Modern Web

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Nick Taylor, Senior Software Engineer at OpenSauce discusses the current state of open source, including the challenges around funding, sustainability, and contributor burnout. Nick shares insights into how open source has impacted his career and highlights the growing importance of tools like TypeScript in the open-source ecosystem. The panel also discusses the evolution of TypeScript, its widespread adoption, and its role in shaping the modern web development landscape. They explore the nuances between JavaScript and TypeScript, the friction that developers sometimes face when working with types, and how TypeScript has grown into a default tool for many projects. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Co-Host Introductions 00:47 - Guest Introduction: Nick Taylor 01:37 - The Current State of Open Source 02:50 - Funding Challenges in Open Source 03:54 - Open Source Success Stories and Funding Examples 05:35 - Open Source Burnout and Quiet Quitting in Tech 06:43 - Challenges for Open Source Maintainers 07:26 - Motivation and Incentives for Contributing to Open Source 08:35 - Career Benefits of Open Source Contributions 10:11 - Nick’s Journey into Open Source Contributions 12:38 - The Burden of Managing Popular Open Source Projects 14:27 - Hacktoberfest and Low-Quality Contributions 16:14 - Challenges for Beginners Contributing to Open Source 18:01 - The Impact of Hacktoberfest and Mitigating Spam PRs 20:12 - TypeScript's Rise in Popularity 23:16 - Why TypeScript Became Popular in Open Source 25:45 - The Debate Around Static Typing in JavaScript 27:08 - TypeScript vs. JavaScript: Future Considerations 30:21 - The Role of Build Steps in Modern Development Frameworks 33:35 - The Complexity of TypeScript for Different Developer Levels 36:12 - Enum Usage and TypeScript's Type System 38:53 - TypeScript’s Structural Typing and Its Implications 39:47 - Nick’s Contact Information and Closing Remarks Follow Nick Taylor on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/nickytonline Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickytonline/ Github: https://github.com/nickytonline Sponsored by Wix Studio: https://www.wix.com/studio

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, CSS expert Kevin Powell discusses the evolution of CSS, from the early days of CSS3 to the rapid advancements with Flexbox, Grid, and the latest innovations. Kevin explains how CSS is making strides to integrate features that previously required JavaScript, like scroll-driven animations and popovers, simplifying development and improving performance. He also touches on the importance of understanding the fundamentals of CSS, debugging techniques, and the future of tools like Tailwind and Sass.  Chapters 0:00 - Introduction and Technical Setup Issues 01:05 - Guest Introduction: Kevin Powell 02:00 - Kevin's Journey into CSS and Content Creation 03:21 - Evolution of CSS: From CSS3 to Modern Features 05:46 - The Role of JavaScript in CSS and New Features 08:08 - Popovers, Anchor Positioning, and Progressive Enhancement in CSS 10:26 - Discussion on SAS, Tailwind, and CSS Tools 12:35 - Challenges with Tailwind and Over-Componentization 14:57 - The Importance of Learning Core CSS Principles 16:56 - The "CSS is Hard" Memes and Overcoming CSS Frustration 19:12 - Formatting Contexts and Advanced CSS Concepts 21:31 - Opportunities for Junior Developers to Master CSS 23:54 - Browser Discrepancies and the Future of Web Standards 26:14 - Refactoring CSS for Performance and Best Practices 27:50 - Favorite CSS Resources and Conferences 28:26 - Imposter Syndrome and Kevin's Speaking Journey 29:55 - Closing Remarks and Where to Find Kevin Powell Online Follow  Kevin Powell on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/KevinJPowell Github: https://github.com/kevin-powell YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kevinpowell

YK Sugi, Senior AI Developer Advocate at Sourcegraph and founder of CS Dojo, shares his journey from coding with MATLAB to working at Google and founding his YouTube channel, and how ChatGPT inspired his shift towards AI-driven applications. Along with our hosts, he discusses AI's impact on coding, particularly in large codebases, and the role of tools like Sourcegraph’s Cody and GitHub Copilot in improving developer workflows. They also explore how AI is evolving in code completion, legacy code, and its broader potential in development. Chapters Introduction and Guest Introduction 00:00 YK’s Coding Journey 02:01 AI’s Impact on YK’s Career 07:31 AI in Large Codebases 11:01 Choosing AI Models for Coding 17:01 AI for Code Completion and Development Efficiency 21:01 The Future of AI in Software Development 26:31 AI and Human Creativity 32:01 Closing Remarks and Where to Find YK 36:01 Follow YK on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/ykdojo Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykdojo/ Github: https://github.com/ykdojo

Rob Ocel, Tracy Lee, Adam Rackis, and Danny Thompson sit down with Kyle Tryon, Senior Developer Advocate at Depot, to talk all things Docker, dev containers, and modern build systems. They break down how Docker simplifies development by solving those "it works on my machine" problems, how cloud-based caching speeds up builds, and why tools like Kubernetes are becoming essential for scaling modern apps. Kyle also shares his journey from fixing laptops in retail to becoming a leading voice in the dev space, plus some great insights into how Docker and Depot are changing the game for developers everywhere. Chapters 1: Introductions (00:00 – 02:40) 2: What is Docker and Why It Matters (02:41 – 06:30) 3: Docker Files and Containers 101 (06:31 – 11:00) 4: Challenges of Environment Setup & Dev Containers (11:01 – 15:00) 5: The Power of Layer Caching in Docker (15:01 – 20:30) 6: Introduction to Depot and Cloud-Based Builds (20:31 – 25:00) 7: Optimizing Docker Builds with Depot (25:01 – 30:00) 8: Docker in the Modern Web Stack (30:01 – 35:00) 9: The Future of Cloud Builds and CI/CD Pipelines (35:01 – 40:00) 10: Final Thoughts and Where to Find More (40:01 – End) Follow Kyle Tryon on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/TechSquidTV Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-tryon/ Github: https://github.com/techsquidtv Sponsored by This Dot

Nate Emerson is both a self-taught developer and a computer science university grad. How is that possible? In this episode, Nate talks about his unusual career trajectory, and what it has taught him about the differences between being self-taught vs. formal education in software development. Along with Tracy Lee and Jason Torres, he discusses leadership principles, such as extreme ownership, the value of confidence in engineering, and how humility and teamwork contribute to organizational success. They also highlight the importance of solving practical problems in tech and how this mindset can lead to innovation.  Here are the chapter titles with timestamps: 1: Setting the Stage – The Importance of Practical Skills in Engineering (00:00) 2: Engineering Management and Leadership Culture (04:36) 3: Extreme Ownership – A Leadership Superpower (09:12) 4: Confidence and the Developer's Journey (13:37) 5: Hiring Smarter and Building Stronger Teams (18:27) 6: Problem-Solving and Technology's Real-World Impact (23:13) 7: Leadership, Humility, and Long-Term Success (30:20) 8: Wrapping Up – Final Thoughts on Leadership and Ego (41:58) Follow Nate Emerson on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/nateemerson Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-emerson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0K8hu90G3iV6327ymEViNw

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, we sit down with Shashi Lo, Senior UX Engineer at Microsoft and the founder of the Gridiron Survivor project. Shashi shares his approach to mentoring junior developers by helping them bridge the gap between boot camp and their first job in tech. We cover the challenges of onboarding, the importance of code reviews, and how companies can better support new talent by investing in mentorship and training. Shashi also talks about his experience with building a community of learners, the process of de-risking junior candidates, and why companies should be more proactive in nurturing the next generation of developers.  00:00 - Meet Shashi Lo 02:25 - The Gridiron Survivor Project 05:02 - The Importance of Code Reviews 07:25 - Teaching the Basics of Project Communication 09:47 - Code Reviews as a Learning Tool 12:06 - Why Shashi Mentors: Giving Back to the Community 14:26 - The Importance of De-Risking Junior Candidates 16:41 - Building in Public: Transparency and Learning 19:00 - Assessing Candidates for the Gridiron Survivor Project 21:25 - The Power of Simple Coding Tests 23:45 - Scaling Up Skills: From Small Tasks to Big Projects 26:07 - Should Companies Be Doing This? 28:25 - Finding Hidden Gems in the Job Market 30:47 - The Challenges of Filtering Candidates 33:02 - Where to Find Shashi Online 34:38 - Closing Remarks Follow Shashi Lo on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/shashiwhocodes Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashilo/ Github: https://github.com/shashilo Sponsored by This Dot.

Gant Laborde, Chief Innovation Officer at Infinite Red, shares his journey through the tech landscape, transitioning from student to leader. He discusses the challenges of innovation and the crucial need for trust in leadership. The conversation dives into the evolving role of AI and the excitement of pushing boundaries within software teams. Gant emphasizes the importance of managing both upwards and downwards, while also addressing the complexities faced by middle management. Ultimately, he highlights the courage required to make bold decisions and why leadership is a rewarding endeavor.

In this episode of the Modern Web podcast, Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel sit down with Sarah Shook, a UI/UX engineer at Hunter Industries. They discuss the topic of Sarah’s THAT Conference talk on color theory, exploring the intricacies of RGB, HSL, and hex color models. The discussion also touches on the importance of understanding how color accessibility impacts your page’s performance. Chapters - 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Introduction - 01:30 - Balancing Work and Parenthood - 03:20 - Family-Friendly Conferences and THAT Conference Experience - 05:45 - Overview of Sarah's Presentation on Color Theory - 07:00 - Understanding Additive and Subtractive Color Models - 09:00 - RGB to Hex Conversion Explained - 11:45 - Importance of Color Theory in Web Development - 14:00 - Accessibility and Color Luminescence - 16:00 - Tools and Resources for Color Accessibility - 18:30 - Sarah’s Experience with Vue and Other Frameworks - 21:00 - Discussion on Framework Deployment and Tooling - 23:15 - The Challenges and Benefits of Learning Multiple Frameworks - 25:00 - Tailwind, TypeScript, and Framework Preferences - 27:00 - Vue Community and Tooling Insights - 29:00 - Advanced JavaScript and TypeScript Content with DropJS - 31:00 - Sarah’s Color Utility Project and Where to Find Her - 32:30 - Closing Thoughts and Outro Follow Sarah Shook on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/shookcodes Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahshook/ Github: https://github.com/shookcodes

Mark Techson, a personal branding and leadership expert, dives into the nuances of workplace culture and effective leadership. He shares his journey on how a consistent online presence can enhance professional opportunities. Mark’s motto, 'Do what matters with who matters while it matters,' emphasizes meaningful work and relationship prioritization. He candidly discusses resilience in the face of adversity and offers actionable insights for listeners to take control of their careers while nurturing a positive work environment.

In this engaging conversation, Anthony D. Mays, a software engineer and career coach, shares his inspiring journey from adversity to success. He dives into the importance of a solid problem-solving process and effective communication during interviews. Anthony also emphasizes mentorship, highlighting how senior engineers can empower juniors. He discusses varied interview processes at tech companies and the weight of authenticity in candidates. Plus, he addresses the relevance of secret questions, urging a focus on clear, honest interactions for better hiring outcomes.