Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

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 Syntax! 00:50 Catching up. 01:52 Brought to you by Sent...

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 Sherlocking and jockeying for position. 04:49 GitHub Copilo...

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 browser? 20:17 Using WebAssembly to run different...

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 won’t want to miss this second round of spooky we...

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. 02:45 ‘Needs a Coffee’ 04:43 ‘Deleting Github’ Def...

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 and user experience 10:42 Typed SQL and advanced...

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! 03:01 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:44 Syntax mee...

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 Hono? Watch CJ’s Video Here 03:21 Syntax Meetup San...

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 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 03:17 What is a framew...

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 Using AI tools effectively. 05:29 Stack trace read...

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 Vite? 08:02 TanStack Router and client-side vs se...

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 1: Moving off create-react-app. Proposal: TC39 Imp...

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 Data collection. 07:11 Stripe Radar score calculat...

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 effective code review processes 06:59 Should you test an...

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 all-knowing. 05:39 Number 2 - People with extremel...

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 Pros of magic links. 03:50 How magic links work. 04:2...

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 was like working on the first iPhone 04:47 How To...

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 Sentry.io. 02:30 Utilities. 02:48 BetterTouchTool...

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 What was the idea? 05:42 The tech. Svelte5, Tauri, Ru...

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 on the PHP ecosystem, productivity tips, and plans...

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.io. 01:48 Handling objections around AI assistants...

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.io. 01:10 What is Hack Week? 01:41 The project. Fol...

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 use Node? 14:21 Mac, Linux, and Windows Verso Servo...

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 headphones. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:3...