
ShopTalk
A podcast about web design and development.
Latest episodes

Jun 2, 2025 • 1h 7min
667: Jen Simmons on Declarative Web Push, Form Control Styling, & More
Show DescriptionJen Simmons stops by to talk about new CSS and Safari features like Form Control Styling, Declarative Web Push, Typography, contrast-color(), and more.
Listen on Website →GuestsJen SimmonsGuest's Main URL • Guest's SocialSafari & WebKit Evangelist. Member of the CSS Working Group. Webmaster since 1996.
Links
webkit.org
Safari Release Notes
WCAG 2.0
contrast-color() function
APCA Color Contrast Tool
Color.js Release
Lea Verou’s page on color contrast
Declarative Web Push
Web Push for Web Apps on iOS and iPadOS
CSS Forms Level 1 Specification in Progress
<input type="color" colorspace="display-p3" alpha>
line-height units
Home | Open UI
text-wrap: pretty
margin-trim
CSS shape() function
Two Lines of Cross-Document View Transitions Code
Sponsors

May 26, 2025 • 1h 2min
666: What Are the Evils of the Web Platform?
Show DescriptionHow it all comes back to the why column, dark patterns, privacy and tracking, getting emails forever from one purchase, how to be bold with communication while still being respectful, HTMHell, CSS mistakes, are we anti-JSON, and the state of FitVid in 2025.
Listen on Website →Links
Markup from hell - HTMHell
Incomplete List of Mistakes in the Design of CSS [CSS Working Group Wiki]
JSON Editing
Douglas Crockford on JSON
Fluid Video Plugin
Sponsors

May 19, 2025 • 1h 1min
665: JavaScript Educator and Twitch Streamer Mat Marquis
Show DescriptionFresh off his Megaman Streamathon, Mat Marquis joins us to talk about becoming a professional Twitch streamer, creating a JavaScript course, his thoughts on the design and content of said course, a brief moment on Linux in 2025, and attempts to make the web weird and fun again.
Listen on Website →GuestsMat MarquisGuest's Main URL • Guest's SocialMy goal is to ensure that your content can reach any user, in any browsing context—regardless of the size of their screen, the speed of their internet connection, the age of their device, or the combination of browsers and assistive technologies they use to experience the web.
Links
I’m Mat. I make websites.
Wilto (Mat Marquis) · GitHub
Mat “Wilto” Marquis (@Wilto@front-end.social) - Front-End Social
Mat “Wilto” Marquis (@wil.to) — Bluesky
WiltoStreams - Live Streaming
JavaScript for Web Designers
Learn JavaScript
CodeMirror Text Editor
JavaScript Playground
JavaScript for Everyone
Premium Courses
Paul Irish Profile
Robin Sloan
Framework Laptop 16 DIY
Johnny Mnemonic
Johnny Mnemonic Trailer #1
Sponsors

12 snips
May 12, 2025 • 1h 5min
664: Figma Sites, CSS Carousels, and Internship Prep
Dive into the latest Figma updates, including Figma Sites, and their impact on user experience and web design. Discover the challenges of accessibility in CSS carousels, balancing innovative design with usability. Hear unique insights on preparing for a web development internship, with tips on coding skills and company tech stacks. Explore the significance of logical properties for right-to-left languages and the evolving landscape of web design for vertical texts. Plus, enjoy some humorous anecdotes along the way!

May 5, 2025 • 1h 1min
663: HBD Dave, Silly Web Fun, Color-Mix Tips
The hosts dive into the quirks of podcast playback speeds and how they shape listener experiences. They share amusing stories about balancing children’s gaming habits, particularly with popular platforms like Roblox. Celebrating a special birthday, they also investigate the impact of GSAP's shift to free access and the creativity behind new features. The challenges of browser compatibility are dissected, especially comparing Firefox to others. Finally, they explore the complexities of CSS custom properties and innovative tools for color mixing.

20 snips
Apr 28, 2025 • 1h 3min
662: Alternative Browsers, Discord vs Circle, and AI in the Browser
Show DescriptionWe're talking browsers and discussing alternative options like Vivaldi and Brave, the implications of Chrome's potential sale to OpenAI, the impact of AI on browser functionality, Discord vs Circle, and building with Hotwire.
Listen on Website →Links
Newfangled Browser Alternatives – Frontend Masters Blog
Zen Browser
Horse Browser
Vivaldi Browser | Powerful, Personal and Private web browser
Opera GX | Gaming Browser | Opera
Thorium Browser
Mullvad Browser
Fast and Private Web Browser
DuckDuckGo
Microsoft Edge Download
OpenAI Chrome Acquisition
Mozilla on U.S. v. Google
HTML5 CSS3 Support
Opera Air | Mindful Browser
Opera Mini Download
Hotwire Drawer Component
CodePen
Circle
Discord
Zulip
Netlify Support Forums
Retro Photo app
Media Diet – Chris Coyier
Sponsors

10 snips
Apr 21, 2025 • 59min
661: Working Vacations, Ripping Out JavaScript, and Non-US Cloud Service Options
Show DescriptionWhat are the non-US cloud services options, falling off the blogging train and trying to get back on, working on vacation, Chris recaps the Alaskan Folk Festival experience, how often do you go back and clean out JavaScript, and the idea of gilding just one lily on a new project.
Listen on Website →Links
European Alternatives
A lack of frequency increases the pressure to deliver quality
Trap (2024) Reviews
Polyfilling Concepts
ex-Googler · April 10, 2025
Gild Just One Lily
Blog Questions Challenge
CodePen Development
CSS clip-path maker
Sponsors

Apr 14, 2025 • 59min
660: Teaching CSS, Conferences, and Masonry Updates
Show DescriptionFollow up on thoughts about teaching CSS from scratch, questions about conferences to attend as well as a way to kickstart a conference idea, some Balatro thoughts, and our thoughts on the recent Grid vs Masonry debate.
Listen on Website →Links
The Homebrewery - NaturalCrit
SmashingConf in-person Conferences 2025 — Friendly, inclusive & fun events for web designers and developers. - SmashingConf New York, Freiburg, Antwerp and Online
Web Design Event
State of the Browser 13
Bring live to life
Sponsors

Apr 7, 2025 • 1h 10min
659: CSS Carousel Configurator Demos with Adam Argyle
Adam Argyle, a CSS expert at Google, shares insights on the revolutionary Carousel Configurator designed to enhance web scrolling experiences. He discusses how modern CSS features allow carousels to be built without JavaScript, focusing on accessibility and usability. The conversation dives into dynamic element positioning, the importance of interactivity using CSS properties like 'inert', and innovations in layout techniques. Argyle also touches on creating accessible scroll navigation and the exciting future of CSS in web design.

Mar 31, 2025 • 1h 2min
658: Andy Bell on Working with Clients, Writing, and Building Courses for Web Builders
Andy Bell, founder of Set Studio and Piccalilli, is a trailblazer in web design and front-end development. He discusses the evolution of web design, shifting from static to interactive, browser-based prototypes. Andy sheds light on the importance of client relationships, highlighting tools for maintaining project integrity and decision-making frameworks. He humorously critiques AI in tech while sharing insights on customizing design systems and creating courses for web builders, blending expertise with engaging anecdotes about font selection and client dynamics.