Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

Wes Bos & Scott Tolinski - Full Stack JavaScript Web Developers

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.

  1. 942: Mental Health Q&A w/ Dr. Courtney Tolinski

    PRED 2 D.

    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 Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    58 min
  2. 941: Is Responsible AI Possible? with Dr. Sarah Bird of Microsoft

    PRED 4 D.

    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 Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    23 min
  3. 940: Picking a Fullstack Stack, Is Next.js Too Complex? Services vs Self-Hosted + More

    24. 9.

    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 Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    1 h 6 min
  4. 939: Creator of Vite: Evan You

    22. 9.

    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. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    54 min
  5. 938: Hot Takes + Bike Shedding

    17. 9.

    938: Hot Takes + Bike Shedding

    Wes and Scott dive into some hot takes and classic debates—tabs vs spaces, camel vs snake case, export styles, barrel files, variable naming, and more. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 01:26 CSS variables: descriptive vs. semantic 03:38 snake_case vs. camelCase 04:54 Default exports vs. named exports 06:23 Barrel files vs. direct imports 09:15 Function declaration vs. function expression 11:00 Inferred types vs. explicit types 13:40 Brought to you by Sentry.io 14:40 Long and explicit variable names vs. short with comments 16:27 Self-documenting code vs. code comments 17:03 Rebase vs. merge commit 18:39 Naming event parameters: e vs. event 20:33 Tabs vs. spaces 22:18 Big line height vs. small line height 23:50 Hard line length vs. line wrap Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    28 min
  6. 937: Is The Omarchy Hype Real?

    15. 9.

    937: Is The Omarchy Hype Real?

    Scott takes Wes on a tour of Omarchy, DHH’s polished Arch + Hyprland Linux setup that promises speed, beauty, and endless keyboard shortcuts. From first impressions to daily workflows, Scott debates whether it’s good enough to pull him out of the Apple ecosystem for good. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:31 Brought to you by Sentry.io. 02:55 What is Omarchy? 02:57 Arch-based distribution. 03:42 Hyprland window management. 05:08 Wayland Display Server Protocol. 06:27 Installation Defaults. 06:53 System-wide shortcuts. 09:01 My first impressions. 09:41 Connecting to my NAS. 10:54 Gigantic UI. 12:21 Day 2 Experiences. 13:22 Resizing window challenges. 16:11 Neovim and Lazyvim. 16:49 Lazygit. 19:07 How do you use it and why is it good. 19:14 Command Palette. 19:49 Raycast. Recreating Raycast. 20:50 Using the app launcher. 21:25 Screensavers. 21:59 OS Style. 22:55 My apps, my apps, my apps, check it out. 25:07 Is the hardware comparable to Mac’s M processors? 27:24 Installing new apps. 29:26 Web apps as first class citizens. 32:47 What I’ll miss. 35:56 What’s going on with MacOS UI? 38:37 Annoyances. 39:31 My advice. Read the Manual. 44:39 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs. Sick Picks Scott: Omarchy Manual. Wes: Ugreen 200w Charger, Silicone USB C. Shameless Plugs Scott: Syntax on YouTube. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    48 min
  7. 936: Realtime LED Wall With React + Websockets (I Let Strangers Control It)

    10. 9.

    936: Realtime LED Wall With React + Websockets (I Let Strangers Control It)

    Scott, Wes, and CJ dive into Wes’s Hackweek project: a real-time, web-controlled LED grid. They break down the hardware build, custom 3D-printed diffuser, ESP32 microcontroller, and Cloudflare durable objects powering live pixel art, GitHub activity displays, and interactive web drawings. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 02:03 Wes’ Hackweek project: a web-controlled LED grid 03:52 The hardware: LED panels, soldering, and power WS2812 LED panels 06:38 ESP32 microcontroller and WLED firmware explained ESP32 Microcontroller 10:57 Power supply challenges and injection fixes 15:05 Debugging and testing a DIY LED matrix 15:56 Shorts, blown circuits, and melted wires 17:58 Designing and 3D-printing the diffuser for crisp pixels 21:29 The software: Cloudflare Durable Objects + Party Server Cloudflare Durable Objects Party.server 22:18 Real-time sync and state management across clients Party Client 28:43 Connecting the server to the LED hardware 41:51 Open access fun: scripts, NSFW images, and moderation Cloudflare tunnel 44:10 Live demos 45:34 Future plans: stats, rooms, and making it always-on Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    47 min
  8. 935: CJ Made A Sega Game In 2025

    8. 9.

    935: CJ Made A Sega Game In 2025

    CJ takes us behind the scenes of Hackweek to share how he built a custom Sega Genesis game from scratch, complete with assembly code, level loading, and retro hardware tricks. From SGDK to parallax faking, this episode is a deep dive into old-school game dev with a modern twist. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! 00:44 Why a Sega game? Sega Genesis. Sega Master System. MKBHD Retro Tech: Sega. 06:55 What is it running on? 07:49 Working with assembly code. 10:11 Sega Genesis Development Kit. Stephane-D GitHub. 10:54 Awesome Megadrive. 12:02 Booting on an emulator. 13:07 Gens and KMod. 15:54 Compiling stage. 17:44 Genesis Code VS Code Extension. 18:22 Images and Assets. 19:46 Loading images with bitmap. 23:50 Megacat Studios. 25:21 Z index? Faking Parallax. 27:34 Specific code examples. 27:51 Platformer Engine. 30:01 Platformer Sample Game. 30:44 LDTK (Level Designer Toolkit). 33:13 Tiled Collision mapping. 37:42 What about debugging? 39:37 Loading in levels. RetroGameMechanicsExplained. Sega Mega-CD Development Unit. 43:56 Challenges with graphics. 49:56 Adding music. Super Cartridge. Flahskit Programmer MD. Flashkit Cart MD. Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads

    52 min
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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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