Episodes

  • 877: Tailwind 4

    877: Tailwind 4
    Feb 17 2025

    Tailwind 4.0 is here, and Scott and Wes break down all the spicy new features, from CSS-powered configs to first-class container queries. Plus, they dig into Tailwind Oxide, @property magic, and whether it’s finally time to stop asking, “Why not just use normal CSS?”

    Show Notes
    • 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
    • 00:16 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
    • 01:03 Tailwind 4.
      • Tailwind CSS V4.0 Blog.
    • 02:53 Wes’ favorite new feature.
    • 05:45 @property.
      • CSS Houdini API.
    • 07:28 The config is now a CSS file.
    • 08:25 Tailwind Oxide.
    • 10:48 P3 color space.
    • 12:36 Dynamic Utilities + Variants.
    • 13:36 Data attributes.
    • 15:32 First class container query support.
    • 17:03 Starting Style.
    • 19:22 When to use inline styles.
    • 20:13 Descendant selector.
      • Styling Descendants.
    • 20:48 Why not just use “normal” CSS?
    • 22:03 No text shadow support.
      • Scott has to use Tailwind.
    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
    Show more Show less
    25 mins
  • 876: MIDI & Music in the Browser

    876: MIDI & Music in the Browser
    Feb 12 2025

    Wes and Scott talk about the Web Audio and Web MIDI APIs, diving into how they enable powerful music and sound manipulation in the browser. They explore MIDI messaging, synthesizing audio, creative coding with music, and share hands-on projects, tips, and libraries to get started.

    Show Notes
    • 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
    • 01:17 Brought to you by Sentry.io
    • 02:04 Fun audio experiments
      • Bebot
    • 05:32 What is MIDI?
      • Web MIDI API
    • 14:18 Advanced examples with WEBMIDI.js
      • WEBMIDI.js
    • 17:02 Outputting MIDI messages
    • 24:40 Exploring the Web Audio API
      • webmidirtc
    • 31:20 Audio sampling in the browser
    • 37:35 Media Recorder
    • 39:21 Fun projects
      • MIDI chord machine
    • 42:08 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
    Sick Picks
    • Scott: MX Master 3S
    • Wes: Microcontoller
    Shameless Plugs
    • The MOST Starred JS Projects
    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
    Show more Show less
    49 mins
  • 875: JavaScript Signals Explained

    875: JavaScript Signals Explained
    Feb 10 2025

    JavaScript is missing a built-in way to make variables reactive—but Signals might change that. Scott and Wes break down what Signals are, how they compare to React state, and how different frameworks like Preact, Solid, Vue, and Qwik are already using them.

    Show Notes
    • 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
    • 01:49 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
    • 02:28 Why JavaScript needs reactive variables.
    • 03:16 What exactly are signals?
      • Signals Proposal.
    • 04:02 Understanding computed state.
    • 04:59 How signals differ from React state.
    • 06:12 How different frameworks handle reactivity.
    • 07:09 DOM Parts.
      • Pull Request.
    • 07:26 HTML Template Instantiation.
      • Template Instantiation.
    • 09:10 Comparing signals across frameworks: Preact, Solid.js, Vue, and more.
      • PreactJS Signals.
    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
    Show more Show less
    16 mins
  • 874: Fast Apps - Easy Perf Wins

    874: Fast Apps - Easy Perf Wins
    Feb 5 2025
    Is your app feeling sluggish? Scott and Wes break down the biggest performance bottlenecks—like bloated assets, slow databases, and waterfall requests—and share easy wins to make your site feel lightning fast. From smarter caching to preloading tricks, these tips will have your app zipping along in no time! Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:58 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 02:01 What makes apps slow? 02:10 Loading too much. 03:26 Slow database work. 04:04 Slow server. 04:54 Waterfall requests. 06:34 How do I know what is slow? 06:45 Web vitals. 12:50 Streaming. 14:05 Network tab. 18:18 Performance tab. 22:53 Caching. 22:59 Client-side caching. 23:38 Server-side caching. Valkey.io. Redis.io. 25:40 Local data. 26:11 Gzip. 29:23 CDN. 30:57 Images. Cloudinary. Cloudflare Images. Imgix. Vercel Images. 31:08 Serving. 34:16 Compressing. 35:06 Ship fewer images. 35:50 Loading JS. Async vs Defer Attributes. 37:00 CSS. 38:28 Preloading & Prefetch. 39:40 Preloading on hover. 41:44 Ship less code. 43:49 Icons Nucleo App. 47:01 Fonts Tolin.ski. 51:13 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks Scott: Skywalkers on Netflix. Wes: Oxo Swivel Peeler. 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
    Show more Show less
    55 mins
  • 873: Standard Schema: The Universal JavaScript Data Interface

    873: Standard Schema: The Universal JavaScript Data Interface
    Feb 3 2025

    Wes and Scott talk about the standard schema for data validation, a collective effort by various library authors to create a unified interface. They discuss the benefits, how it works, and its impact on developers and libraries.

    Show Notes
    • 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
    • 01:24 Brought to you by Sentry.io
    • 02:44 What is Standard Schema and how does it work?
      • Standard Schema Spec
      • Fabian Hiller
      • Valibot
      • David Blass
      • ArkType
      • Colin McDonnell
      • Zod
    • 06:00 Benefits of Standard Schema
    • 08:54 Implementation and usage
    • 11:25 Is this primarily for end users or library authors?
    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
    Show more Show less
    14 mins
  • 872: Too much AI × Disappointed in Firefox × Planning New Projects × Hard Truths

    872: Too much AI × Disappointed in Firefox × Planning New Projects × Hard Truths
    Jan 29 2025
    Wes and Scott answer questions about HTML semantics, TypeScript, adapting to AI’s impact on web development, and the best and worst browsers for developers. They also tackle project planning, deploying SvelteKit apps, and navigating online opinions in tech. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:04 Best container element for a grid of products? 04:50 TypeScript null checks 09:44 Adapt to AI or get left behind Syntax Episode 870 13:13 Why did 3D never take off? three.js React Three Fiber Rep Fitness Rack Builder Maxime Heckel GitHub Universe The element 18:53 Podcast audio and video in one feed? Who Smarted? 21:06 Brought to you buy Sentry.io 22:30 Best and worst browsers for web dev? Firefox Edge Chrome Arc Safari 27:39 Why use a lock file for managing dependency versions Don’t gitignore your lock files! 30:34 Should you build your own sync engine? Scott’s Naive Sync Example 34:21 Best practices when starting a new project from scratch Habit Path 38:33 How to deploy a SvelteKit app on something other than Vercel or Netlify Coolify Crash Course 42:54 The reality of online opinions in tech 48:10 Spending $120k on an app idea 54:12 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks Scott: My Mind Wes: Metal Detector 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
    Show more Show less
    58 mins
  • 871: Coding Agents Cursor + Windsurf Tips

    871: Coding Agents Cursor + Windsurf Tips
    Jan 27 2025

    Scott and Wes explore the world of coding agents, diving into tools like Cursor and Windsurf that promise to change how we write and manage code. They discuss modes, workflows, and practical tips for experimenting with these AI-powered tools in your next project.

    Show Notes
    • 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
    • 04:12 What are AI Agents?
      • Cursor Features, Windsurf Features.
    • 07:25 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
    • 07:50 Chat Mode.
    • 08:11 Composer Mode.
    • 08:55 Agent Mode.
    • 10:03 Inline Chat Mode.
    • 11:02 JavaScript Set Methods Demo.
      • Wes’ Example on X.
    • 16:10 Fire Dispatch Data.
    • 20:01 Rules Files.
      • Cursor Directory.
    • 22:37 Use screenshots.
    • 23:36 Refactoring to separate files.
    • 23:53 Use it to experiment.
    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
    Show more Show less
    27 mins
  • 870: Windsurf forked VS Code to compete with Cursor. Talking the future of AI + Coding

    870: Windsurf forked VS Code to compete with Cursor. Talking the future of AI + Coding
    Jan 22 2025

    Wes and Scott talk with Kevin Hou and Varun Mohan from Windsurf about the evolving landscape of AI in coding, and the future of software development.

    Show Notes
    • 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
    • 00:50 The origins of Windsurf and Codeium
      • Windsurf
      • Codeium
      • Vs Code
      • Cursor
    • 03:14 Rethinking IDE UX
    • 05:45 Will Microsoft eventually implement these AI features in VS Code?
    • 09:27 The "agentic" editor concept
    • 17:58 The future of software development with AI
    • 24:37 AI in large codebases
    • 28:22 Brought to you by Sentry.io
    • 28:46 How does AI stay current with frequent language/library updates?
    • 33:07 Behind Windsurf's fresh design
    • 35:23 Challenges with forking VS Code
    • 38:47 AI and future innovations
    • 43:04 How Windsurf approaches AI experimentation
    • 45:11 Pricing and user segments
    • 48:38 Will Windsurf ever run in the browser?
    • 50:58 Sick Pick + Shameless Plugs
    Sick Picks
    • Kevin: Ricoh GR IIIx
    • Varun: Di2 Shifter
    Shameless Plugs
    • Windsurf
    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
    Show more Show less
    58 mins