boot camps and CS programs, and the difficulty of getting the first coding job compared to the second. They also talk about navigating the hiring process, demonstrating adaptability in interviews, and providing tips for answering questions about unfamiliar technologies.