
The Top Shelf
ThePrimeagen and teej_dv are on a quest to find the best possible technical speakers and ask the best possible questions we can find. You all know ThePrimeagen can't read, so this is a great format for him to really shine. Teej is here to make sure that Prime knows who the guest is and also to interrupt Prime wherever possible
Latest episodes

Feb 10, 2025 • 0sec
The Greatest Software Engineers of All Time
Dive into the fascinating history of programming, featuring legends like Babbage, Lovelace, Turing, and Hopper. Discover how Babbage's ambitious projects inspired modern software challenges. Explore Lovelace's visionary contributions to the analytical engine and the evolution of the term 'computer.' Learn about von Neumann's role in the Manhattan Project and Turing's groundbreaking theories. Finally, examine the intriguing connection between cinema and technology, contemplating the future of programming in a rapidly changing landscape.

Jan 12, 2025 • 0sec
Creator of Ghostty talks Zig over Go
Thanks to the sponsor for today's video - Graphite!
Check out stacked PRs, code review tools and more: http://gt.dev/topshelf
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - CTO to Open Source
7:00 - Graphite Ad
8:10 - Future Of Ghostty
21:30 - How It Started
25:29 - Zig vs Rust
29:53 - Go’s Place In The Stack
34:28 - Managing Open Source
42:42 - Motivation
45:49 - AI
52:21 - Live Q&A
Twitch https://twitch.tv/ThePrimeagen
Discord https://discord.gg/ThePrimeagen
This is also the best way to support me is to support yourself becoming a better backend engineer.
### LINKS
-- Mitchell Hashimoto | https://x.com/mitchellh
-- TJ DeVries | https://x.com/teej_dv?lang=en
Great News? Want me to research and create video????: https://www.reddit.com/r/ThePrimeagen

Dec 17, 2024 • 0sec
Jose Valim: Creator of Elixir
Today's Sponsors: Code Rabbit: https://www.coderabbit.ai - Use promo code TOPSHELF ! Boot dot dev: https://boot.dev/btw Twitch https://twitch.tv/ThePrimeagen Discord https://discord.gg/ThePrimeagen

Nov 12, 2024 • 1h 31min
Ryan Dahl: Creator of Node & Deno talks Deno 2.0
Today we had Ryan Dahl on the podcast and talk about the history of Node, Deno and so much more. Really hope you enjoy this talk with him! Thanks everyone.
Big thanks to the sponsor of today's episode: Code Rabbit https://coderabbit.ai/.

Oct 30, 2024 • 1h 20min
Yacine: How a Rejected Side Project Turned into a Job At X
Discover the journey of transforming a rejected side project into a fulfilling role at a top tech firm. The discussion humorously tackles how to love work and maintain health in a tech-focused world. Dive into the power of building in public, and learn about user-centered design from personal projects. Experience candid reflections on failures leading to growth, passionate debates about programming languages, and even cosmic curiosities, all while enjoying the banter on tech and productivity!

Oct 17, 2024 • 1h 45min
Taylor Otwell: Laravel, PHP, OSS & VC
Today we talk with Taylor Otwell, the creator of Laravel. We start at Laravel's humble beginnings and move all the way to the exciting new Series A raise with Accel and all that it is enabling Laravel to do today!
Sponsor for the Show: Infinite Red
If your company needs help moving to mobile, Infinite Red could be a great choice for you! From the smallest startups to some of the largest companies, Infinite Red is ready to help you ship an elegant and effective mobile application with React Native. Check them out at: https://infinite.red/
Links from the show:
Taylor's X: https://x.com/taylorotwell
Laravel: https://laravel.com/

46 snips
Sep 17, 2024 • 2h 4min
DHH: On Competency, Coding and Children
In this engaging conversation, DHH, the brain behind Ruby on Rails and co-owner of 37signals, shares his journey in programming and parenthood. He delves into the beauty of Ruby, the tension between meritocracy and democracy in open source, and the importance of constructive online discourse. DHH also reflects on navigating AI in coding and the thrill of racing, linking his passion for programming to his experiences on the track. With valuable advice for junior developers, he emphasizes originality in job applications and the benefits of open source contributions.

Sep 17, 2024 • 49min
Ginger Bill: Creator of Odin (a better C)
Ginger Bill, Creator of the Odin Language. I (TJ) think it's a better C in a lot of ways. Very fun language to write. You should check it out!
X: https://x.com/TheGingerBill
YouTube: https://youtube.com/gingergames

Sep 17, 2024 • 1h 6min
Chris Lattner: Creator of LLVM, Swift, and Mojo
Chris Lattner, the influential creator of LLVM, Swift, and Mojo, shares his journey through groundbreaking programming languages. He discusses the surprises of academic projects that lead to global impacts and the collaborative spirit that drives tech innovation. Lattner delves into the transition to Swift at Apple, tackling developer resistance and resource challenges. He also highlights the philosophy behind Mojo, its seamless integration with Python, and the complexities of various programming languages while advocating for a hybrid model in future design.