Convos.dev

In this episode of convos.dev, Jess and Chris try a new format: each brings a piece of content they've been chewing on and teaches it to the other. Chris kicks off with Andy Matuschak's MIT talk on the "two accidental tyrannies" — the app model and programming-as-specialization — and how AI lets non-programmers prototype interfaces that were never worth a developer's time bef...

In this episode of Convos.dev, Chris and Jess delve into the intricacies of side projects—why they do them, how they find the time, and the various motivations behind each endeavor. They explore the balance between professional commitments and personal passions, highlighting how side projects serve as a playground for learning new skills and tackling intriguing challenges. Whether it's vibe co...

In this episode of Convos.dev, the Chris and Jess reflect on their growth since their first discussion on the topic, especially in the context of AI's impact on tech startups. Both hosts share the unique challenges of being the only DevRel in their teams, highlighting the importance of automating repetitive tasks to reduce friction and free up time for more strategic projects. From creating script...

In this episode of convos.dev, Jess and Chris dig into how they're actually using OpenClaw — at work, at home, and in some weirdly elaborate personal setups. Chris walks through his team's multi-agent deployment at Resend, his personal Obsidian-vault task manager run entirely over Signal text messages, and the Mac OS "Claudagotchi" app he built in a weekend to babysit Claude Code...

In this episode of convos.dev, Jess and Chris share what they learned giving their first dev talks. They trade tips on prep, managing nerves, and why giving people something tangible to take away matters more than you think.

In this episode of convos.dev, Jess and Chris tackle the gray areas of AI ethics — not the big global questions, but the personal ones. When is it okay to use AI for writing? What do you lose when you stop crafting sentences yourself? They get into the guilt of using AI-generated art, whether companies should get a pass on AI ads, and whether "taste" is the new differentiator when everyo...

In this episode of convos.dev, Jess and Chris dive into the world of hiring and interviewing for tech roles. Chris shares what he's learning from screening 300+ applicants for a technical writer role at Resend — from red flags in applications to the culture-fit questions he's found most revealing. Jess brings the skeptic's take, drawing on her experience with mock interviews and candid...

In this episode of convos.dev, Jess and Chris tackle a listener question about building mindset (so exciting)! They share their contrasting learning styles: Chris's approach of curating high-quality inputs and using Obsidian as a second brain, versus Jess's ADHD-ish osmosis method of consuming high volumes of content in the background. They also discuss the underrated role of empathy in pr...

In this episode of Convos.dev, Jess and Chris share their tips for starting a new role. They discuss how to understand company dynamics, identify what's working (and what isn't), and the importance of maintaining fresh eyes during onboarding. Chris shares Resend's friction log practice, and they debate the balance between building work relationships and maintaining work-life boundaries...

In this episode of Convos.dev, Jess and Chris delve into the latest developments in AI. Jess shares insights into small language models (SLMs) and their efficiency compared to large language models (LLMs), highlighting how SLMs can be more accurate and cost-effective for specific tasks. They also discuss the challenges and innovations in parallelizing AI agents, exploring how multiple agents can w...

In this episode, the Chris and Jess explore the connection between playing sports and working in tech. They discuss how sports offer valuable lessons in team building, strategy, and personal development, which can be applied to the tech industry. Both hosts share their personal sports journeys and how these experiences have influenced their professional lives. The conversation highlights the psych...

In this episode, Jess and Chris dive into how to unplug from work during the holidays while maintaining productivity and intentionality. Jess announces her career move to BrainTrust and shares insights from negotiating two months off between jobs. Chris walks through his planning day philosophy, including his approach to roles, big rocks, and the critical difference between trips and vacations. Th...

Launch weeks are intense. Chris just finished a six-day launch at Resend, doubling their API endpoints and coordinating blog posts, videos, and a professional shoot in San Francisco. Jess shares Warp's multi-video approach, from marketing cowboys to deep technical demos. They discuss the real cost of launches: when to invest in production, how to balance new vs existing users, and why internal...

In this episode of Convos.dev, the hosts dive into their experiences with events and conferences, reflecting on their recent meetup in Seattle. They explore the challenges and joys of attending such events, especially for introverts in the tech industry. The conversation touches on the value of genuine connections over traditional networking, emphasizing the importance of asking good questions and...

The podcast episode from "Convos.dev" features a discussion between two friends, Jessica and Chris, who delve into topics related to development, life, and their experiences in creating video content. This particular episode is special because they received their first email from a listener named Gaurav, who is starting out in Developer Relations (DevRel) and is curious about how Jessica...

Email overwhelm is real for developers. Chris manages 14 separate email inboxes while Jess struggles with categorization in Superhuman. They share practical email management strategies, from Chris's ruthless unsubscribe philosophy to voice-to-text workflows and split inbox configurations. Learn how to stop email from taking over your life. Submit questions and feedback at ⁠Convos.dev⁠ .

Jess and Chris dive deep into work-life balance strategies for busy developers who take on multiple projects. They share their personal productivity systems, time management techniques, and how they handle the constant juggle between work commitments and personal life. From daily shutdowns to "Chris's Planning Day," discover practical approaches that actually work. Links: - OmniFocus...

Chris and Jess dive into the controversial AI startup Cluely and its provocative "cheat on everything" marketing strategy. They explore the company's viral tactics, including hiring content creators, buying ghost accounts, and using rage bait to drive engagement. Topics covered: AI marketing ethics, viral growth strategies, product-market fit, transparency in AI assistance, sustainab...

In this episode of Convos.dev, Chris and Jess discuss strategies for onboarding onto a new large codebase, emphasizing the importance of patience and thorough understanding before making changes. They share practical tips such as utilizing internal documentation and writing down friction points to help future developers. The conversation also explores the role of AI in documentation and the emergi...

In this episode of Convos.dev, Jess and Chris dive into how AI is changing the way developers learn to code — the pros, the pitfalls, and everything in between. We chat about curiosity, prompt engineering, and turning coding rules into workflows. Plus, we share new tools we’ve been testing (Yaak, Bright Data) and a couple fun show-and-tells outside of coding. 🛠️ Tools - Yaak - Bright Data Submit q...

In this episode, hosts Jess (DevRel Engineer at Warp) and Chris (DevRel Engineer at Resend) dive deep into the world of Developer Relations, sharing insights from their experiences at relatively small startups. Submit questions and feedback at ⁠Convos.dev⁠ .

Jess (Warp dev advocate) & Chris (DX engineer) discuss AI's impact on development: Will AI steal jobs? They explore natural language programming, AI tools like Cursor/Windsurf, developer roles shifting to "reviewers," & staying optimistic about tech's future. Submit questions and feedback at ⁠Convos.dev⁠ .

Dev Convos is a podcast by Jess Wang and Chris Pennington about web development, productivity, design, and anything else we want to talk about. Submit questions and feedback at ⁠Convos.dev⁠ .