892: The History Of Syntax Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats podcast

48:54

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 stack? 08:16 How Superhuman approaches product design and speed 12:17 Local-first architecture – Sync, storage, and performance Realm 13:46 Vector search, AI, and privacy considerations 18:12 How the team ships fast and stays focused 21:27 Rethinking email for the future 26:54 Brought to you by Sentry.io 27:19 How calendar integration and smart features work 29:54 Where new ideas come from 31:54 Will there ever be a true dark mode? 33:02 Are people actually using keyboard shortcuts? 36:42 How shortcuts work and the role of the command palette 41:28 Engineering for speed – Costs and trade-offs 43:32 How Superhuman’s sync engine works 46:09 What code runs locally and what runs on the server? 46:51 How Superhuman handled the Google and Cloudflare outage Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
917: AI Tools You Should Know 37:48

6 days ago37:48

37:48

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 Whisper Flow . 15:00 Dia . 23:16 Chat apps. Claude ChatGPT Raycast Cursor Midjourney (Imagine.art) 26:58 Self-hosted. 27:01 Comfy UI . 31:27 Automatic1111 and Forge UI . Xenova Shoutout 34:11 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks Scott: Rat A Tat Cat Card Game . Wes: Syntax Hats Shameless Plugs Wes: Syntax Hats Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
916: I got fired, what should I focus on? 58:24

11 days ago58:24

58:24

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 by Sentry.io 04:16 How to maintain a successful NPM package 08:03 What to do in Denver while attending Laracon 11:18 How to branch out and learn new frameworks while balancing work life and family 15:55 Built-in state management vs external state management Full Stack App Build | Travel Log w/ Nuxt, Vue, Better Auth, Drizzle, Tailwind, DaisyUI, MapLibre 19:43 Suggestion for CSS battles: Removing white space and new lines after the time limit? 23:06 What is Scott’s recording setup? Aputure Light Dome Aputure Amaran 150c Sony FX3 Electro-Voice RE20 27:46 Snake case vs camel case Eye Tracking Study on camelCase and under_score Identifier Styles 31:16 Have you ever had impostor syndrome? 34:56 Is a degree worth it for computer science or machine learning? 38:41 Should I use a reverse proxy server? Ep 798: Self Hosting: Reverse Proxy Servers 42:03 Where to start when updating your webdev skillset 50:11 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Scott: Cardboard Cutter Wes: Kitchen Scissors Shameless Plugs Syntax YouTube Channel Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
915: $200mo Background Agents, CLI Tooling and “Max Mode” 33:37

13 days ago33:37

33:37

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 for background agents. 12:46 CLI tooling. 14:17 Claude Code Pricing. 18:20 Approaches to get the most from these tools. 19:56 PRD Documents. Atlasian What’s a PRD Document . 20:50 Claude Taskmaster . Langflow . 25:29 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks Scott: RingConn . Wes: Dell Projector Shameless Plugs Scott: Syntax on YouTube . Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
914: 5 Upcoming + Next Gen JavaScript Features 33:44

18 days ago33:44

33:44

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 proposal-deferred-reexports Rob Palmer 09:30 Random Functions proposal-random-functions proposal-seeded-random 18:32 Array from Async proposal-array-from-async 20:56 Upsert for Maps proposal-upsert 23:13 Clamp proposal-math-clamp 27:02 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Scott: Anker Max USB 4-Port Wes: Clarkson’s Farm Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
913: NEWS: Remix drops React, Safari 26 CSS + mega fast Vite and TypeSCript 50:11

20 days ago50:11

50:11

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 Lots of CSS goodies. @Una Tweet . 10:19 Remix 3 dropping React. Wake Up Remix . @mjackson Tweet . 17:40 Typescript Native Preview. @drosenwasser Tweet . Microsoft Blog: Announcing TypeScript Native Previews . 20:53 Cursor 1.0 . 29:12 TC39 Advances Several Proposals to Stage 4. 29:51 Array.fromAsync. 31:15 Error.isError. 32:14 Explicit Resource Management: using. 36:53 Astro Creators working on an email client. @FredKSchott Tweet . 39:23 Announcing Rolldown-Vite. Voidzero . Compatibility . 44:43 Vite 7 in Beta . 46:04 Angular v20 Released . 47:30 Take the State of CSS Survey ! 48:40 Brought to you by Sentry.io . Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
912: Why did Figma buy a CMS? 26:16

26 days ago26:16

26:16

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 Brought to you by Sentry.io . 10:02 What will the interface be? 14:02 Generative, user-specific UI. 16:17 Agents make everything look like ShadCN . 18:18 What does this mean for Payload users? 20:23 How this improves Payload. 22:31 Trying to stand out as a CMS. 23:35 Is this going to cost users? 25:12 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks James: Triumph Street Triple , Malört Liquor . Shameless Plugs James: PayloadCMS . Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
911: Browsers in 2025: Whats up with Arc, Dia, Firefox, Chrome and Opera GX? 47:06

27 days ago47:06

47:06

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 Microsoft Edge. 03:45 Why not Brave? 05:25 Brought to you by Sentry.io . 05:50 Google Manifest v2. 07:32 Opera. OperaGX . 10:13 Vivaldi . 11:23 The death of Arc Browser. 11:44 Dia ? 14:43 No revenue from power-users. Letter to Arc Members . 15:38 Arc’s transition to a new browser. 17:02 Browser companies need to lock users fast! 19:42 Gecko. 19:45 Firefox. 21:08 Zen . 22:38 Webkit. There Still Arent Any iPhone Browsers With Custom Engines 29:18 Wtf is Ladybird ? 34:14 Usage statistics. StatCounter.com . 39:32 Dev Tools experience ranked. 42:06 Tab experience. 43:37 Containers and profiles. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
910: If Statements in CSS? 24:38

5 weeks ago24:38

24:38

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 137) CodePen - If with style without attr 09:08 Advanced examples and the attribute function CodePen - CSS If() Themes 13:43 Mixing If statements with media queries CodePen - CSS If() Mixed Logic 16:54 Can’t this be done with classes? 18:16 The future of CSS: declarative APIs CSS Battle LIVE! in Denver | Switch Edition 21:10 Is CSS now a programming language? Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
909: Handling and Throwing Errors 39:06

5 weeks ago39:06

39:06

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 errors. 07:34 Messages: strings, objects, or custom errors. 08:19 Throwing errors. 12:01 Promise errors. 12:10 Try catch block, .catch(). 14:13 Using awaited-to. 15:10 Finally. 16:29 promise.try() 17:14 Re-throwing errors. Error Cause 18:12 Client-side errors. 18:15 Catching at different levels. 18:51 Displaying errors. 21:59 Transforming server errors into client errors. 24:12 Error boundaries. 25:26 Server errors. 26:10 JSON API. 27:41 HTTP response codes. 30:09 Logging and solving errors. 31:16 Proudly supported by Sentry.io . Logging within Sentry 36:16 TypeScript and errors. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
908: Storybook Has Evolved w/ Jeppe Reinhold 50:13

6 weeks ago50:13

50:13

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! 01:40 What is Storybook? 03:48 How Storybook makes component design easier 04:41 Vite integration and compatibility with other tools Vite webpack RSpack 06:50 Storybook’s significantly smaller bundle size e18e polka 13:31 Upgrading to Storybook 9 17:34 Testing components with Storybook Vitest 19:51 How do you write a component “story”? 24:29 Brought to you by Sentry.io 24:54 How visual testing works 28:38 How Storybook makes money 29:33 Best practices for component design 32:24 Mocking and testing strategies 34:49 Accessibility testing 40:51 Add-ons and future features 44:43 Storybook’s documentation 46:33 Sick Picks + Shameless plugs Sick Picks Jeppe: JBL Boombox 3 Wi-Fi Shameless Plugs Jeppe: chromatic Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
907: Wes’ New Site: Gatsby → React Server Components 44:39

6 weeks ago44:39

44:39

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 . 04:33 Existing stack, goodbye to Gatsby. 06:11 New stack, the goals for moving. 06:56 So what is the new stack? 08:32 Challenges with NextJS. 08:58 Problems with plugins. 09:30 Problems with dynamic imports. 10:21 Problems with Cloudflare deployment. 12:37 Landing on Waku. 13:59 Hot Tips functionality updates. 16:30 Blog Posts + JavaScript Notes. 17:09 Moving from Gatsby. 19:03 Page speeds. 19:29 Removing nav resizing process. 21:03 Writing custom MDX plugins. 23:28 Hosting. 24:08 Why is the build so fast? 28:01 Pricing. 32:25 Caching. 34:49 Migration errors. 36:37 CSS. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
906: Tech Startups and Raising Money with Dan Levine (Vercel, Sentry, Mux…) 56:58

7 weeks ago56:58

56:58

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 developers raise money? 08:35 What investors look for 12:39 How much funding is enough? 15:41 Are founders working with multiple investors? 18:26 What can you use the money for? 22:49 How much influence do investors have in the business? 29:56 Brought to you by Sentry.io 29:56 How involved are VCs in the business? 34:22 How do you know a startup is in trouble—and what can you do about it? 38:56 How much of the company do investors own? 40:43 What’s the endgame for investors? 44:02 How do acqui-hires work? 46:29 Is the AI space a real opportunity or just hype? 53:22 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Dan: Dandelion Chocolate Jules Pizza Shameless Plugs Dan: Linear Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
905: You Should Learn Nuxt! 27:37

7 weeks ago27:37

27:37

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 by Sentry.io . 05:17 Routing with Nuxt. h3 - The Web Framework for Modern JavaScript Era . Nuxt Guides . 06:12 Built on Nitro. 06:49 The Nuxt Ecosystem. 07:52 API Route Support. 08:15 Nuxt Directory Structure. 09:09 Does Nuxt do too much for you? 11:15 Data fetching in a Nuxt app. 13:25 RPC, Form Actions, Server Actions? 15:00 Nuxt Server Folder Hastle. 15:57 useFetch Hook. CJ’s Nuxt Crash Course . 17:29 Core Modules and Community Modules? Nuxt Modules . shadcn-nuxt . @nuxt/ui . DaisyUI . Pinia . 21:17 Nuxt Hosting. Deploy . hub.nuxt . 23:59 Anything you don’t like? Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads…

1
904: React vs Svelte × Windsurf Worth $3B × Typescript as Const × Layout Shift Tricks × More 51:14

8 weeks ago51:14