Code quality matters! When developers write better, cleaner, and safer code - their deliverables improve significantly. When code is safer, there are less problems with crashes and unintended errors. When code is cleaner, team members find it easier to read, peer review, and add on to down the line. Improving the quality of your code is easier said than done, however, as it takes more than just "getting good" at coding. In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed the importance of and how to improve your code quality by keeping coding styles consistent with your team, refactoring, writing good tests, using prettier formatting, and linting.
Should AI run in the cloud or on-device? Some people think that on-device is the only way forward as it ensures a certain level of privacy, while others worry that our local hardware (PC, smartphone, smartwatch) is not powerful enough to deliver cutting-edge features. In this episode, Matt and Mike explore how on-device AI and cloud-based AI work. The guys discussed the benefits of each approach while analyzing and debating their differences on both a hardware/software and user-experience level. Are you worried about your AI information being out in the cloud?
This week Matt and Mike took a trip down memory lane to discuss, debate, and reflect on some of their biggest projects that shaped their careers as web developers. As with many tech careers, the road to becoming a web developer is anything but straightforward. In the case of Matt and Mike, their planned IT startup took a hard right turn based on the opportunities they were afforded over the years such as working for a large medical clinic under the scrutiny of strict government regulations, being caught up in Chrome OS fever as Chrome Apps landed on Windows, helping a large fast food franchise deliver important info to their franchisees, and many more! The pathway to becoming a web developer is anything but linear and the guys hope that this episode's conversations prove that there is no one single pathway to success in the web dev game.
It's often said that in order to become a junior developer, you should learn the three foundational pillars of web development before moving onto a framework, plugin, or other specialty. These pillars are of course: HTML (for site structure), CSS (for page styling), and JS (for advanced UI interactivity) - we refer to them as vanilla tech. Way back in the day, these pillars were pretty much the only thing most developers used to create websites (minus backend tech), but these days most jobs require that you have experience with a popular toolset like React + Next.js, or Svelte + SvelteKit. In this episode, Matt and Mike check in on HTML, CSS, and JS in 2024. The duo discussed these technologies through the frontend lens exclusively, pushing aside things such as JavaScript usage in the backend, or being typed by TypeScript - in order to capture what these technologies were initially used for. Through this discussion the guys question how relevant vanilla tech is 2024, and whether or not it is primarily used as a learning tool by today's standards.
In this episode, Matt and Mike dive deep into the results of the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2024, uncovering the latest trends, technologies, and tools shaping the programming world. From the most popular programming languages and frameworks to the evolving work environments and career satisfaction of developers, the guys break down the data to give you a comprehensive look at the state of software development today. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, this episode offers valuable insights into where the industry is headed and how you can stay ahead of the curve.
Today, we're diving deep into the vital topic of navigating ethics in web development. As developers, we face numerous decisions that fall under the umbrella of ethical practice, from ensuring digital privacy and user consent to integrating accessibility features and prioritizing data security. We'll explore how ethical considerations influence our choices, such as selecting sustainable hosting options, responsibly implementing cutting-edge technologies like AI, and making mindful UI/UX design decisions. Additionally, we'll discuss the complexities of client intentions and our responsibility as developers to uphold ethical standards. Join Matt and Mike as they unpack these essential aspects to create a more ethical web.
Web development is regarded by many as an absolute cluster f*ck. You can't just grab the "right" language and start making a website, there is a seemingly endless supply of no-code tools, libraries, JavaScript frameworks, and more. Even if you and a developer friend are trying to make the exact same project, your finished product will likely be largely the same...but the technology that powers it can be wildly different. What makes matters worse is that problems in the industry are addressed relatively quickly by community projects that of course spawn competing alternatives, and then rather quickly (at times) become old and outdated by even more modern solutions that push them out of the way. While it's great to have such an active community, if you're looking from the outside in, the web development industry looks like a total disaster. In this episode, Matt and Mike explore why web development seems so messy.
Explore the dynamics of synchronous vs asynchronous work as Matt and Mike discuss, analyze, and debate these two popular team workflows. Learn the pros and cons of both work styles, including security, flexibility, and team collaboration. Discover how these methods impact web developers with practical examples of onboarding, mentoring, and deep work. Tune in to understand how to effectively balance sync and async environments for optimal productivity and employee satisfaction. Whether you're a team leader or a solo developer, this episode has valuable takeaways for everyone in the tech industry.
In this episode we dive into the toughest situations web agencies face. From budget cuts and impossible deadlines to social media crises and viral success, Matt and Mike discuss practical strategies for managing stress, negotiating with clients, and maintaining quality. Learn from the guys' experience as they explore real-life scenarios like “The Budget Slash,” “The Perfect Storm,” and “The Design Diva,” offering insights and solutions to keep your agency thriving.
In this episode, we dive into the challenges companies face when balancing rapid feature development with maintaining stability and processes. We explore what it means to build fast, including establishing a tech stack that allows for quick iteration, easy rollback, and efficient database management. We discuss the importance of getting ideas from concept to production swiftly, while ensuring quality through early QA involvement. The episode also covers why it’s sometimes okay to break things, especially when dealing with a small user base, and the critical areas where building fast is not advisable, such as user data security. Join us as we unpack strategies for maintaining velocity without compromising on quality.
In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed time management and time respect as a web developer, specifically diving into their thoughts on different types of billing, invoicing, and availability requirements. Some freelancers feel as though they should charge for every minute that they're on the clock since they're trading their time for money - while others believe more in the project angle, they're dedicated to getting the job done and therefore will often work "unpaid overtime" or will essentially be on-call for no additional pay. For small business owners, the duo also discussed their thoughts on invoicing, comparing and contrasting invoices will very little detail, versus ones that describe every thing that was done and how much those items cost. Then towards the end of the episode, the guys zoomed in on package deals - and how loose or strict you should be when enforcing the confines of a package deal (ie website maintenance package).
Learning web development is not a clear linear path. At the highest level there's frontend development and backend development...but these categories break down into a tonne of different technologies including (but not limited to) React, Vue, Svelte, SvelteKit, HTML, CSS, JavaScript....and the list just keeps going on. For a beginner, this spider-web of technologies seems like an insurmountable learning path. In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed where they think you should start learning web development, touching on different pathways, and eventually laying out their preferred path in detail.
The classic 5-page website is often called a "small business website" or a "basic website" among web development agency owners. It's a staple of the industry because it symbolizes a basic site that many businesses will start their online presence with, and it can easily be sold as a package deal alongside hosting to onboard new clients. As the web has matured, other tools such as Squarespace, Wix, and Webflow have come up with DIY solutions that bring the power of web design, ecommerce, and hosting to users with often a single affordable monthly fee. In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed the small business website landscape to-date in 2024. Through their discussions they debate whether it's worth it for a web dev agency to offer 5-page small business websites anymore, if there's any value in a 5-page website in today's SEO, and whether a business' budget makes a difference which direction they should go.
This week we had the pleasure of sitting down with Clark Sell, the creator of THAT Conference to discuss the importance of community among developers, and different relationships that you can have with your community. We also discussed at length the who, what, where, when, and why of THAT Conference - diving into Clark's inspiration when creating THAT, what the event is all about, and what the speaking landscape is like there. We even talked a little bit about Clark himself and what he used to do before THAT.
JavaScript has seen its fair share of insults and critiques over the years, with some developers outright refusing to touch it and other skirting around the edges by relying heavily on the server-side of things (ie PHP). Love it or hate it, JavaScript is what the web runs on and it's been that way since 1995. Vanilla JavaScript runs in the client's browser, bringing interactivity to user interfaces, while keeping the server out of calculations and computations. With the introduction of Node.js, JavaScript escapes the client-side, and moves it's way into the backend scene. With such a versatile language, why does JavaScript get so much hate? Is JavaScript really that bad?
Creating a website is not a one-size-fits-all scenario, as projects can vary wildly in complexity and amount of work needed. Over the years we have come up with a process that defines a clear structure while providing enough flexibility to accomodate most web development projects for small to medium businesses. The process helps keep development on-track, payments flowing, mitigates working with clients that aren't serious about their project.
Sometimes web development deadlines can come up faster than expected, or even worse, your workload may overwhelm the amount of time you have left until a deliverable is due. When this happens, it's easy to panic, procrastinate, or even quit altogether. Thankfully, development has a lot of wiggle room in how tasks are performed and can typically be worked on anywhere (in office, at home, on-the-go). This week, Matt and Mike discussed how to save time when you're working on your website's UI, more specifically, Matt reflected on a recent busy week where he pulled out all the stops on time saving while doing front-end development.
This week we had the pleasure of sitting down with Jacob Jackson, the creator of TabNine and Supermaven to discuss AI as a whole. It's no surprise that LLMs are taking over most of the current chatter in the tech world, but their rapid rise in popularity has also led to a rapid rise in concern. Many people believe that AI is coming for our jobs, working to replace human developers and other workers. On the other side of the fence, people are using AI to boost their productivity both at work and at home. Developers seem to be getting a great deal of this productivity boost with the creation of tools like Supermaven that can help speed up coding. If you've ever had any questions or doubt surrounding AI, or LLMs in general, then you're not going to want to miss this episode.
Web development is a multifaceted field that demands the integration of numerous technical skills for success. Given its complexity, it's common to encounter various pitfalls while navigating the terrain. In this episode, Mike divulges a list of insights he wishes he had known before embarking on a career in web development—advice that could have spared him time and frustration. This includes mastering your tools to fully leverage them (such as AI), recognizing the importance of completing projects, the advantages of engaging with a community, and many other valuable tips.
What should you do when you need to build a website quickly? While Matt and Mike often say that you should take the time to create a website that you're happy with and will last a long time, sometimes your situation demands that the job be done quickly. In this episode the guys discussed how to build a website quickly using not just ready-made solutions like no-code tools and templates, but also productivity drivers such as hiring out developers while you and your team work on content at the same time.
Transitioning from coding to management can be a career goal for some, and a dreaded pathway for others. In his recent work experience, Mike has been managing a team of developers while continuing to code a bit himself. In this episode, Mike shares his recent experiences and enlightens us with some of the lessons he's learned along the way. While managing a team of developers may seem easy for those at a senior development level, it's easy to forget that the code is not the only thing you have to worry about, the human element becomes a factor that can make or break a team's productivity and effectiveness.
SEO is an important part of a healthy website, but it can be a lot harder than it looks. When you follow advanced SEO guides, or use programs that scan your site for SEO problems, you'll commonly come out with a laundry list of fixes that will take weeks to implement and a developer's expertise to install. These advanced SEO checks can help you modify your site down to the smallest SEO molecule, but it's a large undertaking that can easily be pushed off for months or years. In this episode, Matt and Mike steer away from the intricate and daunting, opting to cover SEO tips that you can implement on your website today. The guys touch on topics like writing more content, defining your website, learning keyword research, and technical SEO.
Hiring junior developers has become a hot topic as of late with AI threatening to take their place and some employers outright refusing to hire self-taught developers citing the quality of their work as justification. The problem with taking out this critical career starting point is that we're breaking the traditional career cycle - junior developers get hired, learn skills to become a senior developer, then eventually change over to management, or decide to retire. By "turning off the tap" of new talent we're essentially limiting the amount of professional developers that there will ever be, forcing salaries to rise, and companies to poach each other's talent (more than they already do). In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed why you should still be interested in hiring junior developers at your company in order to keep the industry happy and healthy.
What is the best way to make a website? Websites can be made with no-code builders, custom code, marketing software, and unique combinations of available tech. Even if we narrow down our choice to custom code, we're still left wondering what our tech stack should be. In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed if there is in fact a best way to make a website. Websites are complex and they're made for humans, whom are also complex. Beyond technical requirements we have to consider the site's audience, who will be editing content, deadlines, and social limitations. Just like many things in life, there may be an objectively best way to make a website...somewhere in the gray area, after you've analyzed your needs, wants, and realities.
Today we celebrate this past week's milestone of 300 released episodes. Now we know that this number is a bit wishy-washy because we have some "side episodes" like Tidbits and Web News...and it doesn't help that we changed how we number our episodes in the feed at some point down the line. But despite all that, we're considering the episode that released just this past Tuesday as of recording this, as episode 300!
In this special edition episode, we won't be talking so much about web development, but instead of reflecting on the past 300 episodes of the HTML All The Things Podcast and discuss our future goals on where we want HATT to be in the future.
Thank you all for listening and here's to another 300!