943: Modern React with Ricky Hanlon (React Core Dev)
Scott and Wes sit down with Ricky Hanlon from the React core team at Facebook to dive into the latest features and APIs shaping modern React development. From transitions and Suspense to fetching strategies and future directions, this episode breaks down what’s next for React and how developers can take advantage of it.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:20 Who is Ricky Hanlon.
02:10 Setting the Stage: Modern React APIs
02:48 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
03:12 Defining Transitions in React
05:08 Practical Examples of Scheduling.
08:23 useDeferredValue.
09:30 Suspense.
11:13 Fallbacks and animations.
12:35 How do you get psychological performance data?
13:39 Are these considerations reasonable for the average dev?
15:37 useOptimistic.
17:35 Removing delayMs (referred to as maxDuration in later iterations).
19:49 How to fetch data in React.
21:58 Is React now just Nextjs?
23:23 Will React give us a Signals-based state management?
24:44 The challenges of building in public.
30:12 Making LLMs cooperate with React.
32:05 The lifting will happen at framework level.
32:59 This is not time slicing.
35:47 Sick Pick + Shameless Plug.
Sick Picks
Ricky: iPhone 17 Pro
Shameless Plugs
Ricky: https://conf.react.dev/
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942: Mental Health Q&A w/ Dr. Courtney Tolinski
Wes and Scott talk with Dr. Courtney Tolinski about supporting neurodivergent teammates, navigating workplace dynamics, and recognizing strengths beyond labels. They explore ADHD diagnosis and treatment, productivity mindsets, burnout, AI in mental health, and practical routines for focus and balance.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:09 Meet Dr. Courtney Tolinski
01:46 Supporting neurodivergent team members
12:26 Should I disclose my ADHD diagnosis at work?
17:21 Characteristics of autism and ADHD
22:37 Seeking diagnosis as an adult developer
28:04 Brought to you by Sentry.io
32:18 Uncoupling identity from productivity
38:06 Is overtime ever “worth it”?
42:34 AI as a mental health tool: hope or hype?
46:32 Will therapists be replaced by AI?
49:29 Burnout warning signs in high-performers
55:15 Sick picks + shameless plugs
Sick Picks
Courtney: Bentgo Glass Containers
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57:44
941: Is Responsible AI Possible? with Dr. Sarah Bird of Microsoft
Scott heads to Microsoft’s campus for the VS Code Insider Summit to sit down with Dr. Sarah Bird and explore what “Responsible AI” really means for developers. From protecting user privacy to keeping humans in the loop, they dig into how everyday coders can play a role in shaping AI’s future.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:27 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
03:13 The path the machine learning.
04:44 How do you get to ‘Responsible AI’?
06:43 Is there such a thing as ‘Responsible AI’?
07:34 Does the average developer have a part to play?
09:12 How can AI tools protect inexperienced users?
11:55 Let’s talk about user and company privacy.
13:57 Are local tools and services becoming more viable?
15:06 Are people right to be skeptical?
16:58 The software developer role is fundamentally changing.
17:43 Human in the loop.
19:37 The career path to Responsible AI.
21:21 Sick Picks.
Sick Picks
Sarah: Japanese pottery
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22:51
940: Picking a Fullstack Stack, Is Next.js Too Complex? Services vs Self-Hosted + More
In this potluck episode, Wes and Scott answer your questions about modern full-stack stacks, Node.js backend options, managing database indexes, developer burnout, handling toxic bosses, and more!
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
02:36 What’s your go-to Node.js backend in 2025?
Polka
06:18 Do you proactively manage database indexes—or fix them only when they become a problem?
09:40 Brought to you by Sentry.io
12:14 After planning a new project, what’s your real-world dev workflow?
931: Project Init - How to Make Good Choices When Starting a New Coding Project
18:19 What to do when you’re feeling burned out as a developer
23:34 Picking the right tech stack for your partner’s website
28:18 How do you deal with a toxic boss?
33:10 The ideal tech stack for launching a SaaS MVP
39:46 Is GraphQL still worth it vs REST or RPC?
44:26 Is Vercel steering modern web dev in the wrong direction?
51:20 What’s up with TanStack Forms?
TanStack Form Latest
59:35 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott: Flesh and Code
Wes: WAGO connectors
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel
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939: Creator of Vite: Evan You
Scott and Wes sit down with Evan You, creator of Vue, Vite, and VoidZero, to dig into the future of frontend tooling. From the speed of Rolldown to why he chose Rust, they explore the evolution of developer experience, bundlers, and what’s next for the web.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:31 Who is Evan You?
Vue.js.
Vite.
Void0
01:19 Making the shift from UI to Toolchains.
02:37 How aesthetics contributed to the success of Vue and Vite.
05:26 Adding Rollup plugins to the Dev Server.
07:31 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
07:56 Rollup and Rolldown explained.
09:29 NAPIRS.
10:02 Why Rust and not Go?
SWC, OXC.
12:04 Rolldown’s speed and performance.
OXC Allocator.
15:09 Dealing with massive buildtimes.
17:42 How has the transition been?
20:34 Why do we even need a bundler?
23:25 Vite’s superior developer experience.
26:01 Fullstack Vue?
31:45 Node and Vite’s relationship.
35:41 Wes’ wishlist.
vite-dir.
37:28 Hot takes.
37:37 Would Next be better with Vite?
41:09 Thoughts on React Server Components.
43:40 Thought on Remix 3.
46:22 Tell us about Void0.
51:36 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs.
Sick Picks
Evan: Laravel Lamborghini Shaped Stress Toys
Shameless Plugs
Evan: Viteconf, Vite, CultRepo.
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Full Stack Developers Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski dive deep into web development topics, explaining how they work and talking about their own experiences. They cover from JavaScript frameworks like React, to the latest advancements in CSS to simplifying web tooling.
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