The Programming Podcast

In this episode, Danny and Leon are joined by James Quick, Head of Developer Experience at BigCommerce, to unpack all the major announcements from Vercel Ship 2025. We cover:NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/Stay in Touch:📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial PlanningChanging careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/Danny Thompsonhttps://x.com/DThompsonDevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDevwww.DThompsonDev.comLeon Noelhttps://x.com/leonnoelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/https://100devs.org/📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!- The new AI Gateway and what “no vendor lock-in” really means- Active CPU pricing and how it can save you real money at scale- Rolling Releases vs. A/B testing for safer, incremental deployments- Bot ID: Vercel’s AI-powered bot protection for logins, checkouts, and expensive LLM endpoints- Micro-frontends and how they fit into your Next.js apps- Sandboxes for isolated testing of AI agents and prototypes- Plus, stick around for our Ask Danny & Leon Q&A on building a stand-out portfolio and getting your first software role👍 If you enjoyed this deep dive, hit Like, Subscribe, and ring the 🔔 to never miss an episode!💬 Drop your questions for the next Ask segment in the comments.🌐 Follow us on Twitter: @DThompsonDev | @LeonNoelTimestamps00:00 – Welcome & Host Introductions01:42 – Overview of Vercel Ship 202507:08 – AI Gateway: One Endpoint for Every Model10:22 – Active CPU Pricing: Pay Only for What You Use14:46 – Rolling Releases: Safer, Incremental Deployments20:52 – Rolling Releases vs. A/B Testing Explained24:47 – Bot ID: Invisible AI-Powered Bot Protection30:03 – Sponsor Break: Level Up Financial Planning33:07 – UX & Partnership: Why Vercel’s Strategy Matters36:05 – Sandboxes: Isolated AI & Code Testing40:03 – The Shift to AI Cloud & Future Workflows44:47 – Ask Danny & Leon: Portfolio, LinkedIn & Landing Jobs53:30 – Wrap-Up & What’s NextEnjoy the show!

In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel dive deep into three key topics that every developer should know right now:Vercel’s Fluid Compute — What it is, why it matters, and how a single toggle can slash your cloud costs.JavaScript .map() explained — Not just for beginners! Real-world enterprise use cases and how it protects your original data.New CSS features — Danny brings in a fresh concept that blew his mind over the weekend.They also share powerful insights on how to build momentum after a tech conference, including actionable tips to turn casual conversations into long-term relationships.Finally, Danny shares his AI prompting technique that radically improves the quality of responses from ChatGPT and other tools — and you’ll want to steal this trick.💡 Whether you're junior or senior, working on side projects or leading enterprise teams, this episode packs in practical advice, strategy, and laughs.👇 Chapters below — don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review (or hit dislike twice 😉)!⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters:0:00 – Intro and janky apps vs. enterprise hacks1:00 – Podcast kickoff & thank you for 219 5-star reviews2:30 – Vercel Fluid Compute: Why this one toggle changes everything4:45 – Multi-threading explained with real examples7:00 – Impact on React apps, cost savings, and AI workloads10:00 – Enterprise-scale architecture shifts11:00 – JavaScript .map() – Real-world usage breakdown13:40 – Map vs. original data: what juniors often miss15:00 – Data protection and use cases with sensitive info16:50 – Why .map() is like let for arrays17:30 – React, enterprise component architecture, and separation of concerns19:00 – CSS concept teaser (covered later or in next episode)37:00 – How to improve your AI prompts dramatically38:10 – Danny’s exact prompt to get better ChatGPT responses39:30 – Ask Danny & Leon: How to keep momentum after a tech conference41:00 – Leon’s tips: Thank-yous, Twitter lists, and coffee chats42:00 – Danny’s pre-conference strategy and post-event follow-up44:00 – Junior vs. senior approaches to networking46:00 – Funny origin story: How this podcast started from a conference joke47:00 – Building genuine relationships with thoughtful follow-ups49:00 – Outro – Thanks for tuning in!

Struggling to learn JavaScript in 2025? You're not alone—and it's not your fault. In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Leon Noel and Danny Thompson break down the real strategies for mastering JavaScript (and TypeScript) in today’s dev landscape. From avoiding tutorial hell to embracing project-based learning, we cover everything you need to finally make progress.Whether you're just starting out or restarting your coding journey, this episode is packed with hard truths, practical tools, and motivational gems to keep you going—even when it gets tough.We talk about:Learning strategies that actually workWhy visual wins matterWhen to start learning TypeScriptWhy floats still get taught?!How to avoid false expectations (aka thinking you’re job-ready after one birdhouse)🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial PlanningChanging careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/Stay in Touch:📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!Danny Thompsonhttps://x.com/DThompsonDevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDevwww.DThompsonDev.comLeon Noelhttps://x.com/leonnoelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/https://100devs.org/📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!⏱️ Chapters:0:00 – Intro: Two kinds of projects0:50 – Learning how to learn: Dr. Barbara Oakley4:15 – Active recall & spaced repetition7:30 – Building through pain (the right kind)10:00 – Why JavaScript feels hard12:00 – JavaScript vs HTML/CSS: Mental shift13:10 – Should you start with TypeScript in 2025?16:00 – Project-based learning: The underrated MVP18:30 – Learning through fumbling: Leon’s take on floats21:00 – The ES6/legacy debate: Var vs Let/Const25:00 – Principles over implementation in the AI age28:00 – Starting with early wins and momentum31:00 – Why visual feedback is addictive for beginners34:00 – Learning from different teachers36:00 – Debunking "learning styles"?40:00 – Why some formats (like video) just don’t work for everyone42:30 – Must-know JavaScript resources in 202547:00 – FreeCodeCamp, HeroDev, The Odin Project, Full Stack Open50:00 – Freelancing and the 100-Hour Project52:30 – Aligning effort with expectations54:00 – Birdhouses and burnout: Understanding trade-offs57:30 – Build your learning identity59:00 – Ask Danny & Leon: Should I travel 3 hours for a first-round interview?1:05:00 – How to ask for help (and not sound rude)

Discover the excitement of the AI Engineer World’s Fair as insightful minds share innovations from the event. Learn how tiny tech teams are rapidly transforming ideas into successful startups using AI. Explore real-world applications of AI agents, from meal ordering to finance audits. Delve into the evolving Model Context Protocol and the push for industry standards. Plus, get a sneak peek at upcoming tech conferences and valuable career tips for navigating technology job markets.

Is HTML, CSS, and JavaScript still enough to land a job in 2025 — especially with AI reshaping everything? Danny and Leon go all in on this question with unfiltered, experience-backed advice that every aspiring developer needs to hear.🔥 Topics we dive into:The real expectations for entry-level devs in today’s marketWhy listing HTML on your resume might actually hurt youHow to develop confidence through "evidence"Why AI tools aren’t the shortcut you think they areWhat actually sets you apart from the competitionAnd why taste, design, and judgment are becoming the new moatWhether you're just starting out or trying to level up, this is the episode that clears the fog and gives you direction.👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you found value!00:00 - The Job Market Is a Fight — Are You Ready?01:20 - The Cost of Wasting Resume Real Estate02:00 - What Employers Assume You Know03:45 - Danny and Leon Introduce the Show05:00 - The Big Question: Is HTML/CSS/JS Still Enough in 2025?06:30 - Leon’s Take: “Yes, but...”08:20 - Danny’s Take: “No, and here’s why...”10:00 - Why Most People Asking This Question Are Stuck in JS11:00 - The Decline of Frontend-Only Roles12:20 - Fullstack Is the New Baseline13:30 - What Grads from 100Devs & Resilient Coders Are Actually Learning14:15 - HTML/CSS on Resumes? It’s a Red Flag16:00 - Focus on Achievements, Not Basics17:30 - Why TypeScript and Deeper Skills Matter More Than Ever19:00 - If You’re Missing Resume Wins… Go Make Them20:00 - Why We're Blunt: It's About Getting You Hired21:00 - AI Tools Won’t Replace Hard Work22:30 - Designers & Frontend Devs Are About to Thrive Again24:00 - Taste and Judgment Will Be the Competitive Edge25:00 - Software’s Moat Is Still There — Use It to Your Advantage26:45 - Ask Danny & Leon: “How Do I Fit In as a 19-Year-Old?”28:00 - Confidence Comes from Evidence29:40 - Stop Applying for Internships if You're Not in College31:00 - New Blood and Enthusiasm Are Valuable in Tech32:00 - Final Words: Be Unapologetically Hungry

In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Leon Noel and Danny Thompson dive deep into how to get the most out of tech conferences — including unique strategies used at Commit Your Code, what it really takes to build a network from scratch, and how AI is completely changing the developer landscape.From portable mini golf to prompt cards that kickstart conversations, Danny unveils how CYC is engineered to spark real connections — not just QR-code scans. Then, the duo unpacks Google I/O 2025, including wild use cases for AI-generated video, Android XR glasses, and what companies are really doing with AI budgets (spoiler: it’s not layoffs).Whether you're a developer looking to network better, a freelancer trying to close more deals, or just someone curious about how AI is disrupting everything — this episode is for you.🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial PlanningChanging careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/Stay in Touch:📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!Danny Thompsonhttps://x.com/DThompsonDevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDevwww.DThompsonDev.comLeon Noelhttps://x.com/leonnoelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/https://100devs.org/📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!Chapters:00:00 - Strategy for Building Real Connections at Conferences 01:45 - Introducing Commit Your Code & This Year’s Upgrades 03:10 - Mini Golf as a Networking Tool? Here’s Why 04:30 - Free Professional Headshots & The Morning Connect 05:25 - Prompt Cards & the “Start in the Middle” Philosophy 06:15 - The 5-Minute Pass System for Intros 07:50 - How Employers Are Involved at CYC 09:40 - Leon’s Early Networking Strategy: Never Eat Alone 11:00 - The Power of Volunteering at Conferences 13:00 - Shifting the Focus from Collecting Contacts to Creating Relationships 14:15 - “Read the Room” & Breathers During Conversations 15:30 - Making Conferences Less Awkward and More Genuine 16:55 - Transitioning from Online to In-Person Relationships 18:00 - From CYC to Google I/O: Huge Shifts in Tech 20:10 - AI-Generated Video and the Wild Future of Media 21:55 - AI Search and the Changing Behavior Around Google 23:30 - Real-Time Translation with Android XR Glasses 25:05 - Will Smart Glasses Finally Go Mainstream? 27:00 - Google’s Ecosystem Advantage in AI Integration 29:00 - Why Google Glass Was Too Early 30:50 - Stripe Sessions & Corporate AI Investments 32:30 - AI as a Productivity Tool, Not a Layoff Excuse 34:15 - Freelance Client Discovery: Ask the Right Questions 36:00 - What Makes a $30K+ Project Work 37:40 - From $1.8K Projects to $275K+ Consulting Deals 39:10 - Auditing AI-Generated Code Responsibly 40:15 - Why Now Is the Time to Learn AI Tools as a Developer 42:00 - Final Thoughts: Real Problems great than Shiny Tech 43:00 - Ask Danny & Leon: Questions to Ask Freelance Clients

Discover the secrets to landing your first tech job with insights from industry experts. Uncover the importance of recruiter relationships and personalized narratives. Get tips on mastering behavioral and technical interviews while avoiding common salary negotiation pitfalls. Learn about the significance of networking and maintaining multiple opportunities in a dynamic job market. Plus, hear personal stories that highlight both community support and competitive challenges in the tech world.

Dive into the world of AI and its impact on developers! Explore whether AI can truly replace coding roles or simply enhance productivity. Learn about embeddings, vector databases, and their critical role in AI. Discover real-world applications like automating document workflows with AI and enhancing childcare technology using TinyML. Get insights into the evolving landscape of developer tools and find out how you can start using AI effectively today. Ideal for anyone curious about the future of development!

Zac Wilson is a contractor at Meta and SaaS founder who transitioned from restaurant management. Leah Thompson is a front-end engineer at Laravel, previously a high school geometry teacher. Pariss Chandler is the CEO of Black Tech Pipeline, with a background as a wax specialist. Jeremy Parker, who works at Apple, shifted from learning and development, while Yoo Jin Bae moved from project management to software engineering. They discuss the importance of mentorship, resilience in job searches, and adapting to AI's role in tech careers.

qIn this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel dive into the challenges of learning and teaching coding, especially in the era of AI-assisted development and vibe coding. From real stories inside their cohorts to practical Git strategies (merge vs rebase), they unpack what it takes to grow as a developer, the dangers of disconnection as you level up, and why some tools can actually hurt your learning if used incorrectly.They also take a passionate stance on the AI hype cycle, including a fiery response to the claim that “AI will write 100% of code in a year.” Tune in for a raw, thoughtful, and energizing conversation that covers practical dev advice, community insight, and why mentorship still matters more than ever.🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode- The real difference between Git merge vs Git rebase — with analogies that finally make sense- How to teach complex technical concepts without "drawing the owl"- Why junior developers struggle with AI tools (and how to actually learn from them)- The rise of vibe coding and where it actually works — and where it fails- How to write effective commit messages using professional Git conventions- The danger of using Git GUIs without understanding terminal commands- How AI falls short when it comes to code maintenance and debugging- Why most AI-generated code isn’t production-ready without developer intervention- The role of structured team collaboration in mastering version control- What real-world developer workflows look like in enterprise-level software development- Why companies still haven’t adopted AI — and what that says about AI in the workplace- A breakdown of how to use AI terminals like Warp.dev to avoid Git mistakes- Honest commentary on the AI hype cycle, vibe coding trends, and the future of development⏱️ Chapters0:00 – The Disconnection of Expertise: Remembering what it’s like not to know1:18 – Vibe Coding and the "Death of Excuses"2:03 – Inside the Cohort: Crunch Time & Team Struggles3:01 – Weekly Demos and Learning Through Exposure3:53 – Merge Conflict Chaos: Why Git Rebase vs Merge5:14 – Teaching Git Rebase: Deck of Cards Analogy9:01 – Git for Teams: Saving Points, Commit Hygiene & Strategy12:46 – Push Your Commits! And Why Local-Only Isn’t Enough14:58 – The Merge vs Rebase Breakdown (Visual Metaphor)17:00 – When Rebase Becomes Default: Real Org Examples18:49 – Don’t Fear Git: Every Dev Messes It Up Sometimes20:05 – Learn Git in Context: Work with Teams, Not Solo21:19 – Commit Message Best Practices (And Why They Matter)24:26 – GitHub Integration Tips & the Power of Structured Messages25:03 – Should Juniors Use GUI Git Tools? Pros & Cons25:52 – How to Use AI Correctly as a Junior Developer27:00 – The Rise of Vibe Coding: What Works, What Doesn’t28:03 – Maintenance with AI? Not Even Close Yet29:16 – The Anthropic CEO Hot Take & Dev Skepticism30:29 – AI Hype and the Dev Community’s Trust Problem31:06 – Devs Know Better: Why AI Claims Don’t Land32:07 – Shoutout to Indian Rapper Whankind & Community Uplift32:49 – $25/Week Discord Groups?! Rant Incoming34:03 – Free is better than Paid: Why We’re Building a Better Community35:03 – Real Vibe Coding Test at This Dot Labs36:40 – Vibe Coding Is Fun, But Logic Is Still King38:00 – Final Thoughts on Vibe Coding: MVPs vs. Long-Term Projects39:01 – What’s Next: Choosing Tools That Help You Grow