The Programming Podcast

Transform your tech conference experience from a simple excursion into a career goldmine! Discover how to adopt an 'architect mindset' to focus on real opportunities. Learn essential pre-conference strategies like research, goal-setting, and networking with speakers. Master the art of impactful conversations and effective follow-ups to make lasting connections. With expert tips, you’ll be ready to leave your next conference with more than just swag!

One phishy email to an npm maintainer set off a supply-chain scare that could’ve torched the web—yet the real on-chain damage was… cents. In this episode, we break down how a fake npm 2FA reset (from npmjs.help) led to malicious releases of popular packages like chalk and debug, how the payload hijacked browser crypto flows (monkey-patching window.ethereum, fetch, and XHR), why the blast radius stayed small, and what teams did right (shoutout to Aikido & Vercel).We finish with a rapid “Career Corner” on how to follow up after an interview—with copy-ready lines you can use.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!You’ll learn:- Spotting modern phishing (look-alike TLDs, urgency cues)- What the malware did and why front-end focus limited impact- The minute-by-minute timeline from phish → publish → takedown- Practical defenses: pin versions, lockfiles, audits, password managers, least-privilege tokens- How to write a follow-up email that closesIf this helps, hit 👍 and share with a teammate.Chapters0:00 – The phish that “almost destroyed the internet” (cold open)0:24 – Who clicked: maintainer behind big OSS (chalk, debug)0:44 – Payload in plain English (browser wallet-drainer)1:04 – Actual impact vs. potential blast radius1:20 – Intro + what we’ll cover2:23 – Why this story is everywhere & our plan3:43 – What you’ll know by the end (safety + lessons)4:20 – Act 1: The Email — npmjs.help and urgency tactics6:08 – Phishing 101: quick checks before you click8:25 – Psychology of scams (filtering + anecdotes)12:17 – Act 2: The Payload — monkey-patching fetch/XHR/window.ethereum14:44 – Why front-end focus limited the damage16:41 – How it was caught (Node fetch ReferenceErrors)17:52 – Six–eight hours to fix: containment recap20:04 – Magic links & password managers (practical wins)22:15 – Act 3: The Timeline — 18 packages, what happened when23:39 – Minutes matter: publish → detection → takedown25:12 – Community/GitHub issues light up; npm intervenes26:48 – Root-cause analysis & related accounts28:32 – “System worked” takeaways (+ why that’s good)31:18 – Dev hygiene: pin versions, audits, reduce deps33:10 – Myths debunked (no, every machine wasn’t “fully owned”)35:04 – Shout-outs: Aikido, Vercel, others that responded fast38:22 – Career Corner: following up after interviews (templates)53:22 – Wrap-up & next stepsHelpful links (add your URLs)Aikido write-up / detection notesVercel incident summary + cache purge notesnpm/GitHub advisories for affected packagesPassword manager recommendations / setup guide

Two developers, identical in skill, reveal how process trumps talent in job hunting. They discuss targeted company research and warm outreach strategies that attract attention. Learn how to overcome interview hurdles with effective communication and the Thrive framework to share your narrative. Innovative AI voice tools for interview prep are explored, emphasizing self-reflection. The importance of kindness and persistent effort in navigating the tech job market is highlighted, showcasing that success is more than just technical knowledge.

Discover why Full-Stack Development has emerged as the top software role for 2025, according to 49,000 developers. Explore the battle between SQL and NoSQL databases and the must-know programming languages and frameworks like TypeScript and React. Gain insights into the impact of AI tools on workflow, emphasizing the need for strong programming fundamentals. Dive into trends shaping the tech landscape, including the rise of cloud services and the importance of financial literacy for tech professionals. Stay ahead in your career with practical advice and actionable tips!

Dive into the world of programming myths that continue to mislead developers! Discover why AI is a productivity tool rather than a job stealer and learn the truth about Big-O analysis versus real-world performance. Unpack the relevance of legacy tools like jQuery and the misunderstanding around Java's speed. Explore the importance of both unit and end-to-end tests, and why DRY isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Finally, find out what truly differentiates junior, mid, and senior developers in the industry!

In a heartfelt discussion, the hosts dive into the struggles of recent computer science graduates facing a saturated job market. They tackle inflated salary expectations, the importance of networking, and the limits of a degree. The fallout from AI tools and offshoring is scrutinized as key factors in reduced entry-level positions. Personal stories from graduates highlight the emotional toll of ghosting and endless applications. The duo encourages tailored resumes, projects, and focused networking as essential strategies for navigating today’s landscape.

In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Leon Noel and Danny Thompson dive deep into the wild, twist-filled journey of Figma, from a college side project that almost became a meme generator to a $58 billion IPO.We break Figma’s story into five acts, uncovering the pivotal moments, technical breakthroughs, and business decisions that made it one of the most beloved design tools in the world. From WebGL wizardry to multiplayer design magic, early skepticism to industry adoption by giants like Uber and Notion, we explore how Dylan Field and Evan Wallace built a browser-based platform that changed design forever.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!You’ll hear about:- The origin story and near-misses (drones, memes, and more)- Technical innovations with WebGL, WebAssembly, and real-time collaboration- The leadership and hiring lessons learned the hard way- Figma’s breakout moments during Adobe Fireworks’ demise and the pandemic- The $20 billion Adobe acquisition that never happened — and the $1 billion breakup fee- How Figma stayed true to its vision and went public with massive momentumWhether you’re a designer, developer, startup founder, or just curious about how tech products scale from scrappy beginnings to global dominance, this is a masterclass in perseverance, timing, and execution.🎧 Listen in, drop a like, and let us know in the comments if you use Figma!Chapters00:00 – Intro & Setting the Stage01:14 – Figma in Five Acts02:54 – Act 1: The Idea Maze – Drones, Memes, and Crossroads06:13 – The Best Meme Generator Nobody Needed08:56 – WebGL Breakthroughs and Browser-Based Design12:29 – The Power of GPU Rendering & WebAssembly15:53 – Key Performance Tricks – Batch & Delta Rendering17:57 – Building a Custom Text Engine & Multiplayer Vision27:00 – The Adobe Fireworks Discontinuation Moment29:12 – Naming the Product – Why “Figma” Stayed31:13 – Act 2: Building and Struggling with Perseverance33:40 – Early Management Struggles and Leadership Pivot36:33 – Choosing Urgency Over Perfection37:14 – Early Launch Without Multiplayer39:18 – Harsh Early Feedback and User Skepticism40:59 – Securing New Funding & Preparing for Multiplayer41:23 – Act 3: Unlocking Multiplayer Design42:41 – Design Parties and Winning Over Skeptics44:27 – Big-Name Adoption: Uber, Notion, and Market Validation46:44 – Series B & C Fundraising Momentum46:50 – Act 4: Scale and Impact47:04 – Engineers Handling Support for Deep Empathy48:22 – Browser-Based Updates and Rapid Iteration49:43 – Monetization Debate & Investor Pushback51:44 – Act 5: The Pandemic Changes Everything52:57 – Figma’s Remote Collaboration Advantage54:37 – The Launch of FigJam55:39 – Capitalizing on Two Key Market Moments56:39 – Adobe’s $20B Acquisition Attempt58:08 – Regulatory Block & $1B Breakup Fee59:31 – Secondary Funding and IPO Readiness1:00:41 – Dylan Field’s Final Lessons & Closing Thoughts1:02:02 – Outro

If you're learning JavaScript in 2025, **this is the definitive roadmap** you didn’t know you needed. Whether you're just opening your first `.js` file or you’ve been dabbling and finally want to get serious, this episode of *The Programming Podcast* with Danny Thompson and Leon Noel is a *masterclass in what actually matters*.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!We break down:* ✅ What to learn (and **why** each concept matters)* ✅ How to structure your learning path without getting overwhelmed* ✅ The **hard truths** about JavaScript in the real world* ✅ Mistakes that beginners make (and how to avoid them)* ✅ How to go from *tutorial nightmares* to building projects that actually get you hired “You don’t need 50 tutorials, you need 20 projects that work your brain in the right way.”We cover everything from fundamentals (variables, loops, functions) to advanced topics like async/await, the event loop, testing, and working with frameworks like React and backend tools like Node.js. We don’t just tell you *what* to learn — we tell you *how to think like a developer*.Whether you're headed toward a front-end career, full stack mastery, or just want to build real apps, this roadmap will serve you today and 10 years from now. No fluff. No hype. Just honest, actionable advice from two developers who have taught thousands of devs to land six-figure jobs.Leave a comment with the word (gotta watch to the end) if you made it to the end. We want to shout out the real ones.🔔 Subscribe for more episodes, and drop a like if you got value, it costs nothing but tells us to keep going.Chapters00:00 – Why This Roadmap Had to Be Made03:15 – The Only Reason to Learn JavaScript in 202506:30 – What Companies Actually Use JavaScript For10:00 – The Big 4: Variables, Loops, Conditionals, Functions17:00 – Arrays, Objects, and the Must-Know Methods (Map, Filter, Reduce)23:30 – Practice Over Theory: Codewars, Repetition & Your First 20 Projects29:00 – Async/Await, APIs, and What the Event Loop Actually Does35:00 – DOM Manipulation vs. JavaScript: What’s Really Going On38:30 – When to Learn React, Node, and TypeScript44:00 – Why Testing (Especially Unit Testing) Makes You Stand Out51:00 – Git, GitHub, and Getting Comfortable with Deployment56:00 – Stop Being Scared of Errors — Learn to Debug Like a Dev01:00:00 – Building the Mindset to Learn Forever01:05:00 – Final Thoughts + Community Q&A Prompt

Struggling to land software engineering interviews—or worse, landing them but not getting the callback? In this game-changing episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel break down the THRIVE framework—a strategy designed to help you crush behavioral interviews and stand out as a top-tier candidate.Danny reveals his THRIVE acronym:Targeted ResearchHonest NarrativesResults FocusInteractive EngagementValidation of AlignmentElevate Impact & Extend the DialogueThey walk through real-world examples, mock interview experiences, storytelling mistakes, and practical ways to improve your resume, LinkedIn, one-on-ones, and technical communication.You'll learn how to:Own the “Tell Me About Yourself” questionUse STAR/CAR frameworks to articulate your impactRead between the lines for team pain pointsTurn interviews into conversations, not interrogationsFollow up like a pro and leave a lasting impressionIf you're tired of sending resumes into the void or bombing interviews despite knowing your stuff—this is the episode you bookmark. Whether you’re a junior dev, mid-level engineer, or transitioning into tech, this episode is packed with actionable strategies that can change your job hunt trajectory.🧠 Bonus: We also answer a question on how to break into global remote jobs as a junior developer.🎙️ Subscribe for more developer career advice, technical breakdowns, and real talk from Leon and Danny.📍 Chapters / Timestamps0:00 - Intro: Why You're Not Getting Interview Callbacks1:16 - Real Stories from Struggling Devs2:14 - Why Behavioral Interviews Matter More Than You Think4:55 - Introducing the THRIVE Framework5:17 - T = Targeted Research: Dig Deeper into the Company13:03 - H = Honest Narratives: Tell Stories with Purpose24:00 - Using STAR and CAR Frameworks for Impact28:07 - R = Results Focus: Show Business Impact with Metrics32:26 - The Developer Log: Document Your Wins Weekly35:00 - Use 1:1s to Get Promoted, Not Just Managed36:59 - I = Interactive Engagement: Make It a Conversation43:04 - Practice Interviewing Like Sales Conversations45:03 - Why Sales & Communication Skills Matter in Tech46:11 - V = Validation of Alignment: Are You the Fit They Need?48:22 - Advocating for Yourself in Interviews52:08 - E = Elevate Impact & Extend the Dialogue54:00 - What to Say When They Ask: “Do You Have Any Questions?”56:45 - Bookending Interviews to Leave a Strong Final Impression1:01:27 - Effort-to-Reward Ratios in Job Hunting1:04:01 - Ask Danny & Leon: Can You Land a Global Remote Job?1:10:14 - Final Thoughts & Outro: Play the Game, Don’t Just Watch

In this engaging discussion, the hosts reveal how AI tools are reshaping developer workflows and enhancing productivity. They share experiences with tools like Whisper Flow and Cursor, emphasizing adaptability in tech. The conversation touches on how AI aids communication and reduces workload stress. They also explore balancing automation with personal expression, and strategies for managing productivity challenges. Finally, insights on optimizing coding efficiency with AI and aligning skills to market demands round out this insightful exploration.