Podcasts are a popular way to share knowledge, stories, and ideas in the tech space and the medium continues to evolve rapidly. But what does it truly take to create a successful podcast that captivates an audience? Andrew Lisowski, Senior Software Engineer at Descript, and Justin Bennett, Engineer at Oxide, are seasoned podcasters and hosts of the Devtools FM podcast where they talk to industry leaders about developer tools. They shared insights on the evolving landscape of podcasting, highlighting the importance of having a sustainable workflow and maintaining consistency. Andrew and Justin believe a major key to podcasting is understanding your audience, their preferences, and how to keep them engaged. Throughout the episode, the conversation covers an array of topics, including the influence of developer tools, the resurgence of HTML-first web development, and the role of WebAssembly (Wasm) in shaping the future of the web. In this episode, Andrew and Justin tal

Adam Argyle, Chrome CSS Developer Advocate at Google, is not your typical CSS expert. He is big on education and hosts two podcasts that aim to bridge the gap and help developers embrace the challenges of CSS. Adam approaches CSS with a dose of humility, acknowledging that it's one of the most complex and least understood aspects of web development. He’s not just a CSS advocate, he is also a gamer at heart, and throughout the episode, he connects the dots between CSS and the gaming industry. Adam highlights an issue in game development - the oversight of UI design. He pointed out that most efforts are concentrated on the technical aspects, often leaving the player experience lacking. He even shared his vision for a specialized UI agency that focuses exclusively on enhancing user interfaces in the gaming world. In this episode, Adam talks to Robbie and Chuck about leveraging CSS to improve your designs, the Tailwind vs vanilla CSS debate, and the challenges of bui

The transition from coder to manager isn’t easy for developers who love the creative satisfaction and thrill of coding. But both sides of the fence have unique challenges. Sarah Drasner, Senior Director of Engineering, Web, Android, iOS, and Multiplatform Core Infrastructure at Google, didn’t seek out engineering leadership. Sarah admits that she sometimes misses the flow state of coding but has a new appreciation for management now that she is on the other side. She discusses the culture at Google, navigating the company’s tech stack, and how much she values working with a dedicated and hardworking team. Beyond her tech pursuits, Sarah shines a light on She Code Africa, a nonprofit organization she supports, empowering women in tech. In this episode, Sarah talks to Robbie and Chuck about why she initially avoided Angular, the challenges of management, and the flow state she misses from coding. Key Takeaways [01:01] - Introduct

Being a great engineer doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a great engineering manager. So how do you know if a leadership role is right for you? Taylor Poindexter, Software Engineering Manager at Spotify, believes you have to try before you can decide and also know when to walk away. Taylor started out as a tech lead. She knew she wanted to help people advance their careers, and that passion led her to management. She emphasizes that emotional intelligence and patience are a major part of the role and the signs of an effective leader because people are complex. She talks about some of her personal strengths as a leader and the importance of motivating your team, giving feedback, and taking uncomfortable criticism. Managing people isn’t an easy job, and Taylor’s advice for engineers who realize they don’t love leadership is to walk away before creating an unhappy work culture for your team. In this episode, Taylor talks to Robbie and Chuck about tech hot takes, build

The Primeagen is known for embracing controversy. He returns to the podcast for a conversation on a range of topics like masculinity, social media, and pornography. He also opens up about his father’s passing and his journey growing up with a single mother. Michael Paulson aka The Primeagen, Software Engineer at Netflix, is an influential figure in the tech community. He shares his thoughts on React&#39;s evolution and the impact it has on web applications and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of Netflix and the problem-solving initiatives he led. He also discusses social media use and explains how he leverages platforms like Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube to express his thoughts while fostering an engaging online community. In this episode, The Primeagen talks to Robbie and Chuck about his views on frameworks like React, the perils of pornography, and how he is saving Netflix millions of dollars. Key Takeaways <l

Social media platforms have become our virtual playgrounds, and the choices we make in this realm can have profound impacts on our lives. Are we sacrificing our privacy for the sake of convenience Jack Rhysider, Creator of the Darknet Diaries podcast, brings an interesting perspective on the world of online communities, privacy concerns, and the delicate balance between convenience and safeguarding personal data. He blends his creativity and knack for storytelling with his expertise in digital security to report some of the fascinating, and sometimes unsettling, stories from the dark corners of the internet. Jack shares his thoughts on whether it’s harmful for people to flock to online communities where everyone is like them. He also delves into his opinions on Twitter and the privacy issues that arise from using the platform. In this episode, Jack talks to Robbie and Chuck about his experience with various programming languages, the dynamic world of social media, an

Some engineers have a linear path to their careers, but most of them take unconventional routes to become a developer. For Welch Canavan, Principal Engineer II at Stitch Fix, his journey into coding was a complete accident. Welch was thrown into coding after the entire senior team above him left the company. He had two choices, sink or swim. With very little coding experience, he decided to tackle the problem-solving on his own and pick up the pieces that the senior team left. That experience propelled him into his career today. According to Welch, once you are motivated enough to learn, you might not need to invest in a boot camp. He also touches on some important aspects of tech like the complexities of maintaining state in URLs and highlights the innovative solutions by T3 stack. In this episode, Welch talks to Robbie and Chuck about his journey into becoming a self-taught engineer, his responsibilities at Stitch Fix, and how he quit veganism after 20 years.

As the tech industry advances at breakneck speed, traditional university programs are struggling to keep pace. Outdated course content and failure to adapt are encouraging developers to go the untraditional route. Can certifications carry the weight of tech education? Dr. Kate Holterhoff, Analyst at RedMonk, is an educator championing certifications in the tech space. Her background in academia, including teaching stints at institutions like Carnegie Mellon and Georgia Tech gave her a wealth of insights on what is best for the future of tech education. Kate sheds light on the challenges faced by tech education, emphasizing the role of community-driven learning, and exploring the impact of certifications on the modern job market. She also explores the contrast between the knowledge gained in traditional universities and the skills demanded by the tech industry. In this episode, Dr. Holterhoff talks to Chuck and Robbie about her thoughts on popular X (Twitter) debates,

Jonathan Creamer, Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft and a tech enthusiast, is carving out a niche in the world of front-end tooling. He&#39;s even coined the term &quot;DivOps&quot; with the help of his team. Jonathan is passionate about creating and experimenting with new tools that enhance developer workflows. He is on a mission to reduce the reliance on YAML configuration in CI/CD pipelines by converting repetitive tasks into code. For him, it&#39;s all about making these processes more efficient, maintainable, and testable. Jonathan shares one of his core beliefs, which is the importance of staying adaptable in a tech career. He encourages developers to stay open to new languages and concepts. His advice? Invest time in specializing for a few years to gain an in-depth understanding, then move on to the next thing. According to Jonathan, the hallmark of a senior engineer is someone who continually broadens their skill set. In this episode, Jonathan talks to R

Dax Raad, Founder of Bumi and Ironbay and SST Core Maintainer, is a passionate open-source developer who knows his way around the startup tech space with over a decade of experience under his belt. He is intimately involved in the Serverless Stack Toolkit (SST) and sheds some light on what it’s all about. Dax reveals the story behind the inception of SST and its unique role in the software development ecosystem. He explores how SST is revolutionizing the way developers approach serverless applications by streamlining deployment on AWS while also focusing on developer experience. Dax also touches on the integration of Next.js and how SST has become an essential tool for deploying Next.js applications on AWS seamlessly. The discussion shifts gears to the world of cloud computing, where AWS is the big kingpin. Dax explains how being the first big player gives AWS a huge advantage in terms of money and customers. Other companies like Google Cloud and Azure have a hard time catch

After years in the tech game, senior developers know that it’s important to find a balance between innovation and stability in engineering. How can developers strike the balance between embracing new tools and ensuring the steadfastness of their applications over the long haul? Chris Thoburn (Runspired), Staff Software Engineer at AuditBoard, is a big deal in the open-source community, particularly within the Ember community. He explains how his journey has been a unique blend of teamwork and adapting and elaborates on the philosophy behind Ember Data. Chris mentions that the framework is like a solid foundation, built to provide a consistent and stable data layer while allowing developers to evolve their apps over the years. His vision is for Ember Data to be a trusted companion for developers creating web apps. In this episode, Runspired talks to Robbie and Chuck about his views on controversial tech topics like HTMX, the power of Ember Data and its role in creating stab

The landscape of tech is always changing and adaptability is key. Ed Faulkner, Ember Core Team Member and Founder at Polynomial LLC shares his insights into the dynamic world of software engineering. Ed kicks things off by shedding light on the importance of using efficient tools in software development. Ed dives into Vite, a build tool known for its speed and user-friendliness. He explains how Vite tackles the slow development process that some old-school build tools bring along. While Vite might not fit every situation, Ed highlights its usefulness for projects where speedy development matters. The conversation takes a turn as Ed dives into the world of package management, discussing PNPM and how mixing Vite with Ember can shake things up for developers. In this episode, Ed talks to Robbie and Chuck about the challenges with package management, how using Vite with Ember will impact developer experience and the value of knowing how to debug. Key Tak

Recorded at EmberConf from the heart of the Multnomah Whiskey Library with Jared Galanis, Software Engineer on the Ember Learning Team, and Preston Sego aka NullVoxPopuli, Software Artificer at AuditBoard, Chuck and Robbie delve into the evolution and future of the Ember framework. Though Ember isn’t often in the spotlight for being cutting-edge, Jared and Preston unravel the exciting developments in the Ember ecosystem. The conversation centers around Ember Polaris, the eagerly awaited next edition of the Ember framework. Preston explains the concept of &quot;editions&quot; in semantic versioning and how Polaris aims to provide a cohesive story for integrating new features. They also discuss Ember&#39;s shift to Vite as a modern build system, resulting in improved performance, startup time, and enhanced plugin ecosystem. Jared sheds light on the Ember learning team and his background in front-end and back-end development. He reinforces Ember&#39;s commitment to offering smo

Work-life balance can feel like an impossible expectation to meet. For developers and other tech professionals, it’s even harder to unplug when your profession and personal life are connected to the web. Can developers resist the urge to overwork and embrace non-traditional ways of working? Jason Lengstorf, Host of Learn With Jason, believes &quot;your job doesn&#39;t matter&quot;. He explores the concept of &quot;grinding&quot; and shares his ideas on the nuances of working long hours and the importance of maintaining a balanced approach. His perspective revolves around the idea that while putting in extra hours to learn and develop skills can be beneficial, overcommitting to work and neglecting other aspects of life can lead to a loss of creativity, identity, and overall well-being. In this episode, Jason talks to Robbie and Chuck about his opinion on popular Twitter tech topics, the effects of grinding in your career, and whether traditional jobs have become obsolete.

By now we know that an engineer with skin in the game is a senior engineer. Experience teaches wisdom and Jack Herrington, Principal Full Stack Engineer, has plenty of it. Jack dissects the various programming languages from old school to new school, sharing anecdotes and opinions on PHP, ColdFusion, and React. He explores the ongoing JS fatigue phenomenon and emerging alternatives like Deno and Quick. Though Jack is up to date on the latest in tech, he questions the need for complex toolchains and whether simpler solutions, like HTML and JavaScript, might suffice. In this episode, Jack talks to Robbie and Chuck about polarizing tech topics, whether React Server Components changed React, and the state of Web Assembly. Key Takeaways [01:15] - Intro to Jack Herrington. [02:04] - A whiskey review: Barrell Private Release Amaro Cask Finish. [09:53] - Tech hot takes. [19:51] - Did RSCs turn React in

The tech industry is in the middle of an AI revolution, and some developers are wondering if their jobs are at stake. Rizel Scarlett, Developer Advocate at Github, is encouraging developers to embrace the technology instead of fearing it. As a developer advocate, Rizel’s mission is to empower developers with the knowledge to navigate open source and make the most of GitHub’s tools - including Github’s AI pair programmer, Copilot. She sheds light on some of the features of Copilot that make it stand out among traditional code editors. She introduces Copilot for Docs, Voice, CLI, and Chat which are expected to elevate the coding experience, enhance coding efficiency, improve accessibility, and offer insights for developers of all skill levels. Rizel is a major AI advocate and she believes the technology will make coding more inclusive and user-friendly, allowing a wider range of individuals to participate actively in the developer community. In this episode, Rizel talk

Shaundai Person, Senior Software Engineer at Netflix, is a TypeScript convert, educator, and advocate for the programming language. But her unconventional journey started as a self-taught engineer working in sales before discovering her passion for coding during maternity leave. Shaundai candidly shares her personal journey from initially disliking TypeScript to becoming an enthusiastic advocate for its adoption. As a self-taught engineer, Shaundai describes her transformation from a &quot;YOLO&quot; coding mindset to appreciating the structured benefits that TypeScript offers, leading to more organized and efficient codebases. Her upcoming course, &quot;TypeScript for JavaScript Developers,&quot; aims to bridge the gap between skepticism and appreciation for TypeScript, helping engineers embrace its potential for making a meaningful impact on their projects and careers. In this episode, Shaundai talks to Chuck and Robbie about how she landed her role at Netflix, her

Matt Pocock, a TypeScript educator and author of Total TypeScript, became an evangelist for the programing language after searching for a solution for a project plagued by API contract issues. When TypeScript brought newfound confidence and increased velocity to the team, Matt never looked back. Matt highlights the benefits of functional components and the seamless transition from class components to hooks, leading to a happier development environment for everyone involved. From improved error detection to real-time catching of potential issues, TypeScript provides an unmatched level of comfort and productivity for developers, making it a must-have in modern development. For developers like Matt, TypeScript is more than just a tool—it&#39;s an indispensable companion. His love for TypeScript inspired him to dedicate his career to teaching other developers how to adopt and leverage the language for optimal efficiency. In this episode, Matt talks to Robbie an

Una &amp; Adam from The CSS Podcast defend their Frontend Feud title against challengers Chuck &amp; Robbie from Whiskey Web and Whatnot. Let’s get it on! For more info, see: https://changelog.com/jsparty/285

Navigating the current job market is proving to be a daunting task for developers, even experienced ones like Chuck. Does the hiring process need to be fixed? Taylor Desseyn, former Managing Director at Vaco, and a seasoned recruiter with 12 years of experience, believes so. Taylor advocates for a much-needed shift in mindset among hiring managers, emphasizing the importance of meeting candidates where they are. He suggests measures such as contract-to-hire options and redo opportunities, allowing candidates to show their true potential beyond the limitations of a single interview. Taylor believes a new approach would invite more diversity and inclusion into the hiring process and make the experience more fair and effective for the candidates and the employers. In this episode, Taylor talks to Robbie and Chuck about the flaws in the hiring process in the tech industry, the impact of hiring flaws on candidates, and potential solutions to create a more inclusive and

In this milestone 100th episode, Chuck and Robbie are joined by a round table of industry experts and web developers with different philosophies, preferences, and experiences in the tech space to share their opinions on the state of web development. The round table includes Chris Coyier, Co-Founder of CodePen; Scott Tolinski, former Owner of Level Up Tutorials; Tracy Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of This Dot Labs; and Wes Bos, Founder of BosType Inc. The panel shares their opinions on the state of web development, reflecting on the journey from vanilla JavaScript to the rise of Tailwind CSS. They delve into the impact of Tailwind CSS on modern web development, discuss exciting new front-end APIs like the View Transitions API and Anchor Positioning API, and emphasize the importance of mastering JavaScript fundamentals. In this episode, Robbie and Chuck bring industry experts together for a captivating discussion filled with valuable insights on the evolution of front-end de

Brian Douglas, Founder and CEO at OpenSauced, learned to code while pursuing his MBA and stayed up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies by tuning into podcasts and blogs. Brian’s passion eventually caught the attention of Netlify, where he joined as an advocate. Later, he became the first advocate at GitHub, building out a developer relations team. Brian shares insights into the open-source world and the challenges faced by maintainers. He introduces his current venture, OpenSauce.pizza, which aims to improve GitHub insights and provide valuable knowledge about open-source contributions and tech debt. Brian mentions plans to expand the platform&#39;s support to include other Git host providers like GitLab and Bitbucket.In this episode, Brian talks to Robbie and Chuck about his journey from developer to developer advocate, the importance of developer experience, and his current project, OpenSauce.pizza, focusing on GitHub insights with plans to expand to suppor

Chuck and Robbie are joined by Emmy Cao, Developer Advocate at Wix, and Yoav Abrahami, Chief Architect at Wix at the RenderATL 2023 conference to talk all things tech, including whether low code, no code tools are making developers obsolete. Emmy and Yoav delve into Wix’s code-first approach, where users can write code and then create screens that modify that code visually. They highlight the accessibility of Wix&#39;s platform for designers and individuals new to development, allowing them to learn coding concepts with ease. They also discuss the inclusivity of the developer community, acknowledging that coding proficiency does not define one&#39;s legitimacy as a developer. They appreciate the democratization of coding and the potential for more people to learn and engage with technology through platforms like Wix. In this episode, Emmy and Yoav talk to Robbie and Chuck about their perspective on popular tech debates on Twitter, the evolving nature of developer roles, and the co

Chuck and Robbie catch up with Chance Strickland, Senior Software Engineer at Replo, at the RenderATL conference. Chance kicks off the conversation by sharing that he is now working at a small startup after leaving the Remix core team. The trio discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using signals, a tool that helps manage asynchronous JavaScript. They explore how signals can enhance code readability and simplify complex workflows, but caution against potential performance issues and the learning curve involved. The conversation shifts to rebasing, with Chance providing insights into its usage and advantages. He explains how rebasing can help maintain a clean Git history and enable seamless collaboration in a team setting. In this episode, Chance talks to Robbie and Chuck about his experiences with tools like Tailwind, rebasing in Git, and the pros and cons of using signals in web development. Key Takeaways [01:57] - Introduction

Chuck and Robbie are joined by Scott Tolinski, Executive Producer at Sentry, for a recorded chat from the RenderATL conference. The trio delves into lively discussions on various tech topics and shares their candid opinions on ongoing Twitter debates. Scott opens up about his role at Sentry and how the acquisition has impacted his other venture, Level Up Tutorials. He sheds light on the new direction of Level Up Video and the exciting opportunities it brings for delivering free web development content. Scott also emphasizes the advantages of partnering with Sentry and the increased focus it allows for Syntax. He also provides insights on using a PostCSS plugin to deploy custom media queries and addresses the progress of Safari and its position compared to Internet Explorer (IE) as the browser with the poorest support for certain features. In this episode, Scott talks to Chuck and Robbie about custom media queries, browser support for new CSS features, and the acquis

Chuck and Robbie dive into their recent experience of building a new podcast site and all the frameworks in their toolkit including Next.js, Vercel, and surprisingly, React. Robbie shares the motivation behind building a new podcast site, with the duo wanting more control over analytics, customization, and the overall look and feel, rather than relying on podcast platforms. Robbie used a Tailwind template in Next.js due to its modern features and the ease of leveraging Next.js&#39; capabilities. But the frameworks in Chuck and Robbie’s toolkit are not without flaws. They discuss Vercel&#39;s payment model and pricing plans, including a request for a la carte payment options to escape multiple subscriptions.In this episode, Robbie and Chuck talk about their experience using Next.js and Vercel for their podcast website, the potential for optimizing React usage in static sites, and the costly subscription model. Key Takeaways [

Stephen Shaw is a Front End Developer at CodePen. But his journey into the world of web development traces back to his earliest memory, captured in a nostalgic photo from 1987 of him sitting on his dad&#39;s lap gazing at a computer tower. Today Stephen contributes to building one of the most widely used code editors for the web. CodePen, as Stephen reveals, is a dynamic social network where people share code samples and demos among a vibrant community. Stephen reminisces about his involvement in working on Ken Wheeler&#39;s cash and using classic web animation tools like GSAP (GreenSock Animation Platform). He&#39;s also keen on exploring what lies ahead. Stephen predicts that Apple&#39;s rumored headset device will harness the power of AR/VR, pushing developers to adapt to the technology. In this episode, Stephen talks to Robbie and Chuck about his challenges using typescript at CodePen, the evolution of web animation tools, and the future of VR and AR on the w

Whiskey, Web, and Whatnot is a weekly podcast from Robbie Wagner and Chuck Carpenter, the founders of Ship Shape (https://shipshape.io).  Listen each week for wide-ranging conversations with developers from across the web. Each episode includes sampling a whiskey, followed by a chat about tech things, and slowly devolves into various whatnot. Unlike some other technical podcasts, our format allows you to see another, more human side of the devs you follow and admire. You can subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts, and learn more at https://www.whiskeywebandwhatnot.fm.  Connect with our hosts Robbie Wagner Chuck Carpenter Ship Shape Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Whiskey Web and Whatnot Top-Tier, Full-Stack Software Consultants This show is brought to you by Ship Shape. Ship Shape’s software consultants solve complex software and app development problems with top-tier coding expertise, superior service, and speed. In a sea of choice

Chuck is in Middleburg, in person, for this episode, where we celebrate his Ship Shape anniversary with the WhistlePig Boss Hog: Magellan's Atlantic. We discuss preventing bots from submitting forms with recaptcha, caching with GraphQL and Redis, NFTs, crypto, and various whatnot.

In this episode, we try some Four Roses, and chat with Sundi about Elixir, Flutter, cooking and various whatnot.

In this episode of our Whiskey Web and Whatnot podcast, we are joined by our special guest, Robert Jackson, from the Ember Core Team. We sampled the Hughes Belle of Bedford Rye whiskey, discussed how Robert got into Ember, the pros and cons of Ember vs other frameworks, and various whatnot.

In this episode we try the Uncle Nearest 1856 100 proof premium whiskey, discuss the pros and cons of JSON:API vs GraphQL, and give updates on our lives post-vaccination, the new office space in Middleburg, and the latest news in the Ship Shape world.

This time we accidentally try two different Old Elk whiskeys, talk about NFTs, crypto, and go on various tech tangents.

This week we try Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit, discuss EmberConf and Next.js and talk about Porsches vs Mustangs.

In this episode we try Basil Hayden's Dark Rye, discuss DevOps and Kubernetes, Arcades and Whatnot.

In this episode we try a Japanese whisky from Kamiki Whisky and chat with Chris Garrett (pzuraq) from the Ember Core Team about new things coming in the Ember/Glimmer world.

In this episode we try Hudson Whiskey's Short Stack, discuss JavaScript frameworks, and explore Chuck's time in Italy.

In our third episode we try the Rabbit Hole Dareringer bourbon in our new Norlan whiskey glasses, discuss the Serverless Application Framework, learn a bit about Chuck's previous life as a blackjack dealer, and talk about the craziness around GameStop stock and cryptocurrency trading.

In this episode we sample Peerless Distilling's Rye, discuss the pros and cons of monorepos, and talk about our favorite and least favorite Super Bowl commercials.

On our first episode of Whiskey Web and Whatnot we have Sagamore Spirits Rye as our whiskey, discuss Travis CI's latest problems and how GitHub Actions has filled the space, as well as talk about Nintendo / PC games we've been interested in recently.