Front-End Fire

Anthropic dropped a bunch of good Claude Code updates. There’s a new a native VS Code extension, a v2 of the terminal version of Claude, code checkpoints, and it’s all powered by Sonnet 4.5, Anthropic’s best coding model yet.On top of Claude’s glow up, the Google Chrome team launched a Chrome DevTools MCP. AI coding assistants will be able to debug web pages directly in a Chrome browser, including using DevTools to review network requests, console output and page structure, simulate user interactions, and even automate performance audits.In a poorly planned move, the CEO of Vercel tweeted a picture of himself meeting with the controversial Israeli Prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. This sparked a massive online backlash, some Vercel employees quit, and many customers are leaving the hosting site and vowing to stop using Next.js, as well. Timestamps:00:46 - Claude Sonnet and Claude Code updates7:55 - Chrome DevTools MCP13:50 - Vercel Drama19:03 - State of JS survey is open20:21 - GitHub’s plan to make npm more secure25:30 - Meta builds data center the size of 70 football fields29:04 - What’s making us happyLinks:Paige - Chrome DevTools MCPJack - Vercel’s in hot water after a selfie with Benjamin NetanyahuTJ - Claude Code levels upState of JS survey is openGitHub’s got a plan to make npm more secureMeta builds AI data center the size of 70 football fieldsPaige - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3Jack - reactnorway.comThanks as always to our sponsor, the Blue Collar Coder channel on YouTube. You can join us in our Discord channel, explore our website and reach us via email, or talk to us on X, Bluesky, or YouTube.Front-end Fire websiteBlue Collar Coder on YouTubeBlue Collar Coder on DiscordReach out via emailTweet at us on X @front_end_fireFollow us on Bluesky @front-end-fire.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel @Front-EndFirePodcast

Adam Argyle, a Staff Design Engineer at Shopify and CSS aficionado, dives into the future of web development interviews. He highlights how hiring has evolved with AI, emphasizing the need for tailored resumes and eye-catching portfolios. Adam advocates for using animated sizzle reels to attract recruiters and shares insights on showcasing non-visual work effectively. He also discusses the importance of relevant skills in interviews and his experience with Shopify’s candidate-friendly approach, leaving listeners with essential tips for success.

This week highlights a significant supply chain attack on npm by the Shai-Hulud worm, affecting various packages. To counter this, the hosts suggest practical defenses like two-factor authentication and version pinning. They delve into the exciting features of WebAssembly 3.0, which introduces larger memory capacities and garbage collection. The discussion also covers various options for running LLMs in browsers, reflections on in-person conferences like CascadiaJS, and even some light-hearted moments with a phishing link generator and the latest on Microsoft Paint. What's not to love?

Dive into the latest enhancements from Storybook 10, showcasing impressive performance and new testing tools. Uncover the startling details of a major supply chain attack on npm that was triggered by a phishing email. Explore the alarming security vulnerability found in the AI browser Comet, which raises crucial data privacy concerns. Enjoy humorous anecdotes about audio technology innovations and the tech industry reflected in 'Silicon Valley,' while the hosts engage with their community and address your listener queries.

Discover an innovative tool that merges terminal, coding, and editing functionalities. Delve into the surprising news that Google can keep Chrome amidst antitrust debates. Unpack the recent $610 million acquisition of an AI browser and explore the impact of AI on coding and career opportunities. The hosts also touch on standout TV series like 'Alien Earth' and 'Severance,' while sharing insights on enhancing developer experiences with advanced programming monitors.

Discover the innovative features of Bun v1.2, including a unified SQL client and native YAML support. Learn about the new security scanner API designed to catch vulnerabilities before installation. Dive into the importance of checkpoints for Claude Code, enhancing developers' coding experiences. Plus, hear about Deno's legal battle with Oracle over JavaScript's trademark and how the community can help. And finally, enjoy a lighter discussion involving personal happiness and some bizarre news on scams.

Discover the rise of infrastructure management with Alchemy, enabling JavaScript-based solutions for developers. Delve into the risks associated with 'ubertools' in AI and coding, alongside the latest innovations in Next.js 15.5. A recent hacking incident highlights the importance of AI security. Plus, enjoy captivating tales of art heists and the thrill of gaming, blending cultural curiosities with tech discussions. Explore how security and SEO are evolving with AI advancements, making it a must-listen for tech enthusiasts!

Discover the latest in TanStack DevTools, where developers can streamline their tools for a more cohesive experience. Explore the rising popularity of CSS-in-JS with Panda CSS and the intriguing findings from the State of CSS survey. Dive into the drama of AI startup Perplexity's outrageous bid for Chrome, amidst the antics of Google Gemini. Enjoy a heartfelt reflection on the adventurous atmosphere of sports events and captivating podcast recommendations, plus the benefits of VPNs for travelers.

Dive into the drama as Cloudflare and Perplexity clash over AI content scraping ethics. Discover the exciting launch of Vercel's AI SDK version 5 and the innovative TanStack DB for seamless state management in web apps. The introduction of GPT-5 brings deeper reasoning to AI interactions, raising caution about its use in health-related queries. Plus, hear about concerning trends in corporate culture affecting employee well-being, and enjoy some lighthearted tales of 3D printing adventures!

There’s a new utility library in town called es-toolkit, and it’s gunning for Lodash. 2-3x faster, 97% smaller, full TypeScript support, and using modern JavaScript APIs, es-toolkit’s just added a “Lodash compatibility layer” to ensure an identical API and 100% Lodash compatibility.oRPC is the newest wrinkle in the Remote Procedural Call (RPC) world, and it promotes easy to build APIs that are end-to-end type-safe and adhere to OpenAPI standards. Stack Overflow’s 15th developer survey results are in, and the learnings are... interesting. Some of the takeaways are expected (React’s still very popular, lots of devs have at least tried AI tools), but some seem willfully wrong (SO claims it’s a new resource for devs that need to solve AI-related issues, but 43% of respondents said they rarely or never visit the site anymore). Either way, SO’s use has declined dramatically over the last few years due to the rise of AI, and we’ll see how much longer it can hang on as a vital part of the developer ecosystem.Timestamps:0:57 - es-toolkit update7:46 - oRPC17:13 - Stack Overflow Developer Survey31:43 - Bolt hackathon winners34:11 - Microsoft Edge Copilot Mode38:46 - State of HTML survey39:30 - What’s making us happyLinks:Paige - es-toolkit is coming for LodashJack - oRPCTJ - Stack Overflow 2025 survey resultsBolt hackathon winnersMicrosoft Edge Copilot ModeState of HTML surveyPaige - Monopoly Deal card gameJack - Gridfinity 3D printed grid storage systemTJ - NY Times Games AppThanks as always to our sponsor, the Blue Collar Coder channel on YouTube. You can join us in our Discord channel, explore our website and reach us via email, or talk to us on X, Bluesky, or YouTube.Front-end Fire websiteBlue Collar Coder on YouTubeBlue Collar Coder on DiscordReach out via emailTweet at us on X @front_end_fireFollow us on Bluesky @front-end-fire.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel @Front-EndFirePodcast