Leah Thompson, known online as LeahTCodes, shares her experience as a career switcher and how live streaming on Twitch became a vital part of her career journey. Leah explains how streaming not only helped her connect with others in tech but also directly led to job opportunities. Her talk at Epic WebConf will explore the unique value of Twitch for building professional relationships and standing out in the tech industry. Leah also touches on her love of math, her background as a high school tea...
Jan 28, 2025•12 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Dax Raad, known for his work on SST and the creator of OpenAuth, shares his passion for improving the developer experience with authentication and infrastructure. OpenAuth offers developers an alternative to AWS Cognito, enabling self-owned, spec-compliant OAuth systems that are easy to deploy and maintain. In this episode, Dax talks about: The problems with AWS Cognito and the motivation behind OpenAuth. The simplicity and power of constrained environments like terminal UIs. The value of focusi...
Jan 27, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Brooks Lybrand, Developer Relations Manager for Remix at Shopify, joins Kent to explore the impact of React 19 on React Router and modern web development. In his talk "What React 19 Means for React Router," Brooks will highlight React 19's integration with server components, web component support, and simplified APIs for meta tags, links, and more. These updates promise to enhance developer experience and streamline app-building processes. Brooks shares his insights on the evolution of Remix, Sh...
Jan 26, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Alex Anderson, a local Salt Lake City developer and creator of the spaceship simulation game Thorium Nova, shares his passion for pushing the limits of web technologies. Alex previews his Epic WebConf talk, "The Weird Web," which showcases creative uses of web APIs such as the GamePad API, Web Serial API, and Web Audio API. These tools allow developers to build interactive, user-friendly, and immersive experiences. Alex explains how these APIs can be leveraged in both creative and practical ways...
Jan 25, 2025•12 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Devon Neill, a software developer and solopreneur from Cape Town, South Africa, shares his experience navigating solopreneurship, including learning the ropes of marketing, user engagement, and copywriting. Devon highlights the importance of streamlining development workflows with AI tools and introduces his Epic WebConf talk. His talk explores diving into the AI hype, comparing various tools, and integrating them with the Epic Stack to take ideas from concept to production in just 20 minutes. D...
Jan 24, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Joel Hooks, a seasoned software developer and co-organizer of Epic WebConf, delves into his experience building personalized AI workflows. Joel introduces his talk on constructing a “hoard of AI minions” to enhance productivity and automation, using his app JoelFit.app as a case study. The app integrates AI routers and workflows for managing health and fitness goals, demonstrating how developers can adopt similar approaches for professional and personal projects. Joel emphasizes the importance o...
Jan 23, 2025•10 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Bree Hall, a frontend software engineer and developer advocate at HubSpot, emphasizes the role of creativity in coding and professional growth. Bree discusses how personal projects like CSS art, including her recreation of a Nintendo Switch, help her stay inspired and improve her technical skills. She and Kent reflect on the unique value of in-person conferences for building professional and personal relationships, highlighting Epic WebConf as a hub for inspiration and community. As one of the e...
Jan 23, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Kent introduces a new season of the "Chats with Kent" podcast, which will feature interviews with speakers for the upcoming Epic Web Comp 2025 conference in Salt Lake City. The host, Kent C. Dodds, expresses excitement about the lineup of speakers and encourages listeners to attend the conference in March 2025. He also mentions that the talks will be available on the EpicWeb.dev platform for those who miss the live event. Meet at Epic Web Conf . Guest: Kent C. Dodds Website: kentcdodds.com 𝕏: @...
Jan 23, 2025•1 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In this final episode of season five, Kent C. Dodds recaps the enriching conversations with the speakers of Epic WebConf 2024, expressing gratitude and excitement for the upcoming event in April. He encourages listeners, whether planning to attend the conference or not, to revisit the season's episodes for timeless web development advice. While season six remains unplanned, Kent thanks his audience for their continued support and hints at future engagements, urging them to stay tuned. Meet Kent ...
Apr 05, 2024•2 min•Season 5Ep. 26
In this episode, Kent C. Dodds interviews Dan Farrelly, the CTO and co-founder of Jest, about his journey from front-end engineer to CTO, the challenges of scaling a tech company, and the importance of staying small to maintain agility and innovation. Farrelly shares insights into the evolving challenges of a tech team, from infrastructure to front-end development, and emphasizes the value of a generalist approach in a small, dynamic team. The conversation also delves into Farrelly's upcoming co...
Apr 03, 2024•12 min•Season 5Ep. 25
In this podcast, Zeno Rocha, open-source advocate and founder of Resend, joins host Kent to discuss the dynamic world of web development and the shift towards SDK-first strategies. They reflect on the evolution of developer tools and the significance of user experience in product development. Rocha and Kent stress the necessity of high standards to stand out in web development, and they also touch upon the value of developer conferences for fostering relationships and collaborations. They look f...
Apr 01, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 24
In the podcast, Simon, an advocate for Tailwind CSS, shares his insights on its impact on web development and design. Tailwind CSS serves as a facilitator between design and development teams, streamlining collaborations and enabling quick translation of design concepts into code. He highlights how it enhances learning, boosts efficiency, and, despite some tradeoffs, provides significant workflow benefits by integrating design tool shortcuts. Simon also teases an upcoming conference where the po...
Mar 29, 2024•12 min•Season 5Ep. 23
In this episode, host Kent and Madison Kanna, the upcoming MC for Epic WebConf, discuss the benefits of attending conferences like Epic WebConf beyond just the informational content. They delve into how conferences can be a goldmine for networking, transforming online contacts into real-world connections. Madison explains her path and how initiatives such as her Sunday book club can cultivate community and continuous learning. Kent offers advice to introverts on navigating networking at these ev...
Mar 27, 2024•12 min•Season 5Ep. 22
In this episode, Tyler Benfield, a staff software engineer at Prisma, joins Kent to explore the world of databases and their critical role in full-stack development. Tyler shares insights from his journey from front-end development to mastering database performance and optimization, while also touching on the trend of front-end developers upskilling to become full-stack, leveraging languages like JavaScript and TypeScript. The conversation concludes with a preview of Tyler's session at the upcom...
Mar 25, 2024•12 min•Season 5Ep. 21
In the podcast episode featuring Sunil Pai, a former member of the React.js core team and developer at Cloudflare, the focus is on PartyKit, his new project set to transform real-time application development. PartyKit introduces features like real-time updates and server-rendering, aimed at facilitating the creation of dynamic, chat-GPT-like AI experiences. Sunil intends to showcase real-time apps and PartyKit at Epic WebConf, emphasizing the event's value in fostering networking and the exchang...
Mar 22, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 20
In a conversation with Kent, Una, an expert in UI and a presenter at the upcoming EpicWebConf, delves into the dynamic world of modern web development. She underscores the importance of keeping up with the advances in UI capabilities and CSS, the shift towards more declarative techniques, and the necessity of adapting to new web standards. Una champions the vital role of community input in shaping web development and looks forward to the invaluable exchanges that come from in-person interactions...
Mar 20, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 19
In the latest podcast, Glauber Costa, CEO of Turso and an ex-Red Hat contributor, speaks with Kent about the often overlooked yet robust SQLite database technology. Sharing their personal experiences with SQLite, they discuss its functionality, suitability in production, and the importance of version control in document evolution. Costa encourages developers to recognize SQLite's potential and looks forward to learning more about real-world challenges at the upcoming web development conference, ...
Mar 18, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 18
In the podcast hosted by Kent C. Dodds, Michael Chan, celebrated as Chantastic, shares his insights on the evolution of web development and the critical role of design systems. He discusses how design systems should evolve with product development, the importance of documentation, and the dynamic nature of design systems contrary to the belief that they are static. Michael advocates for the empowering aspect of creating personal software and looks forward to the future where emerging tools will ...
Mar 15, 2024•15 min•Season 5Ep. 17
In a conversation with Kent, Ryan Florence, co-creator of Remix and React Router, discusses how web development and user experience intersect, and the impact of personal interaction at events like the upcoming Epic WebConf. He updates listeners on the Remix singles project, which integrates extensive open-source work with his business ventures, and tackles the complexities developers face when merging existing React applications with new frameworks. Ryan also addresses the double-edged nature of...
Mar 13, 2024•18 min•Season 5Ep. 16
In a thought-provoking dialogue, Front-end Engineer Sandrina Pereira explores the importance of web accessibility and how remote work is shaping the future of the tech industry. She discusses her role in crafting server-side validations for forms and her company's initiative to formalize a web accessibility statement, underscoring Remote.com's commitment to standards and improvement. Pereira also teases her upcoming presentation at Epic WebConf, aiming to demystify web accessibility with real-wo...
Mar 11, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 15
In this episode, Kent and Mark Techson, from Google's Angular team, traverse the expansive terrain of web development, drawing parallels between coding and music. Mark, blending his industry wisdom with musical passion, provides an intriguing perspective on the structural similarities between the two. He also explores the vital role of an MC in enriching event experiences and fostering engagement. Throughout the conversation, Mark’s candidness about his personal journey as a developer and parent...
Mar 08, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 14
Developer and freelancer Jacob Paris delves into his personal evolution from game to web development, noting the core similarities like database interactions that tie different development fields together. He spotlights the efficacy of Remix in streamlining web development, particularly in UI and database interactivity, which he will explore further at Epic WebConf. Paris reflects on the critical nature of understanding the historical context of technology choices and advocates for well-justifie...
Mar 06, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 13
In this enlightening conversation, Kent C. Dodds shares his transition from a full-stack web developer to a renowned educator and community influencer within the web development sphere. He recounts his initial steps into public speaking, his experiences with rejection and eventual success in the conference circuit, and the pivotal role these platforms have played in his career. Kent also delves into his work on creating and promoting quality web development education through platforms like testi...
Mar 04, 2024•13 min•Season 5Ep. 12
In the podcast, Michelle Bakels, a seasoned software developer and the Program Director for Developer Health at G2i, joins Kent to explore the necessity of balancing a tech career with personal life to ensure overall well-being. Drawing on her experience with health challenges stemming from work stress, Michelle underscores the importance of the Developer Health Operating System initiative, which aims to promote healthier working habits in the tech world. They discuss the pitfalls of self-impose...
Mar 01, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 11
In a thought-provoking podcast with Kent, Barry McGee from Shopify shares insights on the integration of AI in web development and the evolving landscape of remote work. Having transitioned to remote working in 2016, Barry brings a wealth of experience from significant tech companies and discusses the future of web performance, AI's role in enhancing user experiences like the context-aware search in Shopify's Shop App, and the strategies for maintaining application performance at scale, includin...
Feb 28, 2024•12 min•Season 5Ep. 10
In this illuminating episode, Scott Hanselman, with over 30 years in the tech industry, including a significant tenure at Microsoft, delves into the impact of AI on web development. He reflects on his technological journey from the early days of the internet and explores AI's potential in automating routine development tasks. Scott advises on the ethical use of AI and stresses the importance of understanding technology's fundamentals for mastery. He also touches on the personal side of tech work...
Feb 26, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 9
In the podcast, Saron Yitbarek, the founder of Code Newbie, shares insights into empowering developers through enhanced learning resources, financial opportunities, and community building. With Code Newbie evolving into a comprehensive media company and her successful venture into designing The Story Graph, Saron highlights the importance of newsletters for personal engagement and the benefits of fostering a learning-centric community. Additionally, she underlines her commitment to financial emp...
Feb 23, 2024•14 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Lina Mahrouch, a software engineer, recounts her transition from professional gaming to web development and her subsequent mastery of Remix for full-stack applications. The podcast highlights Remix's strengths in data handling, caching, and SEO, while also pointing out common pitfalls in its use. Kent and Lina stress the importance of networking in career advancement, particularly through conferences like the upcoming Epic WebConf. Discussions also touch on the exciting potential of AI in web de...
Feb 21, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Kent C. Dodds welcomes Ben Ilegbodu to discuss his work with front-end platforms and the coined term "DivOps," focusing on non-UI aspects like configurations and optimizations that enhance app performance and developer workflows. Ben shares insights into why JavaScript's ecosystem fosters a unique need for DivOps, emphasizing its role as a legitimate discipline crucial for app optimization and improved user experiences. The conversation also touches on the diverse challenges and solutions within...
Feb 19, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Mandy Hartman, a front-end developer at Jenzabar, shares her insights on the importance of continuous learning in web development, drawing on her own transition from academia to tech. She discusses her hands-on learning experiences, including participation in the "#100DaysOfCode" challenge and creating personal projects for skill demonstration in job interviews. Hartman's readiness to utilize online communities for support, her application development inspired by her time in museums and archives...
Feb 16, 2024•8 min•Season 5Ep. 5
