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 Makeswift? 36:51 - Where to Learn More 37:06 - Outro & Final Thoughts Follow James Q. Quick on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/jamesqquick Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesqquick/ Github: https://github.com/jamesqquick Makeswift: https://www.makeswift.com/ Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

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 Protocol: https://tea.xyz/

Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

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 Engineers – 27:10

Berman’s Open Office Hours and Final Thoughts – 28:56

Outro and Sponsor Shoutout – 30:59

Follow Bermon Painter on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/bermonpainter

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bermonpainter/

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 Development

26:00 - The Future of Server-Side Rendering

29:00 - Closing Thoughts and Resources

30:00 - Outro

Follow Jesse Hall on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/codeSTACKr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codestackr/

Sponsored by This Dot Labs

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 Adaptation

00:18:39 - Automation, Observability, and Debugging Challenges

00:21:04 - Addressing the Talent Gap and Junior Engineer Growth

00:24:00 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Learn More

Follow Dr. Sally Wahba on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/sallyky

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/sallywahba/

Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

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 Behind Nuxt Studio (00:03:10)  

3. Nuxt Studio’s Core Features (00:08:45)  

4. Challenges in Building Nuxt Studio (00:16:20)  

5. Target Audience and Use Cases (00:22:35)  

6. Sustainability in Open Source (00:29:00)  

7. The Future of Nuxt Studio (00:35:10)  

8. Nuxt Studio’s Role in the Nuxt Ecosystem (00:42:30)  

9. Closing Thoughts and What’s Next (00:48:00)  

10. Sponsor Shoutout and Wrap-Up (00:53:20)  

Follow Baptiste Leproux and Ferdinand Coumau

Baptiste Twitter: https://x.com/_larbish

Ferdinand Twitter: https://x.com/CoumauFerdinand

Baptiste Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baptiste-leproux-618842b0/
Ferdinand Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferdinand-coumau-nuxt/ Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

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 Vaadin 30:09 - Customization and Theming in Vaadin 32:51 - Danny’s Perspective on Vaadin 34:02 - Conclusion and Closing Remarks Follow Lawrence Lockhart on Social Media Twitter: https://x.com/LawrenceDCodes Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencelockhart/ Github: https://gist.github.com/lawrencedcodes/forked Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

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 Documentation 22:26   

Learning Paths for New Developers 23:24   

The Rise of Full-Stack Web Development 25:09   

Benefits of Frameworks Abstracting Complexity 26:27   

OpenNext and Deployment Flexibility 28:06 

Ankita's Excitement for New Next.js Features 30:35  

The Future of Next.js Without Vercel 32:16  

Final Thoughts and Where to Find Everyone Online 34:21

Follow Ankita Kulkarni on Social Media 

Twitter: https://x.com/kulkarniankita9

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kulkarniankita

Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

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 - 16:12 Fly.io’s Unique Solutions for Data Consistency

- 16:13 - 18:34 When to Consider a Distributed Setup for Your Application

- 18:35 - 20:35 Tools and Tips for Evaluating Geographical Distribution Needs

- 20:36 - 22:22 Simplifying Global Deployment with Fly.io’s Command Features

- 22:23 - 24:18 Considerations for Latency and Performance Optimization

- 24:19 - 26:45 Balancing Simplicity with Advanced Control for Developers

- 26:46 - 29:04 Easy Deployment for Hobbyists and Smaller Projects

- 29:05 - 31:27 Getting Started on Fly.io with Fly Launch

- 31:28 - 33:48 Developer Advocacy and Meeting Diverse Needs in the Cloud

- 33:49 - 36:15 Catering to Beginners and Experienced Developers Alike

- 36:16 - End Closing Remarks and Where to Find Fly.io and the Hosts

Follow Annie Sexton on Social Media

Twitter:https://x.com/_anniebabannie_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-sexton-11472a46/

Github: https://github.com/anniebabannie

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 in the Age of AI  

19:15 - Pair Programming and Real-Time Problem Solving  

22:24 - The Role of AI in Interviews  

27:58 - Wrapping Up

Follow Braydon Coyer on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/BraydonCoyer

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/braydon-coyer/

Github: https://github.com/braydoncoyer