The Databased Podcast

Convex

”Databased” is the essential podcast for web developers and technology leaders navigating the complexities of building scalable, high-performance applications in the modern startup landscape. Hosts Jamie Turner, and James Cowling, known for their work building billion-dollar backend systems at Dropbox, dive deep into the world of databases, infrastructure, and edge computing. Each episode challenges conventional wisdom and explores the realities of crafting applications that can withstand the demands of today’s users. Through expert insights, thought-provoking discussions, and entertaining segments, ”Databased” provides clarity amidst the hype, helping you make informed decisions about your technology stack. Join us as we explore how to build and ship applications faster with a smaller team.

  1. Jul 15

    Is Open Source Dying? How AI Is Changing Software Development

    Is open-source software still a sustainable strategy in the age of AI?In this episode of Databased, Convex co-founders Jamie Turner and James Cowling examine how AI coding tools, large language models, and increasingly capable software agents are changing the economics of open-source software.For developers, open source has historically been one of the best ways to learn how production systems work, explore software architecture, contribute to meaningful projects, and build new applications on top of shared infrastructure. However, AI models can now analyze large codebases, explain complex implementation decisions, generate competing software, and potentially recreate products without directly copying the original source code.Jamie and James discuss whether this shift makes copyright, software licenses, patents, trade secrets, proprietary test suites, and operational expertise more important than they were before. They also explore why many successful open-source projects are funded by commercial companies, what happens when larger organizations use AI to replicate startup innovations, and why the team behind a codebase may still be more valuable than the code itself.The conversation also covers Convex’s approach to source-available software, the Functional Source License, closed-source testing infrastructure, deterministic simulation testing, network effects, operational excellence, and the challenges of protecting a technical advantage while still contributing to the developer community.Developers interested in open source, AI-assisted coding, backend infrastructure, databases, software licensing, startup strategy, full-stack development, distributed systems, and the future of software engineering will find a nuanced discussion about where the industry may be heading.Timestamps00:00 The Future of Open Source in the AI Era08:32 Copyright, Patents, and Protecting Small Companies16:57 How AI Makes Large Codebases Easier to Understand22:25 Can Large Companies Use AI to Clone Startups?28:24 Why Trade Secrets Are Becoming More Valuable34:10 Open Models, Distillation, and the Future of Copyright38:57 Convex, Source-Available Software, and the FSL45:24 Why There May Be Less Open Source in the Future

  2. Jun 9

    You messed up prod. Now what?

    On the third episode of this season of Databased, Jamie and James cover the unglamorous but critical topic of incident response. Incidents are inevitable and part of maturing as a company is creating systems that let you respond to them well and act quickly.2:13: The boring stuff: What are SEV levels, IMOCs, and TLOCs?12:51: The five stages of incident response17:30: AI's role in triage assistance19:37: Zero-blame culture23:05: Complex systems are hard to triage25:11: Get the quick dirty fix out early to stop the bleeding28:40: Debugging32:00: Remediation35:40: Live communication is key38:05: Outages can be fun?42:00: Analysis paralysis45:30: Detection49:50: There are only three alerts that matter at your company51:00: The power of zero57:00: Being an IMOC (Incident Manager On-Call)1:09:00: IMOC's are time travelers, be 20 minutes behind1:10:19: Post-mortem1:17:00: Summary

  3. Apr 16

    The six systems design principles that agents don't understand

    We believe that good design can only be learned through years of building systems at scale, so Jamie and James sat down to talk about what they've learned from their years of building infrastructure. In this episode, they cover six pieces of wisdom that seem counterintuitive at first because they go against basic things that you are taught, but reveal important nuance in systems design that will save you the next time you are drawing up architecture.

  4. Mar 23

    Convex Still Sucks

    Databased is back! In this episode Jamie Turner and James Cowling revisit “Convex sucks” and break down the biggest gaps in Convex today, what’s improved, and how the team is thinking about the road ahead. If you haven't watched the original Convex sucks episode, check it out here.

  5. 01/28/2025

    Why Most Tech Content Doesn't Work ft. Web Dev Cody

    In this special episode of Databased, Jamie speaks with Web Dev Cody, a prominent technical content creator with almost 250,000 YouTube subscribers, about the evolving landscape of developer education and content creation.    They discuss the delicate balance between maintaining authenticity and managing sponsored content, the impact of AI tools on both development and teaching, and practical insights into building genuine connections with technical audiences.    Through candid discussion and real-world examples, Cody also illuminates how content creators can adapt to new tools while staying true to their voice, and offers valuable perspectives on developer marketing in an increasingly AI-assisted world.   Key Topics Discussed:   Balancing full-time software development with creating educational content for a large technical audience while maintaining quality and authenticity. The impact of AI coding assistants on both software development workflows and technical education approaches. Effective approaches to developer marketing and building genuine connections with technical audiences through content. Adapting content creation strategies to incorporate new technologies while maintaining educational value and audience engagement. Managing sponsored content relationships while preserving authenticity and trust with technical audiences. Developing efficient content creation workflows that enable consistent output alongside full-time development work. Investigating the role of authenticity and personal voice in technical education and content creation. How AI tools are reshaping both software development practices and educational content approaches. The challenges and opportunities in marketing technical products to developer audiences. Strategies for teaching complex technical concepts in an increasingly AI-assisted development landscape.

    Why Most Tech Content Doesn't Work ft. Web Dev Cody

  6. 01/24/2025

    What You Missed in 2024 in the World of Databases, with Prof. Andrew Pavlo

    In this episode of Databased, James speaks with Andrew Pavlo, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, about the dramatic shifts reshaping the database industry in 2024. The conversation explores how Redis's controversial licensing changes sparked unprecedented community backlash and the fierce battle between Snowflake and Databricks that culminated in a $2 billion acquisition. Andy also goes into modern testing approaches, particularly deterministic simulation, and why database wars now extend beyond performance metrics. The conversation also touches on the evolution of database education, the rising dominance of Postgres, and how modern testing approaches are reshaping reliability expectations in database development and deployment. Through engaging stories and technical insights, Andrew illuminates the strategic moves and technological innovations driving the database industry forward, while offering practical wisdom for navigating these changes in real-world applications and system design. Key Topics Discussed: Analyzing the implications of Redis's controversial licensing change and the community's unprecedented response through the Valkey fork initiative. Examining the escalating rivalry between Snowflake and Databricks, culminating in a $2 billion acquisition battle over Tabular. Exploring DuckDB's rising influence in analytics and its integration with traditional database systems through multiple Postgres extensions. Evaluating Amazon's strategic positioning with Aurora DSQL and its impact on the distributed database landscape. Investigating the trend of AI companies entering database technology through strategic acquisitions like OpenAI's Rockset purchase. Assessing the evolution of database testing methodologies, particularly the rise of deterministic simulation approaches. Analyzing the shift in database wars from performance metrics to platform capabilities and ecosystem control. Examining Postgres's emergence as the default choice for operational databases and its influence on vendor strategies. Understanding the challenges and opportunities in hybrid transactional-analytical processing (HTAP) database systems.

    What You Missed in 2024 in the World of Databases, with Prof. Andrew Pavlo

  7. 12/19/2024

    The Inside Story of Google Photos: From Startup Acquisition to 2 Billion Users

    In this episode of Databased, Jamie rounds up the team who gave us Google Photos, Dave Lieb, General Partner at Y Combinator; Indy Khare, Head of Product at Convex; and Christian “Dowski” Wyglendowski, an independent software developer, to explore their journey from Bump to the creation of Google Photos.  Dave, Indy, and Christian discuss the importance of a compelling vision in product development, sharing how they navigated corporate culture and skepticism to gain support for their innovative ideas. The trio also dives into the significance of dogfooding and how leveraging modern tools and technologies allowed them to build a now-ubiquitous app in record time. Key Topics Discussed: The transition from Bump to Google Photos and how it highlighted the importance of a clear product vision and strategic planning.   The role of compelling presentations in winning over skeptical management and engineering teams.   How dogfooding was crucial for gathering feedback and improving the product before its official launch.   How the team leveraged existing Google technologies to accelerate development and enhance the app's performance and scalability.   The challenges of navigating corporate culture and aligning team goals with company objectives during product development.   The evolution of mobile app development tools, enabling faster and more efficient workflows.   The importance of user experience, as the team aimed to create a seamless and engaging photo management solution. Key Takeaways: Craft a compelling vision for your product to effectively communicate its value and gain support from stakeholders and team members. Utilize dogfooding to test your product internally, gathering valuable feedback from your team to identify and resolve issues early. Create engaging presentations that simulate user experiences, helping to win over skeptical management and demonstrate the product's potential. Leverage existing technologies and frameworks to accelerate development, reducing the time needed to build and scale your application. Foster a culture of collaboration among team members to ensure alignment on goals and encourage open communication throughout the development process. Prioritize user experience by designing intuitive interfaces that meet user expectations, enhancing engagement and satisfaction with your product. Embrace iterative development to continuously improve your product based on user feedback and changing market needs, ensuring relevance and quality. Invest in team training on modern tools and technologies to enhance productivity and streamline workflows, enabling faster project completion. Conduct thorough research on your target audience to understand their needs and preferences, guiding your product design and feature set. Encourage open dialogue within your team to address concerns and brainstorm solutions, fostering a supportive environment for innovation and creativity.

    The Inside Story of Google Photos: From Startup Acquisition to 2 Billion Users

  8. 12/03/2024

    How Local-First Software Empowers Users Through Client-Side Innovation

    In this episode of Databased, Tom Redman, welcomes two guests to the show: Johannes Schickling, Founder of Overtone and Co-founder of Prisma, and Sujay Jayakar, Co-founder & Chief Scientist at Convex. Together, Johannes and Sujay discuss how empowering client-side applications can enhance user experience by eliminating frustrating delays and fostering trust through data agency.    The conversation also touches on the limitations of traditional web applications and highlights the need for developers to leverage the full capabilities of modern devices. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of user control over data, addressing growing concerns about privacy and reliability.   Key Topics Discussed: How local-first software empowers client-side applications to operate independently of server connectivity. Eliminating frustrating delays in applications by maximizing the capabilities of modern client devices. The importance of user control over data is emphasized, fostering trust and security in web applications. The limitations of conventional web applications that rely heavily on cloud services for data management. The complexities of managing state across client and server, advocating for improved client-side solutions. How advancements in browser capabilities can facilitate a more robust client-side experience.   Key Takeaways: Start integrating local-first software concepts into your development process to enhance user experience and data control. Leverage the full power of modern devices by building applications that utilize client-side processing and data management. Design applications that empower users with control over their data, fostering trust and security in your software. Minimize server dependency by implementing offline capabilities and ensuring your applications function seamlessly without constant connectivity. Explore conflict-free replicated data types (CRDTs) and other synchronization techniques to improve state management in distributed applications. Regularly assess how your applications perform under various network conditions and identify areas for improvement. Create user-centric applications that allow users to manage their data effectively, enhancing their overall experience. Keep up with new browser technologies and APIs that can enhance client-side capabilities and improve application performance. Revisit and rewrite existing applications with local-first principles to create significantly better user experiences. Participate in discussions and communities focused on local-first software to stay updated on best practices and innovations.

    How Local-First Software Empowers Users Through Client-Side Innovation
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Ratings & Reviews

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About

”Databased” is the essential podcast for web developers and technology leaders navigating the complexities of building scalable, high-performance applications in the modern startup landscape. Hosts Jamie Turner, and James Cowling, known for their work building billion-dollar backend systems at Dropbox, dive deep into the world of databases, infrastructure, and edge computing. Each episode challenges conventional wisdom and explores the realities of crafting applications that can withstand the demands of today’s users. Through expert insights, thought-provoking discussions, and entertaining segments, ”Databased” provides clarity amidst the hype, helping you make informed decisions about your technology stack. Join us as we explore how to build and ship applications faster with a smaller team.

Information

  • Creator
    Convex
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Convex
  • Show Website
    The Databased Podcast

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