Modern Web

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel dives into the intricate world of reliability engineering in software development with Maggie Johnson-Pint, co-founder of Stanza Systems. Uncover the secret behind the stampede effect that can cripple your application during traffic surges and gain insights into the indispensable need for a balanced blend of proactive and reactive strategies to ensure unwavering reliability. Reliability engineering goes beyond mere availability metrics, encompassing user experience, performance, and trustworthiness. While the giants of the industry like Google and Silicon Valley enterprises discuss it at length, the broader developer community often finds these concepts elusive. Stanza deciphers the code to crafting resilient systems that sail through unexpected challenges and observability that unveils the hidden dynamics of your software. Picture a scenario where your system functions flawlessly until it's pushed to its limits. Stanza’s solution: wield the power of rate limiting and masterful traffic management. Empower your application to scale seamlessly, even during maintenance or surges in demand. Don't let downtime tarnish your reputation – keep the traffic flowing while maintaining control. But that's not all – we introduce you to Stanza, the game-changing tool designed to bring reliability optimization to your fingertips. Stanza revolutionizes the way web developers navigate the intricate world of performance. Imagine dynamically fine-tuning content delivery based on system load. Drawing inspiration from industry giants like Netflix, this approach enhances perceived reliability while alleviating system stress. Whether you're a part of a small team or a burgeoning enterprise, Stanza's integration fits seamlessly into diverse tech stacks, including serverless environments. It's your all-in-one solution, offering features like request limiting, prioritization, and real-time adjustments. We're here to demystify complex concepts, paving the way for a brighter, more reliable digital landscape. Elevate your application's reliability, user experience, and performance to unparalleled heights. Embrace the synergy of proactive and reactive measures with the roadmap laid out in this interview. Experience the transformation – explore Stanza and unlock a new era of software reliability! This Dot Labs is a development consultancy that is trusted by top industry companies, including Stripe, Xero, Wikimedia, Docusign, and Twilio. This Dot takes a hands-on approach by providing tailored development strategies to help you approach your most pressing challenges with clarity and confidence. Whether it's bridging the gap between business and technology or modernizing legacy systems, you’ll find a breadth of experience and knowledge you need. Check out how This Dot Labs can empower your tech journey at thisdot.co. HostRob Ocel, Software Architect at This Dot Labs GuestMaggie Johnson-Pint, Co-Founder of Stanza Systems

Uncover the best ESLint hacks with open source maintainer Josh Goldberg in this episode of the Modern Web Podcast. Enhancing Your Code Quality: TypeScript ESLint brings a new dimension to linting by blending ESLint's capabilities with TypeScript's type-checking. Now, developers can analyze TypeScript code with ease, utilizing linting rules and tools that leverage TypeScript's type-checking APIs. Say goodbye to tedious manual checks and embrace the power of automated code analysis. Version 6.0 Breakthrough: Discover the latest release of TypeScript ESLint V6.0, where preset configurations have been thoughtfully reworked. Developers can now enjoy more granular control over rules, tailoring their linting experience to suit their team's unique preferences and needs. With the separation of stylistic, strict, and opinionated rules, your codebase will reach new heights of consistency and excellence. User-Centered Experience: TypeScript ESLint focuses on developers' needs, actively seeking community feedback and engaging in discussions to ensure the best possible experience. Embrace the power of user-centered and informative error messages, guiding developers in mastering TypeScript and embracing its full potential. Get ready to elevate your TypeScript development with TypeScript ESLint V6.0, offering low configuration, high impact, and unrivaled performance. Boost your code quality and streamline your TypeScript development process with TypeScript ESLint. Say goodbye to manual checks and tedious errors, and unlock the potential of automated code analysis. Take control of your linting experience with V6.0's reworked presets, tailored to your team's preferences. Experience the future of linting with user-centered and informative error messages, guiding you towards mastery of TypeScript. Elevate your development journey with TypeScript ESLint V6.0, the ultimate tool for developer-friendly, efficient, and powerful linting. HostRob Ocel- Software Architect at This Dot Labs GuestJosh Goldberg- Open Source Maintainer Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode of Modern Web, Tracy Lee and Ben Lesh are joined live at RenderATL by Francesco Ciulla, Tessa Mero, Ady Ngom, and Jessica Wilkins!  Tune in as they double click into the highly debated subject of Tailwind CSS and explore the advantages, readability concerns, and overall consensus on its usage. Discover why Tailwind CSS is making waves in the industry, particularly for new projects, and how it can simplify your development process while enhancing productivity. But that's not all! The conversation takes an intriguing turn as the group dives into the realm of web components. Hear opinions on whether web components can be a viable alternative to traditional frameworks. Gain insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding web components, including server-side rendering and widespread adoption. HostsTracy Lee, CEO of This Dot LabsBen Lesh, Author of RxJS PanelFrancesco Ciulla, DevRel at daily.devTessa Mero, Developer Advocate at AppwriteAdy Ngom, Chief Consultant at Techlabs 28Jessica Wilkins, Software Engineer at This Dot Labs Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast live at RenderATL, Tracy Lee interviews Michelle “Mish” Mannering. As an advocate for developers at GitHub, Mish emphasizes the importance of effective communication and creating tutorials that cater to developers of all levels. Get inspired as Tracy and Mish reveal their unconventional journeys into the tech industry, proving that diverse backgrounds can lead to remarkable success in Developer Relations. With their infectious enthusiasm, they describe the joy of engaging with the vibrant developer community, attending events, and witnessing awe-inspiring projects come to life. Tune in now to the Modern Web Podcast and join Tracy and Michelle as they delve into the exciting world of Developer Relations, uncovering valuable insights, and fostering a stronger developer community. GuestMichelle "Mish" Mannering, Developer Advocate at GitHub HostsTracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this episode of Modern Web, co-hosts Tracy Lee and Ben Lesh sit down live at RenderATL with Scott Tolinski, co-host of the Syntax podcast and of Level Up Tutorials, to discuss his journey as a web development tutorial creator and YouTuber. He shares his experiences of transitioning from a full-time developer to creating YouTube tutorials as a side project. Initially, Scott started his YouTube channel to fill his free time but eventually saw it gain popularity and became his full-time career in 2017. However, he faced challenges when attempting to monetize his content and struggled to convince his audience to pay for his courses after providing free content for years. Scott also talks about the technical aspects of his work, highlighting the benefits of using Svelte, a JavaScript framework, and his preference for its close resemblance to the DOM. He also mentions the evolution of his content creation strategies, such as releasing teaser videos on YouTube to redirect viewers to his website, where the main courses were available behind a paywall. The conversation touches on the challenges of being a YouTuber, including the unpredictability of ad revenue and the abundance of kids' content that can be both entertaining and controversial. Scott expresses his openness to his own children exploring YouTube but emphasizes the importance of allowing them to choose their own path. Overall, the interview provides insights into Scott Tolinski's experiences as a developer, YouTuber, and co-host of the Syntax podcast, highlighting his journey from creating free tutorials to monetizing his content and the challenges he faced along the way. GuestScott Tolinski, Co-host of Syntax.fm HostsTracy Lee, CEO of This Dot LabsBen Lesh, RxJS Core Team Lead This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

Andrew Knight, popularly known as automation panda, was recently interviewed on the Modern Web Podcast by host Rob Ocel. Andrew, a software quality champion, developer advocate, and test automation expert, shared his insights and experiences in the interview. He spoke passionately about testing and the importance of improving software quality. Andrew discussed the challenges he faced early in his career and how he recognized the opportunity to enhance software stability, readability, and speed through effective testing. The conversation then shifted to the current state of testing in various tech communities. Andrew highlighted the wide variation in testing practices across companies, irrespective of programming languages or tech stacks. Smaller companies often lacked proper testing processes, while larger companies relied on traditional testing approaches that were deeply ingrained. Advancements in web testing frameworks and tools were another topic of discussion. Andrew acknowledged the long-standing availability of functional testing, which simulates user interactions with a website. However, he pointed out the emergence of newer tools like Cypress and Playwright, which provide a modern developer experience, making web testing more accessible, efficient, and enjoyable. Andrew also emphasized the importance of addressing user experience and visual aspects of testing, where human evaluation remains crucial but can be supplemented by visual testing tools like Applitools. The interview concluded with a glimpse into the future of autonomous testing. Andrew highlighted that while autonomous testing could never completely replace human exploratory testing, it held potential in understanding the behavior of software applications. The vision was to train autonomous agents to recognize established workflows, adapt to specific applications, propose test cases based on observed behaviors, and potentially execute these behaviors autonomously. This approach would allow developers to focus more on designing desired behaviors and less on implementing specifications. Throughout the interview, Rob Ocel and Andrew Knight discussed the trade-off between investment and return in software testing. They reflected on the value of maintaining extensive test coverage and questioned its significance compared to the effort required to sustain it. Andrew emphasized the importance of focusing on valuable behaviors and understanding customer needs when prioritizing testing efforts. They also touched upon the idea that not all edge cases or hypothetical scenarios warrant investing time and resources in testing if they have minimal real-world impact. Other topics covered in the interview include Andrew's talk on the eight Software Testing convictions, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, which emphasize intentional design, accessibility, and the value of quality in software development. The discussion also revolved around the value of personas, engaging with real users to understand their needs and prioritize testing efforts accordingly. The interview highlighted the delicate balance between investing in quality and delivering value in software development and testing, with a focus on valuable behaviors and iterative learning from user interactions.   Host Rob Ocel, Software Architect at This Dot Labs   Guest Andrew Knight, Principal Developer Advocate at Applitools   This episode is sponsored by This Dot Labs.

In this episode of Modern Web, Tracy Lee and Adam Barrett talk with Kevin Åberg Kultalahti of Svelte Society to discuss the long anticipated release of Svelte 4. Listen in as they explore the exciting technical enhancements that Svelte 4 brings to the table, including its reduced package size, enhanced web component support, and optimized performance. Svelte 4 introduces a revolutionary approach to web development by compiling components at build time rather than relying on a runtime framework. This means smaller bundle sizes, faster loading times, and improved performance for your applications. We delve into the technical details of how Svelte achieves this impressive feat, providing practical examples and insights into the inner workings of the framework. Compatibility is a key concern for any web development framework, and Svelte 4 addresses this head-on. With improved web component support, Svelte 4 enables seamless integration with existing codebases and allows developers to leverage the power of Svelte in combination with other frameworks or libraries. Our discussion explores the compatibility aspects of Svelte 4, highlighting its flexibility and ease of adoption for both new and existing projects. Whether you're a seasoned developer looking to stay at the forefront of web development trends or a newcomer eager to explore the latest innovations, this episode offers valuable insights and practical examples that showcase how Svelte 4 can revolutionize your web development workflow. Don't miss out on this opportunity to unlock the true potential of Svelte 4 and take your projects to new heights. Tune in now and discover the power of this cutting-edge framework! Guest: Kevin Åberg Kultalahti, Svelte Society @kevmodrome Hosts: Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs @ladyleet Adam L. Barrett, Software Engineer at This Dot Labs @adamlbarrett Sponsored by This Dot Labs

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Ben Lesh (RxJS Core Team Lead) and Ryan Carniato (Principal Engineer at Netlify, Creator of SolidJS) to discuss Signals. They talk about what Signal are, why they're suddenly so popular, how Signals differ from Observables, and whether Signals (or Observables) should be integrated into the web platform. They also cover how engineers should think about the "Signals hype", and how Signals are implemented differently from framework to framework. GuestsRyan Carniato - Principal Engineer @Netlify, Creator of @solid_js, and the CEO of Signals - @RyanCarniatoBen Lesh - RxJS Core Team Lead, and the CEO of Observables? - @BenLesh HostRob Ocel - Architect and Engineering Lead @ThisDotLabs - @robocell

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Debbie O'Brien (Senior Program Manager at Microsift and Playwright Developer Advocate) to discuss automated testing with Playwright! They talk about the evolution of the testing pyramid, how to write Playwright with the Playwright recorder, and some of the upcoming features of Playwright to deal with Shadow DOM, frames, selector issues, and so much more!  Guest Debbie O'Brien: Senior Program Manager at Microsoft and Playwright Web Developer Advocate. @debs_obrien Host Rob Ocel: Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs. @robocell

In this episode, Rob Ocel is joined by Rick Conrades, Engineering Manager at This Dot Labs, to discuss software development and engineering management! They discuss how to identify and mitigate risks, how to make difficult technology tradeoffs, and how to "manage up"! Finally, they share tips for all software engineers about relating to engineering managers, and the surprising challenges that engineering managers face with their teams. GuestRick Conrades, Engineering Manager at This Dot Labs HostRob Ocel, Software Architect and Engineering Lead at This Dot Labs Sponsored by This Dot Labs