Scott and Wes are back with their annual Syntax Holiday Gift Guide! They’ve curated the best gadgets, tools, games, and even kitchen essentials for the dev in your life — plus a few treats anyone would love to unwrap. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:46 Brought to you by Sentry.io. Open Source Pledge Members. 01:59 Syntax holiday gift guide. …

Scott and Wes unpack their experiences as electric car owners, sharing the highs and lows of making the switch. From range anxiety to charging infrastructure and cost savings, they talk about everything from the tech perks to the unexpected challenges of driving electric. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:11 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:14 …

Scott and Wes talk with Taylor Desseyn about the shifting developer job market. Taylor shares practical tips for standing out, building genuine connections, and finding opportunities in a competitive hiring landscape. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:38 Meet Taylor Desseyn 03:51 Is the dev job market as bad as it seems? 06:47 How to stand out…

Scott and Wes serve up listener questions on everything from SvelteKit’s limits and the quirks of branded types in TypeScript to handling email queues and secure token storage in cookies. Plus, they get into app security, the evolution of checkout flows, and why QA teams can actually be game-changers for dev teams. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Synta…

Scott and Wes react to the big GitHub Universe announcements, recorded live at GitHub Universe. They dive into Copilot’s new features, exploring how its advancements stack up against Cursor AI in the battle for the ultimate AI-driven developer tool. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:12 Our Syntax Meetup. 02:54 AI is everywhere. 03:22 Sherlocki…

Scott and Wes talk with Andrea Giammarchi (aka WebReflection) about his projects, including LinkDOM and PyScript, and the exciting future of running Python in the browser via WebAssembly. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:04 Andrea’s background and early work LinkDOM 07:25 Brought to you by Sentry.io 09:56 Pyscript 14:31 Why run Python in the …

Scott and Wes continue to share hair-raising developer horror stories submitted by listeners. From accidentally severing access to crucial databases to a limitless coupon code that cost millions, these tales will have you on the edge of your seat. Tune in for more wild mishaps, close calls, and hard-learned lessons from the dark side of coding. You…

Scott and Wes unpack the spookiest web dev stories submitted by listeners in this episode. From forgotten MX records to infinite loops, these real-life coding horrors will have you double-checking your WHERE clauses and git backups. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:39 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 00:48 What is Spooky Stories? Submit a story. …

Scott and Wes talk with Søren Bramer Schmidt, Founder and CEO of Prisma, about database best practices, including the latest developments in serverless, local-first, and typed SQL solutions. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:55 Søren’s thoughts on GraphQL 03:53 Brought to you by Sentry.io 06:57 Common database mistakes 08:52 Prisma’s stability…

Get your productivity game on point! Scott and Wes serve up the best tools for web developers, covering everything from password managers and to-do apps to mind-mapping tools and little scripts that make life easier. Plus, find out what snippet managers they swear by and how they keep their email under control. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 0…

CJ joins Scott and Wes to dive into why he’s all-in on Hono, a fast and lightweight web framework for every JavaScript runtime. From familiar route creation to type-safe middleware, find out how Hono keeps things simple, powerful, and ready to use inside Next.js. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:46 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:11 What is H…

Do you really need a framework? Scott and Wes bring on CJ to break down when frameworks like Vue, Svelte, and Astro are worth it—and when they might just add complexity. They dive into everything from rendering strategies to auth solutions, deployment options, and how to choose the right tool for the job. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:32 B…

Scott and Wes serve up ways developers can use AI tools like Claude, GitHub Copilot, and more to boost productivity. From error tracing to refactoring code and automating mundane tasks, they break down how AI can handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on the fun stuff! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:23 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:43 …

Scott and Wes talk with Tanner Linsley, creator of TanStack, about the React ecosystem, and the evolution and futue of TanStack’s suite of tools, including TanStack Router and TanStack Start. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:59 What is TanStack Start? UnJS Nitro Vinxi 06:17 What is the Vite Environment API? 07:21 Was it always the plan to use…

Scott and Wes answer your burning questions! They cover everything from moving off create-react-app and the benefits of Next.js, to transitioning from junior to senior dev, working with QA teams, and even dive into game development with Godot. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:31 DenverScript. 03:14 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:54 Question …

From CAPTCHAs to shadow banning, Scott and Wes break down the best strategies for keeping your app safe from spam and fraud. They cover tools like email verification, rate limiting, shadow banning, and more to protect your users and data. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:15 The problem. 02:47 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 04:23 CAPTCHA. 06:24 …

Scott and Wes talk with GitHub’s Sarah Vessels about the ins and outs of code reviews, their critical role in collaborative development, and tips for making your reviews more effective. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:59 What is a code review? How to review code effectively: A GitHub staff engineer’s philosophy 04:18 Strategies for an effect…

Scott and Wes share 14 game-changing tips they wish they’d known earlier in their web dev careers. From embracing tools to learning by doing, these insights will help you level up your skills faster! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:09 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:45 13 Web Development Tips I Wish I Knew Sooner. 03:49 Number 1 - No one is …

Scott and Wes serve up the pros and cons of modern authentication methods like magic links, 2FA, and SMS codes. Learn how each technique works, the security trade-offs, and what might be the best approach for your apps. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:11 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 00:34 Logging in Verification. 01:09 Magic Links. 01:24 Pro…

Scott and Wes talk with Topher Martini, a former Engineering Program Manager at Apple, about his extensive experience over two decades in the tech industry. Topher shares his journey at Apple, from starting as an intern in 2001 to working on groundbreaking products like iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:40 What it…

In part 2 of covering the best apps for web developers, Scott and Wes dive into must-have tools that will level up your workflow. From screenshot utilities to development tools and video production apps, this episode is packed with recommendations to boost your productivity and creativity. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:44 Brought to you by…

Scott walks Wes through the new Syntax Production Assistant Desktop App, designed to streamline and automate their complex publishing process. From tech stack choices like Svelte5 and Rust to AI-driven features, they dive into how this tool keeps everything consistent. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:44 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:37 Wha…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk with Taylor Otwell, the creator of Laravel. Taylor shares insights on his journey from creating Laravel in his free time to building a strong community and user base. He discusses Laravel’s growth, including the major features and tools that were developed over the years. Taylor also shares his outlook …

Scott and Wes serve up a discussion on AI coding assistants with a deep look at Cursor AI, exploring its unique features like multi-line auto-complete and Smart Rewrites. They also discuss why Cursor’s intuitive UI stands out and tackle the big question: is it worth the investment? Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:16 Brought to you by Sentry.…

Wes unveils his Hack-Week project —a thermal printer controlled by JavaScript that prints out Sentry.io errors in real-time. Scott and Wes dive into the nitty-gritty of how it works, from the ESC/POS protocol to tackling socket issues, and whether the project was worth the effort. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:38 Brought to you by Sentry.i…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk with Daniel Thompson-Yvetot about Tauri. They dive into what Tauri is, the motivations behind its development, its open-source ecosystem, use cases, and more. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:01 What is Tauri? 02:59 What’s new in Tauri 2.0? 06:41 The benefits of Tauri over Electron 11:28 Can you u…

In this Potluck episode of Syntax, Scott and Wes answer your questions, from weighing the trade-offs between numerous small npm packages and a few larger ones to managing the challenges of work-from-home life. They also explore CSS modules, strategies for shrinking JavaScript bundles, and even where to find the best replacement ear cups for your he…

Scott and Wes serve up a hasty discussion on side projects, sharing their latest Hack Week experiments and tips on how to turn fun ideas into profitable ventures. They cover everything from finding inspiration to choosing the right tech, and even offer advice on how to finish what you start. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:11 Brought to you …

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk with CJ Reynolds about the resurgence of meetups in a post-COVID world. They discuss the benefits of attending and speaking at meetups, and the logistics of organizing them. CJ also shares his experiences running the DenverScript meetup, including sourcing speakers, finding venues, and ensuring a welcom…

Scott and Wes kick off part 1 of a 2-part series, breaking down 30 must-have apps for web developers and productivity enthusiasts. From file management tools to media utilities, they cover everything you need to supercharge your workflow. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:03 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:27 File management applications. 01:4…

Scott and Wes break down why your CSS might suck—from misusing specificity to not leveraging CSS variables. Tune in as they dive into common pitfalls that are making your stylesheets a hot mess. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:33 Breakdancing in the Olympics. 05:29 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 05:44 Why your CSS sucks. 07:01 You’re styling t…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk with Ryan Dahl about Deno 2.0, its new features and use of web standards, and how it seamlessly integrates with popular frameworks like Next.js. Ryan shares insights on the motivations behind Deno’s creation, its emphasis on simplicity and security, and offers his take on the evolving JavaScript ecosyst…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk about HTML fundamentals — from basic structure and semantics to practical tips for better accessibility and SEO. They also discuss the difference between block and inline elements, form functionalities, HTML5 elements like dialog and canvas, and more. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:33 Brought to…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk about CSS’ new scroll-driven animations, its implementation, uses, and potential pitfalls. They also discuss animation-timeline and animation-range, and how they can be utilized to control animations based on scroll positions. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:46 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:35 …

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk with Una Kravetz and Adam Argyle from Google Chrome about the evolution of CSS, new features, and the push toward more advanced UI capabilities on the web. They discuss the introduction of CSS versioning, exciting new properties like text-box-trim, state queries, and scroll state functionalities, select…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk about the latest features in Node.js, including native support for TypeScript, .env parsing, a built-in test runner, watch mode, SQLite integration, glob support, and top-level await. They also discuss some wishlist items, and experimental features like WebSocket support and the require module. Show Not…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk about the latest CSS theming properties and techniques for better controlling light and dark modes, as well as creating comprehensive color systems for applications and websites. Make sure to check out the video version of this episode for practical code examples, and explanations of light/dark function…

In this episode of Syntax, Scott and Wes talk with Daily.dev’s Francesco Ciulla about the platform's history, community features, and significant growth. They dive into the core ideas behind daily.dev, including its personalized feed for developers, new features like squads, community contributions, and tech stack. Francesco also shares his passion…

In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott answer your questions about the future of JavaScript frameworks, building custom authentication systems, limiting API access, using Caddy server proxy for local development, component props in JSX, structuring a relational database, and more! Show Notes 00:00 - Welcome to Syntax! 01:48 - Brought to y…

In this episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott talk about CSS components, including class-based components, CSS modules, scoped CSS, utility CSS, and CSS-in-JS strategies. They share their thoughts, what differentiates these approaches, and why you may (or may not) want to use them. Show Notes 00:00 - Welcome to Syntax! 01:30 - Brought to you by Sentry.i…

Scott and Wes talk with Alex Reardon from Atlassian about developing drag-and-drop libraries, specifically the challenges with creating efficient and accessible drag-and-drop functionalities for the web. They also explore what it takes to build and implement a system that works seamlessly across various frameworks. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Synta…

Scott and Wes serve up their reaction to the “State of React 2023” survey results, discussing the main API pain points like forwardRef and memo. They also explore the latest on state management, hooks pain points, and exciting new libraries in the React ecosystem. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:41 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 02:28 The Stat…

Scott and Wes debate whether your website really needs JavaScript to function. They explore the principles of web standards, progressive enhancement, and test popular websites like Shopify and Netflix to see how they perform without JavaScript. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:11 Take 2 01:43 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 02:19 The clip summar…

Scott and Wes chat with Glauber Costa from Turso about the evolution of databases and the fascinating technology behind Turso. They dive into topics like the benefits of massive multi-tenancy, vector search, and why Glauber made the switch from NoSQL to relational databases. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:36 Turso’s relationship with Drizzl…

Scott and Wes serve up a gameshow-style quiz with STUMP’d, challenging each other on web development trivia. From the differences between useMemo and useCallback to the intricacies of the JavaScript event loop, join them for a fun and informative session packed with web dev insights! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:17 Brought to you by Sentr…

Scott and Wes serve up six exciting new JavaScript proposals, including Promise.try and Math.sumPrecise. They break down what each proposal means for developers and how these new features could change the way we write JavaScript. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:45 Understanding the stages of JavaScript Proposals. 04:04 Promise.try - Stage 3.…

In episode 800 of Syntax, Scott and Wes sit down with John Resig, the creator of jQuery, to discuss the current state of React and TypeScript. They dive into the evolution of frontend frameworks, the challenges of server-side rendering, and the tech stack at Khan Academy. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:59 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:32 …

Scott and Wes serve up the latest and most under-utilized browser APIs that are changing the game for web development. From the @starting-style CSS API to scroll-snap and popovers, they break down how these tools can elevate your projects with minimal effort. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! Install Nothing: App UIs With Native Browser APIs – Sc…

Scott and Wes serve up an episode on reverse proxy servers. They discuss popular options like CF Tunnels, Caddy, Nginx, Apache, and more, explaining why you might need one for load balancing, SSL certificates, security, and managing multiple servers. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:30 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 02:25 What is reverse proxy?…