Modern Web

Discover how Makeswift empowers developers and marketers with seamless Next.js integration in this episode of the Modern Web Podcast. Hosts Rob Ocel, Adam Rackis, and Danny Thompson talk with James Q. Quick, Head of Developer Experience at Makeswift, about building dynamic web experiences using Next.js. Learn how Makeswift combines a powerful visual builder for marketers with developer-friendly customization through Next.js. James shares insights on bridging the gap between no-code and full-code development, enabling teams to create flexible, scalable websites with ease. Chapters 00:00 - Intro & Banter 01:36 - Official Welcome & Guest Introduction 03:28 - Next.js Conf Recap: Major Takeaways 07:26 - Server Components in Next.js: Impact & Challenges 14:17 - Caching & Revalidation in Next.js 18:13 - Next.js Learning Curve & Education 24:06 - Learning the Platform vs. Learning Next.js 27:59 - TanStack Start: The Next Big Framework? 30:03 - What Is Makeswift? 33:50 - Why Choose Next.js for Mak

Backstage at All Things Open 2024, hosts Rob Ocel and Danny Thompson talk with Max Howell, creator of Homebrew and founder of the Tea Protocol, about making open source sustainable. Max shares his journey from building Homebrew as a passion project to launching Tea Protocol, which uses token-based economics to support maintainers without compromising open source values. They explore challenges like corporate involvement, project monetization, and building resilient open source communities. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:20 - Max’s Open Source Journey 09:09 - The Problem with Open Source Sustainability 13:54 - Why Traditional Funding Models Fail 16:08 - Tea Protocol’s Economic Model 18:34 - What Happens Without Open Source? 20:59 - Sacrifices Open Source Maintainers Make 23:09 - Capturing Value in Open Source 25:10 - Advice for Aspiring Open Source Developers 27:36 - Where to Learn More Follow Max Howell on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/mxcl Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mxcl/ Check out Tea P

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, recorded backstage at All Things Open, hosts Rob Ocel and Tracy Lee sit down with Bermon Painter, Composable Platforms Leader at Slalom, to explore how behavioral economics shapes ethical UX design. They discuss real-world examples like continuous glucose monitors, AI-driven personalization, and tackling dark patterns while balancing user trust and business goals. Berman also shares career tips and his unique open office hours, making this a must-watch for designers, engineers, and leaders alike. Chapters Introduction and Guest Welcome – 00:00 What is Behavioral Economics? – 02:36 Real-World Application: Voting Policies – 04:37 Healthcare Example: Continuous Glucose Monitors – 05:52 Design Challenges for Healthcare Apps – 08:12 Personalization and AI in UX Design – 12:52 International UX Design Differences – 14:08 The Ethical Dilemma of Dark Patterns – 17:28 Ethical Frameworks for Product Design – 20:33 Balancing Profit and Ethics – 22:39 Behavioral Economics for En

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, recorded at All Things Open in Raleigh, NC, Rob Ocel talks with Tobie Morgan Hitchcock, co-founder and CEO of SurrealDB, about redefining databases. SurrealDB consolidates the complexity of using multiple database models—relational, graph, document, and more—into a single platform, enabling advanced queries and features like time travel. Toby shares insights on its innovative approach to separating storage and compute layers, the challenges of building from scratch, and the enthusiastic adoption by developers and enterprises. Chapter 00:00 - Introduction and Setting the Stage 01:46 - Why Create Another Database? 04:31 - How SurrealDB Works 07:36 - The Developer Experience with SurrealDB 11:01 - Time Travel in Databases 16:21 - Challenges and Opportunities in Database Innovation 20:01 - Educating Developers on SurrealDB + Community and Adoption Follow Tobie Morgan Hitchcock Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiemorganhitchcock Twitter: https://x.com/tobiemh

Hosts Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel talk with Jesse Hall, Staff Developer Advocate at MongoDB, about the future of databases, web frameworks, and the evolving role of developers. They explore how MongoDB's latest release is transforming data storage and access patterns, the mindset shift required for adopting document databases, and the rise of vector databases. The conversation also covers the current state of frontend frameworks like Svelte, Next.js, and Angular, and how AI and low-code tools are reshaping the developer landscape. Whether you're a database enthusiast or a web development pro, this episode offers valuable insights into the technologies shaping the industry. 00:00 - Intro and Setting the Scene 02:30 - Behind the Scenes at All Things Open 04:00 - The Evolution of Databases 08:00 - Understanding Document Databases 10:45 - Vector Databases and AI Integration 14:00 - Frontend Frameworks: The State of the Ecosystem 18:30 - Collaboration Across Frameworks 22:00 - AI and the Future of Developmen

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, recorded live at All Things Open in Raleigh, NC, hosts Rob Ocel and Danny Thompson sit down with Dr. Sally Wahba, Principal Software Engineer at Splunk. Dr. Wahba shares her experience tackling on-call burnout, offering insights into reducing fatigue through better observability, automation, and thoughtful team practices. The conversation also touches on mentorship and growth in the tech industry, including practical advice for junior engineers navigating the transition from academics to professional roles and tips for companies to better support new talent. Chapters 00:00:13 - Introduction to Marketing This Dot 00:01:00 - Asking for Help Effectively 00:02:21 - Reducing On-Call Fatigue 00:04:42 - Observability Best Practices 00:07:07 - Balancing Alerts and On-Call Efficiency 00:09:30 - The Role of On-Call in Modern Engineering 00:11:29 - Insights from the Grace Hopper Celebration 00:13:56 - Mentorship and Team Dynamics 00:16:14 - Rapid Changes in Technology and Ada

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Danny Thompson sits down with Ferdinand Como and Baptiste Leproux from Nuxt Labs to uncover the story behind Nuxt Studio, a tool that's transforming how developers and non-technical users interact with Nuxt applications. Ferdinand and Baptiste share how Nuxt Studio bridges the gap between developer customization and user-friendly content management. Built to empower agencies, freelancers, and their clients, Nuxt Studio combines powerful features like live previews, Vue component integration, and schema-driven forms to make managing content seamless. The conversation also explores the broader mission of Nuxt Labs—building sustainable open-source tools that enhance developer experience and meet real-world needs. With insights into the future of Nuxt Studio and its potential to scale for larger organizations, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about innovation in web development. Chapters 1. Introduction and Setting the Stage (00:00:00)   2. The Vision

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel and Danny Thompson chat with Lawrence Lockhart, Developer Advocate at Vaadin, about using Java on the front end. Lawrence introduces Vaadin’s frameworks, Flow and Hilla, which empower Java developers to build full-stack applications without needing JavaScript. They discuss Vaadin's web components, built-in accessibility, seamless integration with Spring Boot, and how it simplifies complex web applications for enterprise use. Chapters 00:03 - Introduction 01:02 - What is Vaadin and Full-Stack Java 03:12 - Why Use Vaadin? 05:58 - Vaadin’s Communication Layer 08:13 - Vaadin vs. Traditional Front-End Frameworks 11:04 - Flexibility and Support for Web Components 15:14 - Micro Front-Ends and Cross-Team Collaboration 17:57 - Accessibility in Vaadin 19:27 - Sponsor Break 20:37 - Vaadin’s Backend Integration 22:39 - Power of Web Components in Vaadin 24:07 - Open Source and Community 26:15 - Testing with Vaadin 27:02 - Success Stories with Va

Rob Ocel and co-hosts Tracy Lee, Adam Rackis, and Danny Thompson talk with tech educator Ankita Kulkarni about her journey from engineering leader to full-time educator. Ankita shares insights on teaching Next.js, bridging practical knowledge gaps, and helping developers tackle real-world challenges. They discuss Next.js as a React-based framework, its benefits, and the challenges it presents for beginners. Chapters Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 00:01   Meet Ankita Kulkarni, Tech Educator 00:26    Ankita's Transition to Full-Time Education 01:41    Teaching Practical Knowledge in Next.js 03:19    Effective Methods for Teaching Next.js 05:27   Challenges of Being a Full-Time Educator 07:48   Balancing Broad and Specific Examples 09:54    Embracing Mistakes as a Teaching Tool 12:13   Pair Programming and Mentorship 14:00    Discussion on Next.js and Framework Adoption 16:48    Advantages and Challenges of Next.js 18:12   Choosing the Right Framework for Your Needs 20:35    Impact of Next.js in React D

Annie Sexton, Developer Advocate at Fly.io, to discuss Fly.io’s approach to simplifying cloud deployment. Annie shares Fly.io's unique position as a public cloud that offers the flexibility of infrastructure control with a streamlined developer experience. They explore Fly.io’s private networking and distributed app capabilities, allowing developers to deploy applications close to users worldwide with ease. Annie also addresses common challenges in distributed systems, including latency, data replication, and the balance between global reach and simple, single-region projects. Chapters: - 00:00 - 01:32 Introduction to the Modern Web Podcast and Guests - 01:33 - 04:00 Overview of Fly.io and Annie’s Role as Developer Advocate - 04:01 - 06:35 What Makes Fly.io Stand Out Among Cloud Platforms - 06:36 - 08:57 Distributed Applications: Benefits and Use Cases - 08:58 - 11:28 Understanding Distributed Web Servers and Private Networking - 11:29 - 13:49 Challenges in Distributed Data and Replication Techniques - 13:50

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, host Rob Ocel is joined by Adam Rackis, Danny Thompson, and guest Braydon Coyer, Senior Front-End Developer at LogicGate to talk about using Angular Signals for improved state management and DOM performance. Braydon explains how Signals simplify Angular development and offer better readability and efficiency compared to traditional methods like RxJS. The conversation also touches on hiring in the AI era, discussing challenges around take-home tests and live coding, and how AI tools like ChatGPT are changing the interview process. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction   00:57 - The Angular Renaissance   02:24 - Signals in Angular   03:27 - Transitioning to Signals   04:19 - Signals in Utility Development   05:09 - RxJS and Signals   07:52 - Signals vs Other State Management Solutions   09:34 - Testing Signals   10:29 - Control Flow and Standalone Components in Angular   12:02 - Angular's Evolution and Accessibility   13:28 - Angular’s Framework Governance   17:10 - Hiring i

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Danny Thompson, Director of Technology at This Dot Labs, hosts a conversation with Theresa Mammarella, JVM engineer at IBM, and Brian Sam-Bodden, Applied AI Engineer at Redis. They explore their talks at JCONF in Dallas, Texas, covering topics like GenAI architectures in the Java community and OpenJDK's Project Valhalla. Their conversation covers Java’s evolution, AI applications, semantic caching, and how these technologies are impacting development workflows and performance optimization. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction   01:00 - Brian on GenAI in the Java Community   01:47 - Java’s Safe Evolution Path   02:17 - Teresa on Project Valhalla   03:54 - Value Classes and Performance   04:33 - Brian on Semantic Caching   06:54 - Challenges of Rewording Prompts   09:15 - What is RAG Architecture?   11:34 - Java’s Role in AI   13:57 - Cost of LLMs and Caching Strategies   15:57 - Teresa on Java’s Future   18:22 - Learning Resources for Java Developers   20:44 - Addressing M

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, host Rob Ocel and co-hosts Adam Rackis, Tracy Lee, and Danny Thompson discuss the importance of unit testing for maintaining code quality and reliability, emphasizing its role in scaling projects and ensuring long-term stability. The conversation also highlights the benefits of TypeScript in improving code safety and developer productivity, sharing experiences on how it catches errors early in the process. They also examine the growing role of AI in automating development tasks, weighing the efficiency gains against the risks of over-reliance on automation while stressing the importance of understanding the underlying processes. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Episode Overview 02:59 - The Importance of Unit Testing 10:03 - Best Practices for Implementing Unit Tests 17:15 - TypeScript’s Role in Code Safety and Productivity 2:30 - AI in Software Development: Automating Tasks 29:16 - Balancing AI Automation with Developer Expertise 32:07 - Final Thoughts and Closing

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Danny Thompson, Director of Technology at This Dot Labs, sits down with Vincent Mayers, a seasoned tech conference organizer with over 15 years of experience. They discuss the intricacies of running successful conferences, including the challenges of selecting event locations, building community engagement, and creating memorable experiences for attendees. Vincent also shares insights into the evolution of tech conferences, from the importance of shorter talks to the value of the "hallway track" for networking. Tune in for an inside look at how these events shape the tech ecosystem and tips for organizing your own conferences! Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:45 - Vincent Mayers' Background 03:50 - Choosing Conference Locations 06:10 - Building Community and Spreading the Word 08:40 - Sponsorship and Funding Challenges 11:00 - Securing Speakers for Tech Conferences 14:20 - Improving the Conference Experience 16:30 - Badge Design and the Attendee Experience 18:50 - E

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel, Danny Thompson, and Adam Rackis talk with Michael Liendo, Senior Developer Advocate at AWS, about building practical AI applications and tackling challenges like scalability, multimodal functionality, and cloud infrastructure choices. Michael shares insights on tools like AWS Amplify and DynamoDB, discusses strategies for managing cloud costs, and explores the evolving role of prompt engineering. Michael previews his upcoming talks at AWS re:Invent on AI and scalable B2B SaaS applications. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:30 - Talking Weather and Life in the Midwest 03:00 - Exploring Generative AI and Practical Applications 06:45 - Navigating Cloud Costs and Scalability Considerations 08:30 - Maintaining Creativity and Customization with AI 11:00 - Managed Services vs. On-Prem Infrastructure Debate 15:30 - Choosing a Tech Stack for Side Projects and Startups 18:45 - Learning Cloud: Paths for Full-Stack Cloud Development 22:

Danny Thompson, Director of Technology at This Dot Labs, talks with Tanner Linsley, Creator of TanStack, about his latest project, TanStack Start. They discuss the challenges of existing frameworks like Next.js and Remix, the development of TanStack Router, and the future of React Server Components. Tanner also explains how caching strategies and fine-grained invalidation can transform the user experience. Chapters 1. Introduction & Tanner’s Background (00:00) 2. Going Full-Time on TanStack (01:00) 3. The Birth of TanStack Router (02:21) 4. Why Build Another Framework? (04:00) 5. React Server Components: Potential & Limitations (07:05) 6. Fine-Grained Cache Invalidation & UX (09:02) 7. Parallel Data Fetching in Routing (13:39) 8. TanStack Start: Alpha & Future Plans (16:41) 9. Where to Learn More About TanStack (18:48) Find Tanner Linsley on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/tannerlinsley Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tannerlinsley/ Github: https://github.com/tannerlinsley TanStack:

Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel chat with Jason Torres about the challenges of breaking into tech, especially for self-taught and underrepresented developers. Jason shares his journey from a 15-year career in the film industry to pursuing software development, discussing the emotional and financial hurdles involved. They also discuss the importance of networking, finding a niche rather than mastering everything, and the impact of the tech downturn on junior developers. Chapters 1. Introduction and Tech Career Journeys (00:00 - 02:30) 2. The Struggles of Breaking Into Tech (02:31 - 06:00) 3. Jason’s Career Pivot from Film to Tech (06:01 - 10:30) 4. The Importance of Networking and Community (10:31 - 15:00) 5. Specializing vs. Being a Generalist in Tech (15:01 - 20:00) 6. Finding Your Path in Tech (20:01 - 25:30) 7. Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and Belonging (25:31 - 30:00) 8. Final Thoughts and Tips for Breaking Into Tech (30:01 - 33:00) 9. Closing Remarks and Tech Talk Humor (33:01 - End) Follow Jas

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange, John Crichton, Chief Technology Officer at Lightning Step Technologies, shares insights on balancing privacy and compliance requirements while fostering innovation in the electronic medical records (EMR) space. The discussion explores the complexities of healthcare data, the evolving use of AI to improve efficiency and patient care, and the importance of servant leadership in building high-performing teams. John also reflects on his experience transitioning from the financial services industry into healthcare, offering advice on integrating AI and developing team culture in both fields. Chapters [00:00 - 00:25] Introduction and Welcome [00:26 - 01:07] Guest Introduction: John Crichton [01:08 - 02:21] The Lack of Standardization in EMRs [02:22 - 02:52] Challenges in Clinical Trials and EMR Data [02:53 - 04:28] Balancing Innovation and Compliance in Healthcare [04:29 - 06:51] The Impact of Shifting Compliance and Privacy Concerns [06:52 - 07:10] The AI and Data Priva

Machine Learning and AI expert Shivay Lamba, discusses the evolution of machine learning tools, and his work on MLOps and deploying large language models (LLMs). The conversation covers the accessibility of AI, the power of JavaScript in machine learning through tools like TensorFlow.js, and the growing importance of ethical AI practices. Shivay also discusses the transition of web-based AI tools, the importance of transfer learning, and how developers can break into the space of AI and machine learning. Chapters 1. Shivay’s Journey into Machine Learning (00:00 - 03:30) 2. The Power of TensorFlow.js and Web AI (03:31 - 07:00) 3. Challenges in Hackathons: Using Pre-trained Models (07:01 - 10:00) 4. Navigating the AI Ecosystem: Python vs. JavaScript (10:01 - 13:30) 5. LLMs and Their Growing Popularity (13:31 - 17:00) 6. The Importance of Core Machine Learning Knowledge (17:01 - 20:00) 7. AI Ethics & Challenges in Scaling Models (20:01 - 23:00) 8. Shivay’s Content & Community Involvement (2

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 - Cha