Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

Scott and Wes recap the current state of web authentication and explore how Better Auth simplifies the whole process. With built-in plugins, modern features, and no need to hand-roll your own solution, Better Auth makes secure login a breeze for developers. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:59 Scott’s history with authentication. 02:05 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:15 My opinion has changed...

Wes and Scott talk with Loïc Houssier about how Superhuman builds lightning-fast, delightfully-designed email software. They dig into engineering philosophy, offline-first architecture, local databases, AI-powered productivity, and what it takes to create tools that people love. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 03:05 Inside Superhuman and Loïc’s role 06:49 Is Superhuman native? What’s the tech...

Scott and Wes round up the hottest AI tools you should have on your radar; from text-to-speech wizards to self-hosted image generators. They break down what they’re using, what’s worth paying for, and which tools are changing their workflows. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:49 Getting too cozy with your tools. 01:34 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:40 LangFlow. 08:44 Super Whisper and Whispe...

In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott answer your questions about maintaining popular open-source projects, where to start after a layoff, impostor syndrome, Scott’s recording setup, whether a computer science degree is still worth it in the age of AI, and more! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:44 Brought to you bySentry.io 04:16 How to maintain a successful NPM package 08:03 What...

AI coding agents are getting wild. Scott and Wes break down the latest tools that run in the background, write code across multiple steps, and charge you $200 a month to do it. From CLI-based primitives to full-on copilots, this episode covers the next wave of dev tools and what it takes to use them effectively. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 03:13 Background Agents. 04:26 Appropriate tasks f...

Wes and Scott talk about the latest JavaScript proposals from TC39, including features like import defer, the powerful new random namespace, Array.fromAsync, and native clamp and upsert methods. They break down what’s coming, why it matters, and how it might improve your code. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:55 Brought to you by Sentry.io 05:37 Import Defer proposal-defer-import-eval propos...

Wes and CJ break down the latest web dev news, including big changes in Safari 26, TypeScript Native Previews, and Remix dropping React. They also chat about new proposals from TC39, Vite 7 beta, and a surprise project from the Astro team. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:41 Safari WWDC. 01:05 SVG Favicons. 02:01 Every site can be a web app on iOS and iPadOS. 03:08 WebGPU in Safari. 08:02 Lo...

Wes chats with James Mikrut, founder of Payload CMS, about being acquired by Figma! They discuss building an open source business, the future of UI design, AI interfaces, and what this means for the future of Payload and Figma. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax. 01:06 What is Payload CMS? 01:56 The big announcement. 03:03 Why does Figma want a CMS? 05:23 This has got to be about AI, right? 09:37...

Scott and Wes break down the state of web browsers in 2025, from the rise and fall of Arc and the fate of Firefox to hot takes on Opera GX, Raycast, and why power users might not be profitable. They compare rendering engines, rant about dev tools, and reveal what browser stats say about Syntax listeners. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:37 Rendering Engines. 02:11 Arc Browser. 02:41 Microsof...

Wes and Scott talk about the new If statements in CSS, breaking down how they work, why they matter, and when to use them. They explore use cases, syntax quirks, and how this feature pushes CSS closer to true conditional logic—no JavaScript required. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:30 Brought to you by Sentry.io 02:37 CSS If statements in action CSS if() functions & reading-flow (in Chrome...

We break down how to properly throw, catch, and log errors in JavaScript and TypeScript. They cover client-side and server-side strategies, using tools like Sentry, and how to handle errors without taking down your whole app. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:19 Error terminology. 01:42 Thrown and catching. 03:01 What’s in an error. 04:09 Name and message. 04:42 Stack. 07:12 Node system error...

Wes and Scott talk with Jeppe Reinhold about Storybook 9’s powerful new features—including drastically reduced bloat, seamless Vite integration, and next-level component testing. They dive into visual regression testing, accessibility, performance, and best practices for writing robust, isolated UI components developers can actually enjoy testing and documenting. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax...

Wes rebuilt his personal site from Gatsby to a modern stack using Waku, React Server Components, and Cloudflare Workers — all while keeping the same design. Scott and Wes break down the pain points with Next.js, MDX, image handling, caching, and the custom setup that now powers a blazing-fast blog. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:03 Barcelona Conference. 04:09 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 0...

Wes and Scott talk with VC Dan Levine about how developers can raise venture capital, what investors look for in early-stage startups, the realities of bootstrapping vs. fundraising, and why great ideas often start as simple side projects. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:55 Dan’s background and career 03:10 Is it common for tech investors to come from a tech background? 04:40 How can develo...

CJ steps in for Scott and joins Wes to share his experience working with Nuxt, from routing and data fetching to the pros and cons of the framework. They break down the Nuxt ecosystem, directory structure, and how it handles server routes and modules. Show Notes 00:00 Syntax Meetup! 00:26 Welcome to Syntax 01:21 The deal with Nuxt. CJ’s Nuxt Course. 02:51 Why do you like Vue? 04:52 Brought to you...

In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and CJ answer your questions about OpenAI’s $3B Windsurf acquisition, the evolving role of UI in an AI-driven world, why good design still matters, React vs. Svelte, and more! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! Devs Night Out 02:35 OpenAI acquires Windsurf for $3B Windsurf Ep 870: Windsurf forked VS Code to compete with Cursor. Talking the future of AI + Cod...

Scott and Wes are joined by Erich Gamma, creator of VS Code, and Kai Maetzel, Copilot Lead, to share some big news about the future of VS Code and Copilot. They discuss what it means for developers, how AI is shaping the future of coding, and why staying open to the community is key. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:00 The inception of VS Code. 02:49 VS Code adoption. 04:31 Brought to you by...

Wes talks with Peter Pistorius about RedwoodSDK, a new React framework built natively for Cloudflare. They dive into real-time React, server components, zero-cost infrastructure, and why RedwoodSDK empowers developers to ship faster with fewer tradeoffs and more control. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:52 What is RedwoodSDK? 04:49 Choosing openness over abstraction 08:46 More setup, more co...

Scott and Wes break down the latest in JavaScript news, including new async patterns in Svelte, React Server Component tooling with Parcel, and Redwood’s push into Cloudflare with its new SDK. They also cover what’s new in Storybook 9 Beta, from visual testing to a sleeker, lighter build. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:50 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:37 Syntax Meetup! 04:09 React View T...

Scott and Wes sit down with Cassie Evans of GSAP to talk all things animation—from SVGs and scroll timelines to GSAP’s new rebrand and exciting features. They also dig into performance, plugins, and what makes GSAP such a powerful tool for web developers. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:59 What is GSAP? Cassie Codes. 01:53 GSAP Rebranding. 04:44 GSAP under the hood. 05:29 The big announceme...

Wes and Scott talk all things 3D printing—from fixing every day items to organizing tools, printing gadgets, and even teaching their kids entrepreneurship. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 03:34 Brought to you by Sentry.io 05:03 Practical uses of 3D printing 07:34 Creating tools for organization Gridfinity 10:33 Improving and adapting everyday items Underware 14:34 The benefits of printing some...

Scott and Wes break down the tricks and techniques for making your app feel blazing fast—even when it’s not. From optimistic UI to preload-on-hover, it’s all about perception, not just performance. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:12 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 02:34 Mousedown or pointerdown events. 06:00 UI animations should be fast. 08:00 Animations should not block interaction. 08:20 Ani...

Scott and Wes break down the current state of React Server Components — what they are, how they work, and why they’re so controversial. From framework support to bundling complexity, it’s everything you need to know about RSC in 2025. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:01 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 01:55 What exactly are React Server Components? 02:18 Server components rendering. 03:17 Serve...