In this episode, Mike sits down with legendary developer and content creator Marko Denic - a full-stack web developer, educator, and agency owner with more than 260k followers across social media. They talk about Marko’s journey from building websites to building an audience, how content creation transformed his career, and what role AI plays in his work today.
In this episode, Matt and Mike compare JavaScript and Python for building LLM-powered chatbots. They explore how each ecosystem handles tool calling, type safety, performance, and framework support — from TypeScript’s tight end-to-end types to Python’s dominance in data and ML. They also discuss architecture patterns that mix the best of both worlds, helping teams choose the right stack for scalable, efficient AI projects.
In this Web News episode, Matt and Mike dive into the big question — is WordPress still relevant in 2025? With modern tools like Webflow, SvelteKit, and Next.js gaining traction, does WordPress still deserve its spot as the world’s most popular CMS? The duo explore its staying power, the ecosystem that keeps it alive, and whether developers should still be learning it today.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt dives into the nuances of researching for a client. Learn how to take a client's diverse needs, turn them into actionable plans, and present solutions that fit perfectly—all while balancing technical expertise with a client-friendly approach.
In this Web News, Matt and Mike discusses the recent AWS outage and what it says about our overreliance on centralized services. From fragile cloud infrastructure to “move fast and break things” culture, this episode explores how we built systems that can take entire industries offline — and what developers can do to make technology more resilient, including offline-first features and smarter UX design.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt sits down with Quincy Larson - founder of freeCodeCamp.org - to talk about the future of learning to code in 2025. They discuss how AI is changing developer education, how to escape tutorial hell, and what makes freeCodeCamp’s free, open-source approach so effective. Quincy also shares insights into building a non-profit tech education platform and advice for aspiring developers looking to go freelance or start their own projects.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Mike opens up about the real challenges he faces as a web developer. From procrastination and work-life balance to imposter syndrome, AI overreliance, and the ongoing question of management versus hands-on coding — he dives into the struggles that often go unspoken in the dev world. Mike shares how he tries (and sometimes fails) to overcome these hurdles, offering a candid look at the ups and downs of staying productive and motivated in tech.
In this edition of the HTML All The Things Web News, Matt and Mike discuss a viral Reddit post where a web developer says their manager’s use of ChatGPT has made their job a nightmare. They unpack whether this is the new workplace reality or a case of AI overstepping its bounds. Along the way, they share their own client experiences, talk AI etiquette, and explore how developers can set healthy boundaries when working alongside artificial intelligence.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt breaks down CSS for absolute beginners. You’ll learn what CSS is, where it goes, and how it makes websites look beautiful. From understanding selectors and specificity to learning why classes beat IDs for flexibility—this crash course keeps things simple, visual, and easy to understand through audio. Matt also walks through common CSS mistakes beginners make and how to avoid them.
While working on the HTML Crash Course, Matt realized how easy it is for experienced developers to skip foundational steps when teaching. In this episode, Matt explores why learning order is so important and how educators can make programming more accessible without overwhelming beginners.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt sits down with Shant Dashjian, a developer educator at Scrimba and founder of Pro Coding Mentor. Shant shares his journey from learning code to mentoring aspiring developers, highlighting the importance of building strong fundamentals, gaining real-world experience, and staying consistent when the going gets tough. We talk about what makes an effective mentor, how developers can make the most of coding bootcamps and platforms like Scrimba, and why community is often the missing link in a student’s success. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to give back by mentoring others, this episode is full of practical advice and insights to level up your career.
Modern web development feels easier than ever — but only on the surface. In this episode, Matt and Mike break down which parts of web dev have truly become simple thanks to frameworks, AI scaffolding, and one-click hosting… and which parts remain tough as ever. From complex third-party integrations and security concerns to scaling, debugging, and design systems, they explore the deeper challenges that still require human creativity and technical judgment.
In this edition of the Web News, Matt dives into a thought he had while out on the golf course: are we ever going to have tech that’s so seamless it doesn’t pull us out of the moment? We’ll talk about the current state of ‘analog’ versus ‘digital’ experiences, why even the most advanced wearables can’t fully disappear into the background yet, and what it might take to reach a future where technology is truly invisible but still helpful.
Learning HTML is the first step to building websites, but it can feel overwhelming when you’re starting from scratch. In this crash course, Matt and Mike break down the absolute basics of HTML in a way that’s clear, practical, and beginner-friendly. You’ll learn what HTML is, how tags work, why structure matters, and how semantic HTML makes your sites more accessible and SEO-ready. We’ll also cover how search engines use your HTML, why clean code helps ranking, and what to focus on before diving into CSS and beyond. Whether you’re brand new to coding or brushing up on fundamentals, this episode will give you the foundation you need to start building the web.
When beginners try to learn coding, jargon-heavy tutorials can leave them feeling confused and discouraged. In this Web News episode, Matt and Mike discuss the importance of using accessible language when writing tutorials, landing pages, and guides. Developers don’t need to explain every detail, but making your explanations approachable helps more people learn faster and feel more confident.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt explores his new development workflow centered around spec-driven development. With AI tools and coding agents becoming more powerful, the key to success isn’t just in writing code—it’s in writing clear, detailed specs first. Matt breaks down what spec-driven development is, why it works so well with large language models, and how it can transform the way developers approach projects. From lowering hallucinations and compressing prompts to enabling parallelization and automated testing, you’ll learn how structured specs can unlock more efficient, accurate development. Matt also shares real-world examples, including a spec for a dark mode toggle, and outlines how specs evolve into implementation docs for step-by-step coding.
In this episode of Web News, Matt and Mike dive into two massive worm attacks that recently hit npm, targeting packages used in millions of projects. While the attackers aimed to steal crypto wallet keys, the actual damage was small—but the implications are enormous. We break down how these man-in-the-middle attacks worked, why shadow dependencies are such a big risk, and what tools like pnpm’s minimum release age can do to help. We also discuss whether AI might allow developers to skip quick one-time npm packages entirely, reducing dependency sprawl and potential vulnerabilities.
In this episode, Matt sits down with developer and solutions architect Nathaniel Rogers to discuss the challenges of working with non-tech-savvy founders, the differences between startup, product-based, service-based, and app-based business models, and how to guide entrepreneurs through both technical and business hurdles. Nathaniel shares his experiences helping clients with everything from basic tools like Calendly to full-scale applications, and dives deep into the fascinating trend of vibe coding—where non-technical people build scrappy solutions that eventually need professional polish. Together they explore what vibe coding means for the industry’s future and how developers can bridge the gap between ideas and reliable execution.
In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt and Mike explore how freelancers can handle diverse client requests with confidence. From quick initial calls and clarifying client goals to managing knowledge gaps and knowing when to outsource, they share strategies for simplifying complex requests, building trusted networks, and keeping communication transparent.
Uptime ideals vs reality in the AI era. A recent post from Theo (t3.gg) calling out sub-90% uptime on a major AI service reignites the question: how seriously should we treat downtime for non-critical apps? In this episode Matt and Mike dig into SLAs, the real cost of monitoring and rapid support, why “always-on” isn’t free, and whether 24/7 expectations turn developers into shift workers instead of on-call responders.
In this episode of HTML All The Things, Mike sits down with Jesse Hall, Staff Developer Advocate at MongoDB and creator of the popular codeSTACKr platform. Jesse shares his journey from working at Geek Squad to becoming a self-taught developer, educator, and now an advocate at one of the biggest players in the database space.
They discuss the principles that make technical concepts “click” for beginners, how to help teams move from relational-first thinking to designing flexible MongoDB schemas, and the pitfalls to avoid when working with document databases. The conversation also dives into MongoDB’s role in the AI landscape, including Jesse’s “AI in Two Lines” approach and what it really takes to go from toy chatbots to robust agentic systems.
Landing a tech job can feel like a marathon—getting the interview is tough, and nailing it is even harder. In this episode, Matt shares insider tips from his experience interviewing dozens of engineers, highlighting the strategies that helped candidates stand out. From making a strong first impression to handling tough technical questions, these insights will help you prepare, perform, and leave a lasting impression in your next interview.
When it comes to starting an online business, one of the most common pieces of advice is to “niche down.” Instead of trying to cover an entire industry or topic family, niching down means choosing a smaller slice of the pie to specialize in. In this week’s Web News, Matt and Mike explore whether that same strategy can apply to developers. Is there value in mastering a narrow set of skills and becoming the go-to authority in that niche? Or does broad knowledge provide more flexibility in a fast-moving industry?
In this episode of HTML All The Things, Matt chats with Dylan Israel about balancing careers in content creation and web development. Dylan has done it all — from building popular YouTube videos and courses, to co-hosting the Self Taught or Not podcast, to landing a role at Amazon. We dive into whether content creation was ever a full-time goal or simply a stepping stone, and what it really takes to break into web development today. Dylan also shares advice for self-taught and traditionally taught devs, thoughts on burnout vs dedication, and his perspective on AI’s impact on junior developers.
Is web development truly recession proof? In this episode of the HTML All The Things Podcast, Matt and Mike explore how different types of recessions—tech downturns, regional slumps, and global crashes—impact developer jobs and freelancing. They discuss why tech’s deep connection to so many industries can make developers more resilient, how side hustles and niche targeting can provide security, and why major economic downturns often spark new online opportunities. Drawing on community perspectives and industry insights, this episode unpacks what it takes to keep your career strong in uncertain times.
