devMode.fm

Standup - "The Rage Room"

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

On this standup, Ryan & I discussed options for the new version of the nystudio107.com website: Nuxt, Next, Astro, Svelte, or Remix, and the pros and cons of these various options.

We go on to talk about a surprise birthday trip to NYC for a Billy Joel concert for Andrew’s son, and how Ryan “Swiftie” Irelan is to blame for it. We also discuss the insane MMO Star Citizen game, 10 years in development, community funded to the tune of $500m+!

Then we talk about the Code Field plugin for Craft CMS, and the Code Editor package on which it is based. This essentially brings VS Code to the Craft CP, but with even better Twig & Craft API autocomplete than VS Code itself.

Finally, we debate the merits of a rage room vs. a limousine tour of the city for children’s birthdays and adroitly switch over to discussing VitePress, and how fantastic it is for doing documentation… or even as a general-purpose static site generator.

DDEV for Local Development

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we have Randy Fay, the maintainer and benevolent dictator of the DDEV project, which aims to make local development for PHP-based projects a breeze for individuals and teams.

We talk about the origins of DDEV, as well as its benefits over local development environments that are monolithic in nature. Due to how DDEV leverages Docker behind the scenes, it’s ideal for PHP-based CMS projects like Drupal, Typo3, WordPress, and app development frameworks like Laravel as well.

We go in depth on what those advantages are, and how DDEV has ambitions to bring the shrink-wrapping of project devops to outside the PHP world as well.

And there’s a special little treat at the end for Craft CMS users who want to leverage DDEV, so tune in!

Advocating for Devrels

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Shawn “swyx” Wang all about developer relations aka devrels, and what their critical role at a tech-based company entails.

Is it just marketing for developers? Are they YouTube creators who like tech? Programmers who like teaching? Super fans who want to get paid to work on the product they already love?

We answer all of these questions, and also delve into the duality of the devrel role, where they benefit the company and also the developers in the community.

Don’t miss this real talk with Shawn about important but often misunderstood role in the tech business!

Inside Vite.js 3.0 with core team member Patak

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Vite.js core team member Matias Capeletto aka “Patak” about the next generation frontend tooling Vite 3.0!

We’re joined by guest co-host Michael Thomas, lead dev from Percipio, to talk about what makes Vite.js so loved in the developer community that it’s had a stratospheric rise in popularity.

We delve into all the shiny new things in the newly released Vite 3.0, and get a peek into the massive community behind the scenes that helped make it all happen.

Patak also drops the news that StackBlitz is sponsoring the first Vite Conf, free online October 11–12th, and will feature speakers from all facets of the Vite ecosystem.

Leverage the web platform with Remix

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 03:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Michael Jackson (no, not that one) about Remix, the “center stack” web framework that embraces the web platform, rather than attempting to replace it.

We discuss how Remix is an outgrowth of the work that he and Ryan Florence did on React Router, and how Remix attempts to bring balance back to the web world by being a stack that spans the frontend and the backend.

Remix is a web framework built in TypeScript, which allows you to use as much (or even zero!) JavaScript on the frontend as you like, balanced with SSR JavaScript on the backend.

It’s a refreshing take on web development that harkens back to PHP and Ruby-based frameworks, but using the isomorphic superpowers that only JavaScript has!

Standup - "Signal to Squirrel Ratio"

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

On this standup, we have Ben Croker from Put Your Lights On to discuss the ongoing war with squirrels that Andrew has been engaged in.

Far from the cute, cuddly little plushies that Ben thinks they are, squirrels are actually insidiously evil little monsters that eat your house down one shingle at a time.

We then also discuss pressing topics like the proper plural of € “Euro”, and have a chat about Craft CMS 4, the work we’ve needed to do on our plugins to get them updated, and what the new yearly versioning scheme means to you.

We then go on to talk about PHP benchmarks, and how to keep motivated with content creation.

You Can't Lose: Joe Rinaldi on Biz Dev

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode hosted by Ryan Irelan, we talk to industry veteran Joe Rinaldi, founder of That Was Clutch about the business development side of running an agency or consultancy.

Joe talks about how it’s important to be true to yourself and your agency’s strengths, so you don’t turn into a chameleon consultant that ends up with ill-fitting projects. If you do that, you can’t lose.

He goes on to expound on how selling is not the same thing as just closing inbound leads, and you should be driving your company’s growth by selling clients rather than just catching the softballs they throw you.

We also discuss the dangers of evolving into a platypus by virtue of working in an insular manner; instead, talk to your clients, talk to your users.

Standup - "Tourist Devs"

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Grab your go-bag, folks! Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup where we talk about the nexus between all-inclusive resorts, and “Tourist Devs”.

You see it on tech Twitter all the time: how realistic is the ever-changing parade of shiny new technologies you see touted? Do you need to keep up with the Joneses?

We explain in simple terms what a “reverse proxy” is, and how it differs from a regular old proxy, how to make learning web development easier, then segue into talking about hiking & running!

We also go on to discuss the benefits of contributing to OSS projects, even if you’re a little hesitant or getting your feet wet as a contributor.

Ryan also discusses the most weighty problem he has: the dreaded yellow dot!

Life in the Fast Lane 🏎 with Partytown 🎉

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we talk with Adam Bradley from Builder.io about using Partytown to improve website performance while still allowing marketing to use a plethora of tracking scripts.

Partytown is a way to run all of your third-party tracking scripts (or “tags”) in a separate web worker thread, so the main thread is free to render the page without jank or white screen loading delays.

It is super simple to set up & get running, and all of your tracking scripts work as before… they are just sequestered in a separate thread so they don’t impact frontend performance.

Special co-host John Morton joins us to talk about his experience setting up and using Partytown, and also implementing a similar service from Cloudflare called Zaraz.

Join us for the party! 🎉

Standup - "Craft CMS 4: Rector? Damn Near Killed 'Er!"

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup where we discuss the impending release of Craft CMS 4.

We delve into why this update won’t be as much work as the Craft 2 to Craft 3 update, but we talk about the work plugin & module developers will need to do, and what you can do to prepare for Craft 4 now.

We also talk about Pixel & Tonic’s likely release dates for the beta and general release, and how a tool called Rector may ease the process for everyone.

We also then talk about how to do long reports or exports well using batches without PHP falling over, a memoization memory leak in Commerce, and Ryan tells us about stakeholder-appropriate workflows.

Standup - "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Fire Ant"

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup where we discuss topics ranging from the etymology of the word “sanguine” to the entomology of the Texas fire ants that attacked Ryan.

We go on to talk more about the Docker Compose API follies, the massive AWS outage, how redundant systems aren’t always that resilient, and Ryan coding while on prescription drugs.

We also chat about some projects Andrew has been working such as the Matrix Criteria Behavior for finding entries based on fields in Matrix blocks, and the AX that Matrix Facades can provide.

Finally, we have an in-depth discussion on the future (or lack thereof) of the Pluginfactory.io website (which goes on in the after-show, so stick around past the closing tunes).

Hype for Hyperscript

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we have Carson from Big Sky Software & Deniz Akşimşek on to talk about Hyperscript, which they tout as what JavaScript would look like if it were designed for the web!

Guest host Ben Croker from PutYourLightsOut tells us why, yes, we really do need a scripting language built on top of JavaScript to make common things easy to do.

And that’s what Hyperscript aims to do: bring the joy of scripting back into web development and solve the common problems we all face every day, simply and elegantly.

As such, Hyperscript is a natural complement to its sister project, HTMX. Join us to hear an interesting discussion on how the right tooling (or lack thereof) is half the battle.

Standup - "Lookin' for Love in all the Wrong Places"

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup where we discuss the idea that training materials teach you how to do a thing, but that’s only part of the equation.

Studies have shown that people who love their jobs tend to do better work than those who don’t. So how do we learn to love our jobs, or do we just need to find a job that fits us better? We talk about it in-depth, and how loving a thing can be a skill you apply, and thus do better work!

We also talk about Web 3.0, Crypto, NFTs, the Star Registry, and how humans are weird about what they value.

We go on to discuss Time-Block Planning, an obscure Docker issue that caused problems for Andrew & Ryan, Belle Delphine’s bath water, as well as the Oculus Quest 2 and how awesome it is!

A Return to Sanity

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we return Sanity.io and talk to Knut Melvær about how Sanity is re-thinking how a content authoring system should work.

Sanity is at its heart both a place and a methodology to use for storing the structured data that powers websites, mobile applications, services, and more.

We discuss in-depth what it’s like to set Sanity up to give it a whirl if you’ve never used it before.

We go on to talk about some of the major new additions to Sanity such as conditional fields, collaborate editing, GROQ-powered webhooks, and more!

Standup - "The Rantings of a Mad Prepper"

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup where we discuss Ryan’s prepper tendencies, and he goes on a rant about a SaaS he’s had issues with (he’d like to see the manager).

We go on to talk about Conventional Commits, and how they can make your git commits better, and discuss drug smuggling. Andrew sees a shiny object, and goes off on a side-quest making a Vite.js Dockered Dev environment in the name of fixing a symlink bug.

Then we discuss how Jack Antonoff, and how everyone who is really good at creating a thing—whatever that thing may be—does it via a process, not magic.

Finally, Andrew tells Ryan to grab his go bag and join him on a coding adventure to work on a Twig Devtools browser extension.

What even is JavaScript?

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode hosted by Jennifer Blumberg with guest Chris Ferdinandi, we continue the “What is even…?” series by delving into exactly what even is JavaScript?

We talk about JavaScript’s convoluted origins, and how a language written in 10 days has become the most popular language on the planet.

Chris leads us through discussing the perils of the proliferation of JavaScript on the frontend, as well as the absolutely amazing things it allows us to do in the browser, on the server, and even in the cash register!

We also have a pretty interesting discussion on the overuse of frameworks, but also how those very frameworks benefit the platform as a proving ground for patterns that work.

Standup - "Fair Market Value of a 10 Year Old Child"

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube where we talk about some really cool new streaming shows such as “Mythic Quest” and “Foundation”.

Then we also discuss the challenges of raising precocious kids with technology… even if you are very tech-savvy yourself!

We also discuss the iOS “focus mode”, ExpressionEngine Pro’s new frontend editing mode that’s a throwback to MojoMotor, Chrome’s design mode, and how product feature design can be a slippery slope to navigate.

We also talk about Andrew’s book reading fail, Ryan’s insults, the upcoming DotAll online conference, and how both of us approach tech and other conferences in terms of what we want to get out of them.

How Strapi makes you happy!

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Host Jennifer Blumberg leads the discussion of Strapi, a Node-based CMS & API provider that allows you to create content-rich experiences. We are joined by guest Daniel Madalitso Phiri from Strapi’s developer relations team.

We delve into using Strapi as a headless CMS, leveraging the awesome developer experience offered by the combination of TypeScript, GraphQL, and React. Build any React components you like, pull them into Strapi, and create a dynamic content builder for your clients.

We also turn the tables on Jennifer, and talk about why she chose Strapi over Craft CMS, Contentful, Keystone, and a number of other potential suitors. We go in depth on what type of projects Strapi is suited for, and whether she’ll continue to use it going forward!

Standup - "What If Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth?"

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube; we launch into a philosophical “What if?” scenario where PHP is the language that runs in the browser as well as the server.

We talk about the “great divide” and how JavaScript’s superpower of running in the browser is driving a decent chunk of the adoption of one language to rule them all.

We also talk more about Vite.js, and Ryan’s conversion of CraftQuest.io over to it, and how that’s been as a project for him.

Finally we talk more about Nuxt, the Europa Museum project conversion to Docker + Vite.js, Six Flags Great Adventure & more!

Standup - "Speed Walking for Devs"

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube; we talk about the Olympics, and how they are inspirational as well as providing allegories for development and your career.

We discuss Ryan’s plans to qualify for the 2024 Olympics as a speed walker, and then do an in-depth discussion on how Ryan is modernizing the CraftQuest.io website.

We discuss the trials & tribulations associated with something that everyone in the web development world has to do at some point, which is to take “this old site” and modernize it. Andrew also discusses doing just this to the “Spoke and Chain” and “Europa Museum” sites from Pixel & Tonic.

Finally, we chat about advertising in small communities, and whether it’s effective or not.

Standup - "Professional… Healing"

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube; we have a long chat about working for yourself vs. working at a corporate job and transitioning between the two.

We discuss Ryan’s recent 2‑year stint into the corporate world, and subsequent return to the ranks of the self-employed, and get into his experiences and reasons.

Ryan also lets Andrew know that he couldn’t cut it at a FANG company, in a most hurtful manner. And when I get that feelin’, I want professional healing.

Vite.js modern frontend tooling

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Ben Hong from Netlify about the Vite.js modern frontend tooling from Evan You, the creator of Vue.js!

We talk about Grunt, Gulp, webpack, and how the evolution of the modern web platform has allowed frontend tooling like Vite.js to be lighting fast and light on config.

We discuss how the performance and usability of Vite.js adds to the Developer Experience (DX) in a big way, with things like zero-config TypeScript and JSX support.

Finally, we learn that Nuxt 3 will work with Vite out of the box. Oh, and we get the dirt on the Nuxt 3 release date too!

Standup - "Spunky Brewster"

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube; we chat about Apple AirTags for tracking people & pets, WWDC 2021, and our take (and disappointment) at some of the announcements.

Then on to Apple HomePods vs. Sonos setups, 68K → PowerPC transition, PowerPC → Intel transition, and a bunch of other nonsense like YouTube copyright strikes.

Andrew talks about some TypeScript coding he’s been doing on Vite/Rollup plugins of late, and the transition to VitePress for documentation… and the awesomeness that is TextLint, Grammarly, and Commerce Subscriptions.

What even is PHP?

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode hosted by Jennifer Blumberg with guest Matthias Noback, we continue the “What is even…?” series by delving into exactly what even is PHP?

We talk about PHP’s origins, how PHP works from request to php-fpm worker processes to lexer to bytecode to JIT, the whole shebang!

We also discuss there are so few feature-rich, authoring experience focused CMSs written in languages other than PHP.

Finally, we talk about Rector, which is like Babel but for PHP, allowing you to improve and upgrade PHP code on the fly. It can even downgrade your code to older PHP versions if you like!

Standup - "Summer Book Burning"

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Irelan & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube; we talk about life drama that we’ve both been experiencing that has caused us to feel behind in our day jobs.

We also launch into Andrew’s work on Vite & Craft CMS integration, and Ryan’s book reading habit leads to a challenge of getting Andrew to read books again.

Then we rate each other’s streaming room backgrounds and talk nerd stuff about PHP traits & interfaces, dependency injection containers, and more!

Using Nuxt.js to build client sites

Mon, 31 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Will Browar, the Web Development Supervisor at Dixon Schwabl about building client sites with Nuxt.js

We talk about the upsides of building traditional client sites with a frontend meta-framework like Nuxt.js and Vue.js… and we talk about the downside, too.

While it’s true you should pick the right tool for the job, you can’t pick it if it isn’t in your toolbox! Join us for a fun and practical discussion on working with Nuxt.js!

Vizy & Formie plugins for Craft CMS

Mon, 24 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We have a chat with Josh Crawford from Verbb.io about his company’s focus on bringing Craft CMS plugins to the community that improve the content authoring experience.

We start with an in-depth discussion of the Vizy, which is a solution for writing longform content in Craft CMS that aims to improve upon the traditional “content builder” matrix block setup.

Josh mentions how it’s a result of spending an awful lot of time doing observational studies of clients using the CMS to author content, and the result is as if Matrix and Redactor had a baby.

We also chat about the Formie forms plugin, and how the angle on that one was again content authoring experience. Join us for a great chat with Josh!

Standup - "Stick It In Your NAS"

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Patrick “Honeydew” Harrington & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube, where we talk about staying sane through the pandemic with some of our favorite movies & shows.

We also talk about Patrick’s obsession with finding a replacement NAS for his video pirating needs, a revamp of Andrew’s first real website project (and how it was redone so much better).

Then we talk about what’s coming in handling slow pay clients, Craft CMS 3.7, the joy of using Make and Makefiles, modern build systems, disaster planning for websites, and SEOmatic!

What even is the Internet?

Mon, 03 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode hosted by Jennifer Blumberg, we delve into this magical, mystical thing we used every day called “The Internet”.

As technology professionals we know more than most about it, but still there are many fundamental things about how the Internet works that we take for granted, or don’t fully understand.

We delve into the physical communications mediums, the protocols, and the history of this thing we call the Internet… and into how browser work with the DOM and CSSOM to make pretty pictures.

Standup - "Back From The Dead"

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Patrick “Honeydew” Harrington & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube, where we talk about a website that Andrew’s brought back from the dead as a favor to a friend that’s a favor to a friend.

The website went entirely offline because the VPS bill wasn’t paid, and Andrew stream him rebuilding & modernizing is from scratch on YouTube, warts and all.

We also talk about getting vaccinated for COVID-19, website backups & disaster recovery, Tesla Minivans, Andrew’ plugin dev setup, Nuxt.js, and chat a good bit about the right way to transition a Craft CMS site to use the SEOmatic plugin.

The Science of SEO with Dr. Thomas Anthony

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We talk with Dr. Thomas Anthony from Distilled / SearchPilot about how a scientific approach to SEO A/B testing gives you results, not incense and tarot cards.

Joined by guest host Caroline Blaker from Petroglyph Creative, we discuss the struggle to bring the rigor of the scientific method to SEO, by isolating what works from what doesn’t in a deterministic way.

We talk about how we shouldn’t all just give up and pay Google et al for Pay Per Click ads (PPC), but rather realize the very real value in organic search and modern SEO.

Standup - "Use Your Skills to Make Your Thrills"

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Patrick & Andrew record another devMode standup streamed live on YouTube, focusing the conversation around the idea of using your skills and interests to make your own product.

We talk about the benefits of using your super powers as a developer to make your own product, and thus your own wealth… as well as the downsides of being your own boss.

We also talk about Clubhouse, DotAll conference 2021, Nuxt, Vite, Snowpack, Tailwind CSS, Windi CSS, package verisoning hell, and a whole bunch of other topics!

Solving Complex Problems

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Jonathan Melville hosts this episode on how we handle breaking down complex problems so that we can implement a solution.

Our jobs as developers is solving problems we don’t fully understand yet, but there are methodologies we can use to help break down these complex problems into eminently doable chunks of work.

We talk about our personal approaches to solving complex development problems, and interestingly how much of it isn’t the technical side of things, but rather the mental or emotional side of things.

Standup - "A Pickle of a PECL"

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Patrick & Andrew recap the results of Andrew’s bet against the fall of the republic, we talk about building multi-arch Docker images for Patrick’s beloved M1, and tell you more about LLVM & compilers than you wanted to know.

We then launch into PHP 8, the JIT (Just In Time) compiler, finding & fixing weird obscure bugs, how to decide whether something is a bug or an environmental issue, Imagick & PHP 8, Craft Nitro 2.x, and Andrew’s review of the AirPods Max.

Roast the Hosts: Tables Turned on Patrick & Andrew

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

For the 100th episode, Ben Croker leads the cabal of inquisitors, and puts the regular hosts Patrick Harrington & Andrew Welch in the hot seat!

We discuss their colorful histories and learn more than we ever wanted to know about running marathons & Patrick in tights.

Ben Croker and his henchmen Matt Stein & Lindsey DiLoreto proceed to “roast the hosts” on a wide variety of topics.

If you wanted to learn more about Patrick & Andrew and the history of devMode.fm, this is the show for you.

Henri Helvetica: More than just Sans Serif

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We sit down for a chat with Henri Helvetica to discuss his journey from working at record labels to the fashion industry and then landing with a splash in the tech world.

We discuss how his varied background has given him things to draw upon in the tech world in unexpected but serendipitous ways.

We have a good discussion on the Toronto Web Perf & JAMstack Toronto meetups he hosts, the talks he gives at conferences around the world, and the weird, wonderful world of web performance.

Standup - "Driving Apple Silicon"

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Patrick is madly in love with his M1 MacBook Air, Docker on M1 Macs, how virtual. memory swapping works, how often do you reboot your computer?

Andrew is somewhat skeptical about the Apple Car (remember the Pippin!), we talk deployments with Buddy, GitHub Actions, Azure pipelines, the glory of a modular webpack 5 config, get-webpack-config, Maelstrom, Choplifter, and other development stuff we’re doing.

An Epic React chat with Kent C. Dodds

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We talk with Kent C Dodds about how he made a career out of teaching React, culminating most recently in his Epic React course that aims to ensure you learn how to React.

Kent also talks enthusiastically about Remix.run, the project from Ryan Florence @ryanflorence & Michael Jackson @mjackson that provides a complete frontend -> backend solution for building progressively enhanced apps with JavaScript.

Don’t miss this fantastic episodes with the ever effervescent Kent C. Dodds, and his takes on JavaScript and the frontend development world.

Standup - "The Promise of the JAMstack"

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

On this devMode Standup, Patrick & Andrew talk about the promise of the JAMstack, Patrick’s experience with Nuxt, and how Sprig is the same but different.

We also talk about stuff Andrew is up to, such as Alpine Docker containers, dual PHP containers for XDebug performance reasons, and get into Spatie’s new Ray debugging tool too.

Then we talk about Patrick’s experience with the M1 MacBook Air, and Andrew talks about webpack 5 and some big plugin update he’s working on.

Finally, we discuss Andrew’s bet on the fall of the republic.

Tales from the Support Front Lines

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We talk with Olivier Bon about what it’s like being on the support front lines for Craft CMS. When you send in a support ticket, email, tweet, etc., chances are Oli is on the other end.

Joined by Ben Croker, we hear about Oli’s journey to end up in his current position, working in a small village in the French countryside for Pixel & Tonic.

We go on to discuss how people sending in support are seeking help, and how rewarding it can be to help people, as well as how challenging it can be at times. If you build product of any kind, you’ll likely get something out of this discussion!

The 2020 Apocalypse Year in Review

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In this roundtable discussion, the devMode hosts and regulars talk about what it was like in 2020 living and working through the global pandemic.

Many of our long-time hosts & regular guest come back to share their personal stories in terms of what work, play, and the meaning of life has become in the context of COVID-19.

Of course, in true devMode style, it’s approached in a potentially humorous way, and we hope this episode is a fun holiday present to everyone! Happy Holidays! 🎄 🎁

Snowpack the faster frontend build tool

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we chat with Drew Powers from skypack.dev about Snowpack, a modern frontend build tool that’s blazingly fast, and zero config to get up and running.

Learn why Snowpack was named the “#1 Developer Productivity Booster” and why CodePen.io just announced an integration with the Skypack CDN.

We talk about how leveraging the platform allows Snowpack to deliver a fast and easy to set up local development environment, and how it can see the whole process through to production bundling!

The Chakra UI Component Library

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we talk with Segun “Sage” Adebayo, the creator of the Chakra UI component library about how Chakra came to be, and how helping people has changed his life.

Chakra UI is a set of React components that makes putting together any website easier, with a consistent design system and accessible & composable components. If you’re a fan of Vue.js, don’t worry, there’s Chakra UI for Vue.js as well!

We talk with Segun in-depth about how his deep experience as a designer allowed him to make Chakra UI into something that can help developers and designers around the world.

Why you should adopt TypeScript

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we talk with Stefan Baumgartner, author of “TypeScript in 50 Lessons” about what TypeScript is, and why we should adopt it.

We discuss how the entire ecosystem, from fledgling developers to framework authors benefit immensely from TypeScript, and we discuss exactly how and why that is.

It’s likely that if you do any JavaScript coding at all these days, you’re actually using some facet of TypeScript without even known it.

Join us to learn how to leverage the rest of what TypeScript has to offer!

Craft CMS Plugin Developer Roundtable #2

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In this roundtable discussion, we once again bring together members of the Craft CMS plugin developers cabal to talk about the state of plugin development 2 ½ years after the Craft CMS plugin store went live.

We talk about a wide range of issues from development challenges to marketing, and how support is a large part of what we do.

We also discuss SuperBigCo’s Fred Carlsen’s exodus from the Craft CMS community to Sanity.io, and what that means for all of the wonderful plugins he’s left behind.

We also spend a bunch of time discussing improvements or changes we’d like to see from Pixel & Tonic to help the plugin ecosystem flourish.

Should Craft CMS use Yii3 or Laravel?

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we have a round table discussion with a cadre of Craft CMS developers to discuss whether a future version of Craft CMS should use Yii3 or Laravel.

We talk about the relative merits of both staying the course with Yii3 and joining the legions in Laravel-land… with a wildcard thrown in of potentially just leveraging Symfony directly.

We launch into a discussion about the relative importance of the technical abilities of a framework compared to human factors like the size and momentum of the communities.

Join us for a heady discussion on the underpinnings of Craft CMS.

Information Security: The Underbelly of the Beast

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we talk with Infosec consultant Eugen Olteanu about information security and the dark side of the web.

There exists a parallel world where the breaking into websites is both a measure of street cred and also a profession. We delve down into the belly of the beast to discuss how this world works.

We also talk about what developers can to do mitigate potential attacks and security breaches. If we can’t win the arms race, we can at least make ourselves a less succulent target.

Using social media to accelerate your tech career

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Pariss Athena, the creator of #BlackTechTwitter & founder of BlackTechPipeline.com, about how developers can use social media to advance our development career.

We have a great conversation about Pariss’s journey from being an esthetician waxing bodies to founding her very own tech startup.

Helen may have had the face that launched a thousand ships, but Pariss had the tweet that launched a global conversation.

Pariss tells us what the experience was like on her meteoric rise, and offers a whole lot of advice on how you, too, can leverage social media like Twitter to aid in your own journey.

Dynamic HTML with htmx

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we have Carson from Big Sky Software on to discuss how his htmx library is an extension to HTML that brings needed dynamic functionality to the modern web without bringing complexity.

Joined by Ben Croker from PutYourLightsOn, we discuss the type of problems that htmx is designed to solve, which is dynamism & fetching backend data.

We also discuss how it’s ideologically similar to Alpine.js and Tailwind CSS, in that it’s HTML-centric: you’re not writing JavaScript code, you’re adding attributes to your HTML.

We also meander around topics like REST, HATEOAS, Thick Clients vs. Thin Clients, and a veritable smorgasbord of other fun stuff, so tune in!

Sprig brings Reactivity to Twig

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk to Ben Croker from PutYourLightsOn about his new plugin for Craft CMS called Sprig.

Sprig brings reactivity to your Twig templates, by allowing you to do what are effectively dynamic includes of familiar Twig templates.

This allows you to do dynamic things like handle pagination, dynamic updating of content, and more while keeping a unified Twig-based rendering model.

Joined by Ryan Irelan, we delve into how Sprig can be used as a little extra seasoning for your web pages, without having to resort to a full blown frontend framework like React or Vue.

What's new in Craft CMS 3.5 & what's coming in 4.0!

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Brandon Kelly & Leah Stephenson from Pixel & Tonic about all the fancy new features in the recently released Craft CMS 3.5!

We talk about the new Field Layout Designer, support for GraphQL mutations, accessibility improvements, a greatly enhanced Project Config, and a ton more!

Ryan Irelan also joins us to talk about what’s coming in Craft CMS 4 (or is it 3.6?). Conditional fields, matrix in matrix, long-form content editor, and more!

Finally, we ask everyone (Brandon & Leah included!) if they could pick one feature they want for Craft CMS 4, what would it be?

A peek behind the iron curtain of building a GraphQL API

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with Andris Ševčenko, the Lead Special Ops Engineer @ Pixel & Tonic about what it’s like to craft the underlying APIs that thousands of developers will be leveraging.

Tim Kelty from Fusionary Media joins us to discuss the origins of a GraphQL API for Craft CMS, how test driven development factored into it, and what it was like behind the scenes architecting this API layer.

We also discuss what’s new in Craft CMS 3.5, both in terms of GraphQL mutations, and also Andris’s other project, Project Config.

We also delve into what the future has in store for GraphQL… so tune it!

Development & the Philosophy of Stoicism

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we have Sam Hernandez from Precocity LLC on to talk to us about how the centuries old philosophy of Stocism applies to development, and to our lives.

Stocism is a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wise–and as a result, better people, better parents and better professionals.

Sam talks to us about how we can use the philosophy to improve our lives, and improve our jobs as developers.

Never fret over the tabs vs. spaces argument ever again!

From Primary School Teacher to React Dev to Tailwind Labs

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we talk to Simon Vrachliotis aka “SimonSwiss” from Tailwind Labs about his wild journey being a primary school teacher in the Swiss alps to surfing the waves in Sydney, Australia as a React developer at Thinkmill and then on to being employee #2 at Tailwind Labs.

We unwind the fascinating tale of how Simon made the transition from teacher to web developer, including excursions into Theme Forest, utility-first CSS like Tachyons & Tailwind CSS, and developing using Craft CMS.

Simon mentions what he thinks are the keys to success in topics as varied as giving presentations to furthering your career, publishing content in blogs & on YourTube.

…and he also drops the bomb and announces his newest role, and the latest leg of his journey: going full circle and joining Tailwind Labs!

Critical SEOmatic SSTI Vulnerability Post-Mortem

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Hosted by Matt Stein, on this episode we talk to Andrew Welch from nystudio107, Nevin Lyne from Arcus Tech, and Brad Bell from Pixel & Tonic.

The discussion centers around a recent critical Server Site Template Injection (SSTI) & Remote Code Execution (RCE) exploit in the SEOmatic plugin for Craft CMS.

We discuss a timeline of what transpired, and walk through the discovery process as in the wild exploits were found.

We also talk about whether you should be concerned, and update to the patched SEOmatic 3.3.0 or later (spoiler: you should, and you should).

We also go into steps that Pixel & Tonic, plugin developers, and frontend developers producing sites can take to mitigate security vulnerabilities.

A Gentle Introduction to GraphQL

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, Eve Porcello, Lead Instructor at Moon Highway, gives us a gentle introduction to GraphQL.

If you’re heard of GraphQL but aren’t quite sure what the benefits are over a REST API, this is the episode for you!

We talk about when you’d use GraphQL, and what benefits it brings to the table over other ways of getting data from an endpoint.

We talk about practical use-cases for GraphQL, as well as whether you need to use a “client” library to access GraphQL at all. Tune in to find out!

Amezmo cloud hosting and deployment for PHP

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we talk to Ryan McCullagh, founder of the PHP hosting and deployment platform Amezmo.

We talk about how Amezmo differs from other offerings like Forge, in that it has integrated deployments (similar to Envoyer) and also takes care of the VPS part of the equation for you.

We discuss how Amezmo is targeted at freelancers & agencies who are skilled at building websites, but don’t want to deal with the devops side of the equation.

Turn in to learn why Ryan says “Amezmo is the Netlify for PHP applications.”

Building React Native apps with Expo

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, Evan “Lord of Open Source” Bacon from Expo.io is on to talk to us about building React Native apps in Expo.

Joined again by Paulo Ellias, we discuss exactly what the relationship between React, React Native, and Expo is, and how they all work together to bring the “write once, run everywhere” dream to life.

We talk about how some real-world projects would benefit from the unified codebase that Expo brings to the table, allowing you to produce iOS, Android, and web versions of the app.

Finally, we get down and dirty talking about how your web developer superpowers can extend into building native apps, and how it all works under the hood.

Using Stitches CSS in JS to Improve on Tailwind CSS

Mon, 18 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk to Christian Alfoni & Fabrice Weinberg about their brand new Tailwind CSS inspired CSS in JS baby, Stitches!

Christian & Fabrice talk about the advantages that CSS in JS offers, allowing you to get automatic Critical CSS, have narrowly scoped styles, and skip the Purge CSS step found in more traditional approaches.

We discuss how they decided to abandon their Classy UI project in favor of Stitches, and how this new TypeScript-driven approach to design system tokens allows them to deliver the developer experience in spades.

Boost Your Local Development with Craft Nitro

Tue, 05 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we have Jason McCallister and Brad Bell from Pixel & Tonic on to talk about their new Craft Nitro product for local PHP development.

Nitro is a lightweight local dev environment that leverages Canonical’s Multipass technology that gives you the benefits you want from a VM, but without the heaviness you don’t.

We talk about how Jason spearheaded the development of Craft Nitro, to make it into something that has strikes a balance between zero config and flexibility.

Craft Nitro was designed for Craft CMS projects, but provides a great local dev experience for anything that needs a PHP stack, such as Laravel.

Bro, Do You Even Test?

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Jennifer Blumberg hosts this episode with Giel Tettelaar, Tech Lead @ Global Network Group & the author of the Craft CMS testing environment to talk all about testing!

Ben Croker from Put Your Lights On joins in the discussion of what testing is, where to test, and when to test.

We delve into practical times when a plugin developer or custom module developer might want implement testing, as well as frontend testing with acceptance testing.

Andrew also announces a testing framework added to pluginfactory.io via Giel’s PR.

Organize All The Things! with Notion Jedi Marie Poulin

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we talk to Notion Jedi Marie Poulin about the free-form, flexible organization tool that is Notion.

Marie leads us through how Notion has literally transformed her business as well as her life, as she now runs Notion Office Hours live streams, and has a consulting business that orbits around the tool.

We also talk about how Jonathan & Mathew are already on board the Notion express, using it to organize their development & consulting bussiness. Also learn about Andrew’s performance anxiety with Notion (!)

Tune in for a really fun discussion on getting organized!

Do's and Don'ts for Docker-izing applications

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk to Andreas Wittig from cloudonaut.io about best practices when using Docker for our web applications.

We delve into what Docker is, and how the packaging of devops as config allows for easier onboarding, and also easier rollback to whatever dev environment a particular project needs.

Then Andreas regales us with his top Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind when using Docker. Whether you’re using Docker already, or are just curious about it, this episode will have something for you!

Alpine.js is like Tailwind CSS for JavaScript

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode we have the author of Alpine.js, Caleb Porzio, on to discuss his very lightweight JavaScript library that just might be exactly what you need.

We talk about whether the world really needs another JavaScript library, and how Alpine was born out of Caleb’s experience of using Vue.js extensively for years in building application. We’re also joined by Keyur Shah from Paperandmore.com who adopted Alpine.js for his website build, and we discuss how it helped him make it happen.

We venture off into a tangential but really relevant discussion of the state of web development today, and how using “as little as you can for as long as you can” is still quite a good way to go.

Bluetick.io's Mike Taber on Building your own SaaS

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk to Mike Taber about his Software as a Service (Saas) product Bluetick.io that automates personalized contact emails for you.

We discuss the product, and how agencies/freelancers might use it, and then also delve into Mike’s background in starting Microconf with Rob Walling foot bootstrapped startup founders.

We go on to discuss how Mike went from working at a company to starting up his own consulting business, to using his superpowers to create his own SaaS.

This is a really interesting listen for anyone who has ever considered the entrepreneurial company founder route!

Remote Working & Pair Programming with Tuple

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk to Ben Orenstein about Tuple, dubbed “The best remote pair programming app on macOS”.

We discuss why pair programming is such a helpful thing to be doing, whether you’re working remotely or even on-site together, in terms of learning by observing, which is what we primates are geared for.

With more and more people being asked to work remotely to combat COVID-19, Tuple’s kind of distance collaboration enables people to be effective remote workers.

We then talk about the specific features of Tuple in terms of its CPU efficiency, lack of friction, screen drawing, and remote control that set it apart from the myriad of existing screen sharing solutions.

Sizzy the browser for developers & designers

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we’re joined by special guest Lea Alcantara to talk with Kitze about Sizzy, his web browser for developers & designers.

We discuss how Sizzy allows you to visualize your project holistically, by showing you how it looks on multiple devices & orientations simultaneously.

Sizzy is also something that Quality Assurance (QAs) will love, for the instantaneous sanity check of the project on multiple devices.

We go into some killer new features that are in the works for Sizzy, such as overlaying the design from the designer with the implementation by the developer, with differences highlighted.

Exiting the Tech Business

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we talk to Matt Barron, who as of today left his job as a senior designer at Thinkmill… and exited the tech business entirely.

We talk to Matt about the motivation for leaving the tech business after being fully immersed in it for almost 30 years. We discuss the courage it takes to leave something behind that you’ve become so skilled at, and how humbling it is starting anew at the bottom.

Matt’s story isn’t your typical one, but perhaps that’s the point. And perhaps we can all find something in his journey that resonates with us.

Tune in to find out the job that Matt’s exiting the tech business for!

Interviewing for a Webdev Job in 2020

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk to Paulo Elias, formerly from IDEO, about his experiences interviewing for a frontend web development position in 2020.

We talk about the interview process, and how much of the focus is on JavaScript, with CSS and HTML as almost an afterthought.

Is this just a thing inside the bubble that is Silicon Valley, or is it a broader shift in the craft of modern web development?

We go on to talk about some of the specific questions asked, the focus on algorithms and problem solving, and how getting good at interviewing is a skill in and of itself.

Developers are from Mars, Designers are from Venus

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we talk to Souvik Das Gupta from Miranj and Rob Hewitt from Steadfast Design Firm about how designers and developers can work more effectively together.

We discuss when designers and developers should begin the collaboration process, and whether it makes sense for each profession to learn a little bit of the other.

We go on to talk about the critical role of tooling, and how that can make collaboration easier, and delve off into things like JAMstack, designing components, working with an author experience person, and more!

Web Performance with @csswizardry Harry Roberts

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, @csswizardry Harry Roberts regales us with stories from the trenches, discussing the real-world web performance problems he’s helped companies overcome, and how.

We go on to discuss how to how to help justify to expense of optimizing for performance, and how it’s really a business decision in terms of what ends up making the company more money.

We go on to discuss the massive energy used by data centers used to power the web, their environmental impact, and the “butterfly effect” of small changes we developers make that can result in huge results.

Finally, Harry tells us his top 3 things that are most important to keep in mind when you want to build a performant site. Apologies for minor sound quality issues with Harry’s audio, but the content is worth it!

Development and the Art of Focus

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Matt Stein from Working Concept hosts this episode all about the art of focus, joined by special guests Brandon Kelly from Pixel & Tonic and Ransom Roberson from Venveo.

The devMode.fm crew discusses the very different strategies we’ve each each adopted to help us maintain focus, and discuss how work/life balance comes into play as well.

We learn that Matt spends an unusual amount of time composing tweets, stemmed from his current obsession of typing using an old-school typewriter.

Building Mobile Apps with React Native

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode we talk with Paulo Ellias about building real native iOS and Android apps in React native.

Even if your bread and butter is web development, exploring the options available to you like React Native that allow you to leverage your existing skills can be a really positive outcome.

We discuss what it’s like to go from building CMS websites to building React frontends to building React Native apps, and how it’s not as much of a leap as you might think.

We go on discuss some real world projects where React Native might be an extremely viable option, and explore some of the tooling around React Native such as Expo.

Framework Agnostic Web Components with Stencil

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we’re joined by Adam Bradley & Manu Martinez-Almeida, the Ionic Framework team behind Stencil!

We learn how Stencil is a build tool that allows you to create framework agnostic components that work with all of the major JavaScript frameworks, including no framework at all as Web Components.

We discuss how the Ionic Framework’s need to solve the puzzle of components working with multiple frameworks lead to the creation of Stencil. And Stencil is an OSS build tool that you can leverage whether you use the Ionic Framework or not.

If your design systems need to outlive the vagaries of the JavaScript world, or you work with multiple projects or teams that use different frameworks, you’ll want to give this one a listen!

devMode 2019 Holiday Special

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500

This special holiday episode of devMode.fm is some roundtable banter with many of the regular devMode.fm hosts, and nothing technical is discussed at all.

Instead, we delve into the history of eggnog — We thought Michael was reading from Wikipedia but turns out he’s just obsessed — betel nut chewing, and other holiday traditions.

We start to discuss holiday plans, but quickly transition to a [spoiler-free] discussion of Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, the Mandalorian, whether actors/actresses will be replaced by CGI, and other festive topics.

Finally, we wrap things up with how much (or how little) we’re working over the holidays, and favorite gifts we’re excited to be giving this year!

Handling Developer Burnout

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we have a roundtable discussion on developer burnout spearheaded by Ben Parizek of Barrrel Strength Design, along with our guest Ben Croker of PutYourLightsOn.

We talk about all of our personal experiences with developer burnout, in terms of what it feels like, what and whom it impacts, and also how to deal with it.

We center the talk around Ben’s struggle with his own burnout, but then discover that every single one of us has felt it to one degree or another. And so we also talk about ways to cope, and strategies for avoiding or mitigating developer burnout.

Apologies for the dog in the background… Aya is a disservice dog. It’s better to burn out than fade away…

Exploring Data Visualization with d3.js

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we talk with Amelia Wattenberger, a frontend & UX developer at Parse.ly about data visualization aka dataviz.

We discuss the origins of dataviz, and how it can be used to tell a narrative with the immediacy and visceral connection that can be difficult to do with other mediums.

We discuss Amelia’s personal approach to dataviz, and discuss the d3.js library at length. d3.js is a broad library of modules that you can use as a dataviz construction kit, and we discuss how to get starting doing just that!

Making an Insanely Good Author Experience (AX)

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500

On this episode we talk with Katie Fritz from Foster Commerce about what it takes to have an awesome Author Experience (AX).

There’s plenty of talk about User Experience (UX) & Developer Experience (DX) but with many content-heavy websites, the content Author Experience (AX) can be of paramount importance.

We go from high level philosophical approaches to Author experience, down to practical things you can do to ensure the Author experience you create is great! We even talk about developer responsibility to content authors, so tune in!

How, when, and why to use the JAMstack

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we have a roundtable discussion with a variety of experienced web developers who are at different stages of using the JAMstack, from not at all, to exploring/experimenting, to using to deliver client projects to production.

We’re joined by Will Browar & Marc Hartwig from Dixon Schwabl, Jake Dohm from Good Work, and Shawn “swyx” Wang from Netlify to have a really in-depth discussion on the how’s, when’s, and why’s of JAMstack.

If you’re not using JAMstack, or are just curiously peeking over the fence to check out the neighbor’s car… this is the podcast for you! We go into the cold hard realities of what it means to adopt this relatively new way of doing things.

JAMstack & Serverless with Netlify

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk to Shawn “swyx” Wang from Netlify about the JAMstack & Serverless revolution in frontend development.

We discuss what exactly Netlify is, and how you can leverage the Edge, Build, and Dev aspect of it to make your development process more enjoyable.

We talk about the challenges of maintaining Author Experience (AX) in the age of static site generators, using Live Preview functions in a CMS or service to help out.

We also talk about how JavaScript edge workers will gain sentience as Skynet, and the AI language model that was so dangerous they couldn’t release it.

Luring Clients away from WordPress

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we’re joined by Sebastien Dehesdin from Bleeps & Blops to talk about luring clients away from WordPress.

WordPress powers a massive slice of the Internet, but its hold is slipping as modern web development advances, and other solutions offer a better develop and content authoring experiences.

We delve into strategies we use to lure clients away from WordPress, and talk in depth about what works, and what doesn’t work.

We also discuss at length what it’d mean if Craft CMS ever went fully OSS, and if this would be a good or a bad thing for developers and clients.

Turning knowledge & passion into your own SaaS

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk to Matt Gray about his journey from working at an agency to freelancing to developing his own software as a service (SaaS) called “Servd”.

We delve into the nuts and bolts of Servd, which aims to be a one-click hosting solution for Craft CMS that implements a number of best practices such as scalability, image optimization, robust queue running, log aggregation, and more!

The Servd service sounds amazing, but even more incredible is Matt’s story of personal hardship that caused him to want to leverage his knowledge & passion to create a SaaS in 2019. Join us for Matt & Mandy’s wonderful story!

Dot All 2019 Conference Recap & Analysis, Live from Montreal!

Sat, 21 Sep 2019 02:36:00 -0400

The devMode.fm crew recaps the Dot All 2019 Conference in Montreal, Canada… joined by Ben Croker and Lindsey DiLoreto. If you couldn’t make it, this podcast is for you!

We talk about and analyze the news announced at the Dot All 2019 conference such as Craft Cloud, Craft CMS 4, and more!

We also discuss the talks that we heard, in terms of what talks we found memorable. The videos of all of them will be published for those who were unable to attend, or want to see them again.

We delve into the benefits of meeting up with your colleagues, and how the conference is really about the people & connections.

What traits does it take to be a good developer?

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400

In this roundtable discussion, we delve into what traits we believe it takes to be a good developer. We’re joined by special guests Jennifer Blumberg from Next Solutions, Paulo Elias from IDEO, and Ransom Roberson from Venveo for a fantastic discussion.

We separate out the traits that it takes to be a “good human” that are fairly universal to traits that are specific to being a good developer.

Are there some traits that make you a great developer, but a terrible human (and vice versa)? Are there some traits that we conventionally consider “bad” that can be good?

Returning sanity to the webdev process

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk to Chris Ferdinandi believes that many of our modern best practices are harming the web.

Chris has ideas for a new set of best practices that bring more simplicity and sanity to the dev process. They involve such heretical ideas as not using the popular JavaScript frameworks, and using vanilla JavaScript instead.

We also delve into static site generators, and how the complexity that frontend development has morphed into creates exclusionary “gatekeeping”.

The Honesty Required to Run a Profitable Business

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk with Stephen Callender about what it takes to run a profitable business. As it turns out, it requires a whole lot of honesty.

Stephen shares his journey from dual masters degrees to being a preacher to finally ended up running his own web development agency from Argentina.

Running your own business isn’t always roses, and Stephen talks candidly about how despite his business generating substantial revenue, he ended up $45k in debt… something he later had to confess to his wife.

It’s a really fantastic talk about the reality of running your own business, and spoiler alert: a great comeback story!

Theming in Gatsby JS

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 11:05:00 -0400

On this episode we’re joined by Jason Lengstorf and Chris Biscardi to talk about the newly released Gatsby Themes!

We discuss out Gatsby themes are not your daddy’s ThemeForest, they are composable so you can utilize multiple themes in one project. They are also granular, so you can replace the look and functionality of only the pieces you need to override.

We go on to discuss the themes in depth, and how they leveraged some of the design token work from styled-system, system-ui, and theme-ui.

We got on to discuss other cool stuff in the Gatsby world, such as Gatsby Cloud, Gatsby Preview, and some top secret upcoming projects the team is working on!

New awesomeness coming in Vue.js 3.0

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 10:38:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk to Vue.js core team member Chris Fritz about what awesome new features we can look forward to in Vue.js 3.0!

First we discuss a misconception / miscommunication about Vue.js 3.0: the existing templating & component syntax is will not only continue to be supported, it will continue to be recommended!

Then we go on to talk about the additional functionality that composition functions (aka “hooks”) will bring to the party, should you choose to use them.

We go on to talk about better performance, enhanced developer experience, fewer edge cases, and a number of other features coming in Vue.js 3.0!

What's New in Craft CMS 3.2 with Brandon Kelly

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 18:09:00 -0400

In this episode we have on Brandon Kelly from Pixel and Tonic to talk about the newly released Craft CMS 3.2!

Craft CMS has long worked as a “headless” CMS via the Element API or GraphQL courtesy of the CraftQL plugin, but the new Headless Live Preview support takes it to the next level.

We talk about that in depth, and then also discuss a number of other new features that have been added such multiple Preview Targets, the attr() function, multi-site Element Queries and more!

Then Andrew decides to update the devMode.fm website to Craft CMS 3.2 live on air, and blindly push it to production… find out how that turned out!

That brings us to discussing the new testing features built into Craft CMS 3.2 that allow for test driven development via Codeception which can mitigate disaster.

Design, Build, and Launch with Webflow!

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 10:14:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the visual development tool Webflow with co-founder Vlad Magdalin. Webflow is a visual website builder targeted at developers rather than end users.

We talk to Vlad about his roots as a web developer that ultimately led to his creation of Webflow the company, and the tool. The impetus was taking the repetition out of the job of web development, allowing you to focus on the higher level decision making and design where you bring value.

We discuss how Webflow is very much targeted at developers, and overcoming the stigma in a world jaded by the likes of SquareSpace and Wix was a challenge. But now Webflow is used on a large number of websites big and small, and has been actively adding important new features such as Ecommerce.

We were joined by special guest host Verity Stothard on this really intriguing deep dive into Webflow. We hope you love it!

Svelte 3's radical new approach to web frameworks

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:05:00 -0400

In this episode we have on Rich Harris, the creator the Svelte JavaScript framework. Rich leads us through the new Svelte 3.0 release, and how it moves away from a traditional JavaScript framework into a JavaScript framework compiler.

This means you don’t end up shipping a monolithic framework, but rather only the JavaScript needed to do the thing. You might even call it svelte.

We got on to discuss how this change in mindset allows for greater performance in areas that matter, and that React isn’t actually reactive but Svelte is! We talk about how his background in doing data visualization at various major new organizations (now the New York Times) influenced Svelte.

Really an intriguing conversation even if you use another JavaScript framework, or don’t use one at all! No mustaches were harmed during this production.

Developers… Assemble! WebAssembly is here!

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 09:46:00 -0400

On this episode we have on @GoogleDevExpert Jay Phelps from Citadel Securities about WebAssembly. We talk about what WebAssembly (or Wasm) is, and how it’s a “BIG IDEA” that’s going to impact you in the future.

We talk about why there’s a need for something like WebAssembly, and what use-cases it solves. Then we dive deep to talk about the nitty gritty in terms of what Wasm is, and how it’s implemented under the hood.

We also reveal the surprising fact that the devMode.fm team has been using WebAssembly without knowing it… and so have you!

Even if you’ve only vaguely heard whispers about WebAssembly, this podcast is sure to be interesting and informative for you!

Una Kravets on Google Material Design & web trends

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 12:39:00 -0400

In this episode we have the one and only Una Kravets on to discuss her new status as a Googler in the Material Design Web department. We talk to Una about what exactly Google’s Material Design is, and how it’s far more than just Google’s UX for the web.

In fact, Google’s Material Design is entirely theme-able, and is a broad umbrella under which Google’s web products, Android UX, and many other things fall.

We go on to have a rollicking discussion about the JavaScript world, how YouTube conspired to kill IE 6, supporting older browsers through progressive enhancement, dark mode, emotional mode, RAGE CLICKS and more!

webpack inside & out with Sean Larkin

Mon, 27 May 2019 09:05:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk to webpack core maintainer Sean Larkin about what webpack is, who it’s intended for, and where it’s going in the future!

We discuss the serendipitous history of how Sean came to be a webpack core maintainer, and how his job at Microsoft came about as a result of it.

Join by guest host Jake Dohm, we then go on to discuss a whole lot of gritty technical detail of how webpack works, go through the various terminology, talk about Web Assembly, and what the future holds for webpack 5 and beyond.

Sean also drops some truth-bombs about CSS being flawed, and browser makers conspiring to kill off webpack. Tune in for the good stuff!

Flat is Beautiful: Statamic 3 with Jack McDade

Mon, 13 May 2019 09:14:00 -0400

In this episode of devMode.fm we talk with Jack McDade about his flat file CMS Statamic. We talk about the original problem of developer workflow that Statamic was intended to solve, and then move on to how it all works at a nuts & bolts level.

Then we move on to discussing the major new version the Statamic team has been hard at work on: Statamic 3. We hop, skip, and jump around some of the very cool features coming in Statamic 3, such as Stacks, Conditional Fields, the Bard longform content field, and a whole lot more.

Then we talk about the coup d’é·tat of an abstracted data layer in Statamic 3 that lets you connect to… whatever your heart desires. Join us for a really enjoyable discussion!

@pika/web brings 2014 simplicity to 2019 JavaScript

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 10:04:00 -0400

In this episode, we talk with Fred K. Schott from the Pika Project about a future without webpack. Instead of having a massive build system just to use some node packages on the frontend, we can use @pika/web!

@pika/web aims to tame some of the insanity that has come with modern JavaScript tooling. We talk about how it works to create a ‘web_modules‘ folder right next to your ‘node_modules‘ folder, and that you can just use

Slack is Destroying Communities

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 10:41:00 -0400

On this episode, we have Zach Shallbetter, co-founder of Uxiliary on to discuss the “Frontend Developers” community he started on Slack.

We talk about its sudden rise to fame, and then a devolution that happened as a result of Slack’s policies towards public communities. We discuss the scourges of recruiters, trolls, and horrible people that helped to make the community turn from a vibrant one to a toxic one.

We also talk about how the Craft CMS Slack suffered attacks from people spamming it with unmentionables, causing a move to Discord, for better administrative controls.

Then like any good redemption story, Zach tells us about how the move to Discord saved the community, and allowed for open and productive conversions between frontend developers again.

SEO for Web Developers: The Silence of the Chickens

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 09:10:00 -0400

In this episode, we have Simon Cox from Cox & Co Creative on to talk about what web developers need to know about the science of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) vs. the “sacrificing chickens” voodoo.

We start off by talking about the sometimes problematic relationship between web developers and SEO consultants, and how that relationship can be most productive. Horror stories are shared.

We talk about how performance, accessibility, and SEO are all intimately related. Then we slide into talking about a wide ranging number of misconceptions about SEO, meta tags, titles, descriptions, sitemaps, structured data etc, etc. and discuss how to focus on what really matter when it comes to SEO.

Also, learn the best angle to staple paper.

Modern Design Systems, Tooling, and Tokens

Mon, 18 Mar 2019 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk to Dominik Wilkowski of Thinkmill about design systems from a modern tooling point of view. We talk about how the real goal is to bridge the gap between design and development, and what role tooling can have in making this easier.

We also go on to talk in broader terms about how using a design token system as an abstraction layer can give you the benefits of utility first CSS, but without some of the baggage.

And finally, we learn that we test in production, and so do you.

Pricing Medium to Large Sized Projects

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 09:03:00 -0500

In this episode we have on Jennifer Blumberg from Next/Solutions to talk about pricing medium to large sized projects. We’re talking about projects that are firmly in the 5 figure range, venturing on up into the 6 figure range.

But how do we determine what that figure should be, exactly? Should it be strictly hourly billing, or should it be value-based? And what exactly does it mean to have “value-based pricing” for your client projects?

This is a really interesting bizdev discussion with some people who have been doing it for some time. Learn from what we’ve learned, and avoid our mistakes.

CSS in JS, an Emotional Topic!

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 10:38:00 -0500

On this episode, we have Kye Hohenberger from Gremlin and Mitchell Hamilton from Thinkmill on to discuss this crazy little thing called CSS in JS. We talk about what CSS in JavaScript is, and more importantly, why it is.

We talk about the Emotion CSS in JS library that Kye & Mitchell have been working on together for years… but despite this, the podcast is the first time they’ve ever spoken to each other!

We go on to talk about all of the controversy surrounding CSS in JS, and how we ended up where we are.

Design Systems with Travis Gertz

Mon, 04 Feb 2019 11:12:00 -0500

In this episode, we talk to Travis Gertz from Louder Than Ten about design systems: what they are, and why are they so hard to define and understand? We discuss whether the world is a better place with the gray sameness of passable but monotonous design from WordPress themes compared to the chaotic individuality of MySpace and dancing hamsters.

We go on to talk about some modern design tools like Figma, and how we can use the tools we have available in Craft CMS and other systems to help us iterate through design.

Finally, we meander into the world of Breatharians, transcendence, and how to pick the right tool for the job when designing a website.

CSS & CMS Musings with Eric Meyer

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 08:09:00 -0500

On this episode we have on the CSS legend Eric Meyer to talk about the early days of CSS, and how it almost died, and also onto where CSS is today. We discuss utility-first CSS, CSS in JavaScript, and talk about the Flexbox and the awesomeness that is CSS Grid.

We then also talk about the move of Eric’s AnEventApart.com website from ExpressionEngine to Craft CMS. We talk about the motivations for the move, the things they love about Craft CMS, and also the usual challenges facing any major migration from one platform to another.

Join us for an insightful discussion from one of CSS’s pioneers on what the current state of CSS is today!

Craft CMS 3.1 + Commerce 2 with Pixel & Tonic

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 14:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we have Brandon Kelly & Leah Stephenson from Pixel & Tonic to talk about the exciting new features in Craft CMS 3.1 and Commerce 2.

We talk about how Project Config will help improve developer workflow, allowing a team to more easily collaborate by putting the schema changes (anything you create in the Settings CP section) into a revisioned file. Then we move on to talk about how the Soft Delete feature will be a big draw for clients, allowing them to undelete mistakenly deleted content.

Then we move on to Commerce 2, which entirely rewritten for Craft CMS 3.1. It adds the oft requested Subscriptions feature, as well as a whole host of functionality to make it a supremely flexible bespoke ECommerce solution. We also discuss the $199 Commerce Lite, that brings the power of Craft Commerce to sites with more modest needs.

Finally we wrap up with some discussion about the new Plugin Store, and its fantastic new features, and end up on a few plugin-related tangents.

Webdev Best Practices for 2019

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 08:21:00 -0500

In this episode we’re joined by Matt Stein of Working Concept to talk about what the landscape of frontend development looks like in 2019. We lead in with some amusing “from the trenches” development horror stories that embody what it’s like to do modern web development.

Then we move on to talking about a wide range of subjects, such as Docker, GatsbyJS, Gridsome, React, Vue.js, and a whole host of other tools and technologies that we’re either using or are excited to try out in 2019!

We then launch a rousing discussion of what skills really matter when it comes to being gainfully employed in the technology sector, and how we can weather the storm of the ever-changing technology stack.

And finally, we have a total non sequitur where Andrew’s upcoming Webperf plugin is discussed, and Andrew decides to take up yak herding instead.

Structured Content Done Right with Sanity.io

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 12:44:00 -0500

In this episode we have on Knut Melvær from Sanity.io to talk about creating structured content in the “headless” CMS that is Sanity.io!

We talk about how a headless CMS has a different approach from a traditional CMS, and Sanity’s approach to the tackling the job of defining schema, and delivering a user friendly backend for content editors.

We discuss what sets Sanity apart from other similar “CMS as a service” products out there, namely the realtime collaboration and the extensive customizability that it offers. Tune in for a very interesting discussion!

Craft CMS Plugin Developer Roundtable #1

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 08:04:00 -0500

This episode of the devMode.fm podcast is a meeting of the Craft CMS plugin developer cabal. We have on virtual rogue’s gallery of Craft CMS plugin developers: Michael Rog from Top Shelf Craft, Ben Parizek from Sprout Plugins, Ben Croker from PutYourLightsOn, Josh Crawford from Verbb, Nate Iler from Flipbox Digital, Lindsey DiLoreto from Double Secret Agency, and Mark Huot from HappyCog!

We talk about the challenges of Craft CMS plugin development, ranging from technical challenges, to pricing, support, and maintenance of plugins. We also discuss how to get into plugin development, and how to stay sharp!

Even if you only tangentially are interested in plugin development, or you use plugins yourself on your website, you’ll find this episode interesting for sure!

Leveraging Laravel for Truly Custom Projects

Mon, 26 Nov 2018 12:39:00 -0500

In this episode, we talk to Phil Zaengle from Zaengle Corp about leveraging the PHP framework Laravel to build truly custom web applications. We discuss when a CMS like Craft makes sense, and when it makes sense to utilize Laravel in addition to or instead of a CMS.

We go on to discuss the importance of using the right tool for the job, how Node is an option for what might be done in Laravel, and how what really matters is the skill the craftsman has with a given tool.

Join us for a fun discussion of the reality of being an agency that builds custom Internet things for their clients.

Vector Media Group Eats World!

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 18:27:00 -0500

In this episode, we have special guests Matt Weinberg from Vector Media Group and Mark Huot from Happy Cog to discuss Vector Media Group’s recent acquisition of storied web agency Happy Cog.

We delve into the motivation behind the acquisition, in terms of what Vector Media Group hoped to gain, and then also from Happy Cog’s perspective in terms of benefits on their end. We also go into the difficulties in merging culture, management, procedures, and technologies between two disparate groups.

Then we also talk about what it means to the wider development community in terms of the consolidation of agencies, and what the landscape looks like going forward.

Ethics and Morality and Technology, Oh My!

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 08:21:00 -0500

In this episodes we veer off into the weeds on ethics, morality, and how they relate to technology. We talk about some controversial happenings in the tech world regarding the Lerna licensing change, and how that relates to the jobs we do every day.

Should we be concerned about who uses the things we build, and what they use it for? What’s our line in terms of when something is too egregious, and how active should we be in deciding what is right and wrong?

This is a long largely philosophical discussion that touches on many of these topics. We had some minor audio issues (including losing Michael for a bit), but we hope you’ll bear with them and tune in for the discussion!

devMode Roundtable Discussion #1

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 20:07:00 -0400

On this 1st anniversary podcast, the devMode.fm hosts along with Ryan Irelan have a roundtable discussion on a smorgasbord of tasty tech treats. We talk about projects we’re currently working on, and technologies we’re exploring.

We discuss Patrick’s snazzy CodeKit apparel, Craft CMS standing up to a massive soccer mom DDoS, Expression Engine going open source, and migrating projects from older CMSs to new ones.

We go on to discuss Andrew’s webpack config, Patrick’s obsession with Gatsby, Jonathan’s near death experience, and a host of other topics. Join in and have a listen!

Build Blazingly Fast Websites with Gatsby

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 07:14:00 -0400

On this episode we’re joined by Jason Lengstorf to talk about the amazing Gatsby, a tool to help you build blazingly fast statically generated websites. As a bonus, we’re joined by Mark Huot of CraftQL plugin fame to discuss how Gatsby’s content aggregator model marries with GraphQL in blissful fashion.

We discuss exactly what Gatsby is, where it fits into the ecosystem of static site generators, website optimizers, and tools like Nuxt.js and Next.js. We probe Jason on how Gatsby could be a tool to adopt as a freelancer or agency to help you build performant sites quicker.

We also discuss what’s new in Gatsby 2.0, and how the new features such as GraphQL schema stitching allow it to integrate with Craft CMS and other content management systems.

Dot All 2018 Conference Recap & Analysis, Live from Berlin!

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 06:21:00 -0400

The devMode.fm crew recaps the Dot All 2018 Conference in Berlin, Germany… joined by Ben Croker and Oliver Stark from fortrabbit. We discuss and analyze the news announced at the Dot All 2018 conference such as Craft CMS 3.1, Craft Commerce 2, Craft Commerce Lite, the new plugin store and more!

We also discuss the talks that we heard, in terms of what talks we found memorable. The videos of all of them will be published for those who were unable to attend, or want to see them again. We delve into the benefits of meeting up with your peers, and how the conference is really about the people & connections.

We hope you’ll forgive the slight audio quality issues due to our impromptu recording studio, and enjoy the content!

Craft CMS 3 as an Application Platform

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 09:18:00 -0400

In this episode, we have Ben Croker from PutYourLightsOn to discuss using Craft CMS 3 as an application platform. We delve into defining what we mean by a CMS vs. an application platform, what a CMF is, and how these lines all blur together a bit.

We go on talk about how you can leverage the powerful content modeling and friendly content authoring GUI of Craft CMS 3 to develop your own custom apps. We talk about how Yii2 is on par with Laravel in terms of being a robust application frame, and how you can use as much or as little of Craft’s APIs as you like.

We round it out talking about plugin development, and using Craft CMS 3 as an API server. Join us for a fun discussion! (And yes, if you’re confused, I said “Yii2” when I meant “Vue2”… twice.)

Containerize your development with Docker!

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 11:47:00 -0400

On this episode we have Jason McCallister from Trader Interactive on to discuss Docker! We talk about what Docker containers are, and how we can leverage them to make our local development process better.

We delve into the advantages of using Docker to compartmentalize the various services that we need during development into containers, so that we can focus on shipping code rather than tinkering around with a development environment.

Then we get into how to use Docker for our entire pipeline from local development to testing CI/CD, staging, and live production. Jalen Davenport joins us as well to discuss how Laravel Valet can work together with Docker effectively.

JAMstack development, carpe JavaScript!

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 09:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we’re joined by Paulo Elias from IDEO to discuss JAMstack: Modern web development architecture based on client-side JavaScript, reusable APIs, and prebuilt Markup.

Paulo talks about his journey from doing traditional LAMP/LEMP stack work to building things using JavaScript as the hub of his universe. We discuss the pros and cons of embracing this way of building websites, and more and more, webapps!

We delve into not just the benefits to the developer of working this way, but also the benefit to the client, and the end user. We also discuss how JAMstack can work effectively with exiting CMS systems.

Spelunking into the VueJS Frontend JavaScript Framework

Mon, 06 Aug 2018 10:06:00 -0400

On this episode, we talk with special guest Adam Wathan about the VueJS JavaScript framework. We talk about what VueJS is, and how its Laissez-faire approach lets you pick and choose how much of it makes sense to use in a project.

We go into why using a framework like VueJS can help you write better, more manageable JavaScript than just rolling your own. The discussion also meanders into a philosophical discussion of whether using a frontend framework for rendering the frontend is always the best choice.

If you’re interested in VueJS, or are using it already, hopefully this podcast will have plenty to offer you as food for thought!

Herding Clients Through The Great Migration

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 11:42:00 -0400

In this episode we talk with special guest Ben Parizek about how to approach clients running on legacy systems to upgrade to something more modern. We all have clients who are running on old versions of a CMS or other system of some kind or another.

We discuss when it makes sense to broach the conversation about moving them to something more modern, and how to couch it in terms of benefits to the client. Security, new features, a site refresh in terms of functionality or appearance; these all factor in.

We also discuss when it makes sense to focus on forward-thinking work, and contracting out legacy maintenance or just plain letting the client know it may not be a good fit anymore.

Going Offline: Service Workers with Jeremy Keith

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 12:29:00 -0400

We have special guest Jeremy Keith from ClearLeft to discuss Service Workers: what they are, how users can benefit from them, and how we implement them. Jeremy authored the book “Going Offline” which goes into glorious detail on the subject, so he’s well positioned to discuss the topic.

We talk about how using a Service Worker can beneficially impact the user experience by allowing your website to still function despite spotty or no Internet connection at all. We also delve into many practical applications of the technology.

We discuss how in-browser technologies like Service Workers allow websites to act more like “apps”, how Service Workers are installed, and how they are like a virus, a toolbox, and a duckbilled platypus at once.

Traveling the World as a Web Developer

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 11:51:00 -0400

In this episode, we have on special guest Jonathan Longnecker who works as a freelance web developer, but travels the world full-time in an Airstream RV with his wife and four children. All the while, he also documents his journeys and adventures on the TinyShinyHome.com website.

We talk about the logistics of being able to juggle client work while living in a 200 sq ft 1972 Airstream RV, and handling the vagaries of spotty Internet connections in far-flung locations.

We then go into a more personal and philosophical discussion of how most people do a terrible job balancing working, living, and playing… and how as a freelancer you have more options open to you than you might think possible!

Shootout at the Local Dev Corral

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:16:00 -0400

In this episode, we all square up at high noon, discussing our favorite local development environments in a shootout to determine the best of the best. We talk about why we use a local dev environment at all, and what we’re trying to accomplish by using one.

We discuss not using any local dev environment (true “cowboy coding”), MAMP, Laravel Valet, Nanobox, Docker, and Laravel Homestead in depth, and touch on some other fringe local dev setups people might be using. A really good discussion of the merits of each ensues, with surprisingly little bloodshed.

We had on special guests Jalen Davenport and Nathan Querido for this rousing discussion! This episode should be interesting for everyone to hear how their local dev environment of choice fares, as well as learning about some other options they might want to explore!

Web Developer Support & Maintenance Retainers

Mon, 28 May 2018 10:41:00 -0400

In this episode of devMode.fm we discuss support and maintenance retainers that you might establish with your clients. We delve into exactly what a support retainer is, and when it makes sense for both you and the client.

A steady stream of revenue is vital to freelancers and agencies alike, and setting agreed upon budgets for priority support, updates, and changes can be very useful for your clients as well. We talk about when to do it, how to do it, and what some of the pitfalls are.

We have special guest Lindsey DiLoreto on to discuss his desire to fold support contracts into his regular way of doing business at Double Secret Agency.

What the EU's GDPR Means to Web Developers

Mon, 14 May 2018 09:47:00 -0400

In this episode we have Andrew Fairlie from Mutual to discuss the new European Union General Data Protection Regulation aka the GDPR. We discuss what the GDPR means specifically to web designers and developers both in terms of the work we do, and the work proposals we draft.

We discuss the GDPR from a gestalt perspective, to get an understanding of what the general intent of the law is, and also discuss what it means to people outside of the EU, as well as to EU citizens.

Then we get down to brass tacks in terms of what this means for our contact forms, website notices, cookie storage/notices, and other changes we need to make to be compliant. Actionable things that we need to be thinking about and doing now.

Craft CMS 3 with Pixel & Tonic Founder Brandon Kelly!

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 08:27:00 -0400

In this episode we have Brandon Kelly, the founder of Pixel & Tonic on to discuss their recently released Craft CMS 3. Living up to it’s version number, Craft CMS was 3 years in the works, and is a major new iteration of the popular CMS platform.

We talk about the history of Pixel & Tonic as well as the history of Craft CMS, and learn the role that the Canadian government played in the genesis of Craft CMS. We also discuss the community and economy built around Craft CMS 3, the implications of the plugin store, and using Craft CMS 3 as a framework to build custom web applications.

Get an insider’s view of the development of Craft CMS 3, and listen as Brandon goes on record talking about some cool new features they have in the works! Craft CMS 3 is a major new foundation that Pixel & Tonic has big plans for, in terms of expanding the content modeling and functionality of the content management system.

Git Er Done Using Git Version Control

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 11:15:00 -0400

In this episode we dive into using Git as a version control system with Mijingo’s Ryan Irelan. Whether you do frontend dev, backend dev, or any kind of dev, odds are very good that you’re using Git as a version control system. We talk about the history of Git, and delve into some of the bigger picture concepts behind Git to help understand what’s going on under the hood.

We discuss various git clients, what exactly commits and branches are, and the abject horror that are merge conflicts… and how they really shouldn’t be that scary at all. There are also some stories from using Git the trenches, both glorious successes and agonizing failures. We’ve all been there, Ryan helps to lead us out of the forest with some great pointers on using Git.

Ryan’s also made a special promo code DEVMODE for 25% off any Git course on mijingo.com!

GraphQL: Better than all the REST?

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 08:23:00 -0400

In this episode, we have special guest Mark Huot to talk about GraphQL and his CraftQL plugin for Craft CMS 3. We talk about the history of GraphQL, and what problems it is designed to solve. We compare and contrast it with REST APIs, and talk about how GraphQL fits in with the JAMstack way of doing things.

Even if you’re not working on a website where you provide an API, odds are very good that you’ll be consuming an API of some kind; and it very well may be GraphQL-based.

We then also talk about how using the CraftQL plugin, you can be spinning up your own API in minutes, using the same familiar vocabulary you use with craft.entries. You can even use it to make creating frontend entry forms easier to implement!

Website Deployment without Tears

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 10:15:00 -0400

In this episode we have a roundtable discussion on deploying your website. You’ve created an awesome website, now how to do you it deployed to a public web server so the rest of the world can see it? And more importantly, how can you do this without tears?

We discuss Git as a version control system, and why we use it for our websites. Then we move on to discussion a number of deployment strategies and tools, from buddy.works to DeployBot to rolling your own via shell scripts, if that’s your thing.

Ultimately, we’re just looking for an efficient, deterministic way to exactly replicate a website that’s in local development on our computer to a live production environment. Hopefully without any hiccups along the way, and a good way to roll back if the sh*t hits the fan.

Selling Clients on Web Accessibility #a11y

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 13:15:00 -0500

This episodes features accessibility guest Laura Shields from Nerdery.com in a lively discussion about web accessibility: what it means, how to do it… and most importantly, how to sell it to our clients. We can’t make the web a better place unless we can make a convincing case to our clients that it’s in their best interest to pay for it.

Accessibility or “a11y” is something that we all feel like we should be doing, but aren’t sure how to get started on. The discussion talks about how accessibility really ties into other best practices like being SEO-friendly, having a performant website, and writing good semantic HTML.

Neutrino: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Webpack

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 10:31:00 -0500

In this episode, we talk to Eli Perelman and Tim Kelty from the Neutrino JS project about how Neutrino can make getting up and running using webpack a whole lot easier. Neutrino provides starter projects and middleware configs you can just grab off of the shelf and start using. Perhaps more importantly, Neutrino lets you solve a build problem once, and then re-use your Neutrino middleware in future projects.

We cover the whole reason we’re using build systems to begin with, and talk about our experiences with things like CodeKit, Grunt, Gulp, webpack, and then dive deep into Neutrino! Neutrino is backed by the Mozilla foundation, and it’s a very promising part of frontend development workflow.

Google AMP: The Battle for the Internet's Soul?

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 09:27:00 -0500

In this episode, we discuss Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), from the promise of fast loading pages to what you cede to Google when you use it. We cover not just the origins of Google AMP, and how to implement it, but also whether AMP is a good idea from both a practical and philosophical perspective. Is Google AMP evil or awesome? Listen in for our thoughts, and give your perspective in the comments.

The Web of Future Past with John Allsopp

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 09:54:00 -0500

In this episode of devMode.fm, we talk to web veteran & founder of the Web Directions conference, John Allsopp. We talk about the origins of the web, including many technologies you may never have heard of. John drops some fantastic tidbits from the perspective that only someone who has seen it all can offer.

We also meander through a philosophical discussion of the current and future state of the web development industry. Are certain jobs in the web development world in danger of becoming obsolete? Join us for a fun and far-ranging discussion!

Web Hosting with ArcusTech's Nevin Lyne

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 08:33:00 -0500

In this episode, we talk all about web hosting! Once you’ve built a fantastic new website for your client, you have to find somewhere to host it so the world can see it.

ArcusTech’s Nevin Lyne joins us as we talk about different options for hosting, and define terms like “shared hosting”, “managed hosting”, “VPS”, and more! Join us for a deep-dive all about finding just the right home for your new project.

Tailwind CSS utility-first CSS with Adam Wathan

Fri, 22 Dec 2017 14:04:00 -0500

We have Tailwind CSS author Adam Wathan on to discuss utility-first CSS, and why it’s a viable alternative to using semantic classes or BEM naming conventions. If you’ve heard of utility-first CSS but think it’s a misguided idea, or have only a vague idea of what utility CSS or atomic CSS is, this is the podcast for you!

We discuss the problems with “candle drip” CSS that can accumulate over time, and how Tailwind CSS is more than just utility CSS, it’s a workflow for rapidly prototyping CSS and building scalable CSS.

Talking Craft CMS 3 RC1!

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 15:59:00 -0500

In the inaugural episode of the devMode.fm podcast, we talk all about Craft CMS 3 RC1. When it is time to start using it for client projects? As developers, what do we love about Craft CMS 3? How do we pitch Craft 3 to clients to get them to love it too? Has the tooling for Craft 3 gotten too complicated? Join us for some spirited discussion!