The Good Thing

WunderGraph
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THE GOOD THING is.. a podcast by Stefan Avram (CCO) and Jens Neuse (CEO), focusing on APIs, software development, GraphQL, and the trade-offs in engineering. Inspired by our startup journey at WunderGraph, The Good Thing comes from a phrase we often use to find the positives in any situation, no matter the challenges. With a casual chat format, our podcast dives into real-world challenges, lessons, and insights, blending humor and expertise. Hear stories told by high-profile guests from household-name companies. Stay positive with The Good Thing podcast.

  1. 10/16/2025

    Responding to the Rumors

    No, we’re NOT abandoning Federation. We’re taking it to the next level.This week on The Good Thing podcast, Stefan Avram (CCO) and Jens Neuse (CEO) break down how Federation reshapes collaboration, scales developer velocity, and sets the stage for the next era of intelligent systems. From GraphQL to REST, gRPC, and beyond, they explain why a “Federation Layer” is now essential infrastructure for modern engineering teams.We’ll start with the basics: what Federation actually is, what problems it solves, and why it’s central to WunderGraph’s vision, before diving deep into how we’re evolving the model with the Entity Layer and Cosmo Connect.Here’s what you’ll learn:Federation 101: The Big PictureWe set the record straight: Federation isn’t dead, it’s just misunderstood. We’ll deep-dive into why Federation remains core to WunderGraph’s roadmap. Expect a brutally honest look at how the shift from monoliths to supergraphs changes how teams build, deploy, and ship software, and why Federation should be about connecting people, not just services.The Entity Layer: The Real MagicJens explains why this layer is the biggest leap forward since the birth of GraphQL Federation. We unpack how the Entity Layer gives LLMs real business context, why it’s the missing link between human collaboration and machine intelligence, and how it redefines what “federated” even means.Cosmo Connect and the Future of FederationForget GraphQL-only Federation: the future speaks gRPC. Stefan and Jens dive into why they’re betting big on multi-protocol Federation, and why clinging to GraphQL as the only solution limits innovation. We’ll explore how Cosmo Connect unifies REST, SOAP, and gRPC into one Federated model, and why that’s essential for modern, AI-ready architectures.AI Meets Federation: From Toy Projects to Real SystemsEveryone’s talking about LLMs, but few know how to make them production-ready. We’ll break down how Federation gives AI systems context, consistency, and governance, stopping them from becoming just another demo project.Rebuilding Federation from ScratchIf we could burn down Federation and rebuild it tomorrow, what would stay, and what would go? The hosts share candid lessons from years in the trenches, what the community gets wrong, and how Federation 2.0 (and beyond) will look when built with people, not protocols, in mind.If you’re building APIs, running microservices, or exploring AI-ready architecture, this isn’t a tutorial. It’s a manifesto for what’s next.Join us in the live chat or in the comments! We’d love to hear:How is your team approaching Federation today?Is GraphQL still central, or are you going multi-protocol?If you’re averse to adopting Federation, why?--Chapter Markers00:00:00 What this episode is about00:02:52 Why WunderGraph is all-in on Federation00:05:02 The Working Group00:07:47 eBay partnership and real-world Federation problems00:09:58 Subgraph authorization00:11:27 Semantic Non-Null and upcoming products00:14:24 MCP, AI, and Federation as the backbone00:21:22 What the Entity Layer is and why it matters00:32:14 Why next-gen Federation speaks gRPC (Cosmo Connect)00:43:14 Summit reactions: APM templates, operators, connectors00:49:06 We’re hiring; retreats, meetups, and community plans00:52:55 AI hype vs API fundamentals: founder perspective00:57:22 Vertical AI + API design/governance strategy01:03:11 Closing + what’s next New episode every other week here and on YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens)!Watch this episode here: Responding to the RumorsVisit us at wundergraph.com

    1h 4m

  2. 09/20/2025

    Scaling Support Without Burning Out Engineers (ft. Viola Marku)

    Is great customer support as important as a great product? Viola Marku is the Customer Success Manager at WunderGraph, where she partners closely with engineering-led teams to drive successful adoption of federated architecture across complex organisations. With nearly a decade of experience in technical startups, she brings both empathy and precision to every customer engagement, translating abstract challenges into clear, actionable paths forward. Viola's cross-functional work with engineering and sales has helped reduce time to value while elevating the role of customer success as a strategic growth function. She's focused on creating the conditions for customer ownership, embedding success into how modern platform teams actually work. Hosted by WunderGraph CEO Jens Neuse and COO Stefan Avram, they'll talk support excellence, feedback loops, and share advice they’ve learned along the way. Here’s what you’ll learn: Support is a Product* Great support isn't an afterthought. Viola and Stefan make the case that support is part of the product, and why investing early pays off. From Chaos to EOC and beyond* We trace the evolution of WunderGraph’s support process, from Stefan juggling sales and support alone, to the launch of the Engineer-On-Call (EOC) system in 2025, to how Viola reshaped workflows when she joined the team earlier this year. Turning Feedback into Features* How WunderGraph collects, prioritizes, and acts on customer feedback, and why this feedback loop is one of their biggest product advantages. Failures, Fixes, and Lessons* We talk about real mistakes: the support tickets that went sideways, the growing pains, and how even the worst moments became learning opportunities. Scaling a Support Culture* With a growing user base, how will WunderGraph maintain its customer-first values? From AI tooling to culture building, we explore how the team is preparing for what’s next. Whether you’re scaling a devtool, leading a support team, or just curious how real customer obsession shapes product growth, this episode is for you. Jump into the comments or live chat! We want to hear:* Is great customer support as important than the product itself?* What’s the biggest support fail you’ve learned from?* Can great support be your moat? Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens) for new Live episodes!Watch this episode here: Scaling Support Without Burning Out Engineers — Viola MarkuVisit us at wundergraph.com

    1h 1m

  3. 09/09/2025

    API Leader Daniel Kocot — How to Build Great APIs

    APIs run the modern digital world, but what separates the good from the great? Daniel has been part of the codecentric team since October 2016. Since the beginning of 2022 he works as Principal API Consultant at the Dortmund branch. Starting as a consultant with a focus on application lifecycle management, his focus shifted more and more towards APIs. In addition to numerous customer projects and his involvement in the open source world around APIs. He is also a frequent speaker at conferences. In this episode of The Good Thing with Stefan & Jens, Daniel joins us for a deep dive into how modern teams should think about APIs: as products, as capabilities, and as core business enablers. From governance models to open source adoption to the future of API standards, this conversation explores what it really takes to make APIs work at scale. Here’s what you’ll learn: From APIs to CapabilitiesDaniel explains why thinking in terms of capabilities (“Ship Order”, “Process Payment”, “Approve Loan”) instead of technical endpoints can reshape API design. We discuss how this mindset shift ensures APIs align with business value and how product thinking drives long-term success. Governance vs. GatewaysAPIs don’t succeed without governance. Daniel shares why tools like API gateways are helpers, not leaders. Together, we explore strategies for balancing autonomy with control, defining ownership, and preventing API sprawl without killing innovation. Open Source as the API Backbonecodecentric deliberately builds on open-source technologies. Daniel, Jens, and Stefan discuss how communities like OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and GraphQL accelerate progress, the trade-offs of open source in enterprise settings, and why standards are crucial for event-driven APIs. The Future of APIsWhat role will GraphQL, gRPC, and AsyncAPI play in shaping tomorrow’s API strategies? How might AI influence API design and usage? Daniel shares his perspective on when to use different approaches, where they converge, and why reliability still matters most. If you care about API strategy, developer experience, or building infrastructure that lasts, this conversation is for you. Join the live chat or comments and share:* Should APIs be designed as capabilities, not endpoints?* How much governance is too much?* What’s the role of open source in API strategy today? Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens) for new Live episodes! Watch this episode here: How Great Teams Build Great APIs — Daniel Kocot (API thought leader) Visit us at wundergraph.com

    1h 13m

  4. 08/30/2025

    Launching Major Features at Scale (ft. Dustin Deus, Ludwig Bedacht, Jesse Thompson)

    How do you ship major enterprise features at scale with confidence?In case you missed it: we just released Cosmo Connect, which we believe is the next generation of GraphQL federation. Cosmo Connect allows you to bring all your datasources onto the graph (REST, SOAP, gRPC, legacy services, etc.) without rewriting a single line of code.We also hosted our first webinar in a year. Watch the replay here (passcode 43eXjeR+): https://zoom.us/clips/share/mLepIFIaSfifvzkFle7zcgToday, Dustin Deus (CTO @ WunderGraph), Ludwig Bedacht (Senior Software Engineer @ WunderGraph), and Jesse Thompson (Software Engineer @ WunderGraph) joins Jens to dive deep on how Connect came to life, the tradeoffs involved in shipping major features to your flagship product, the reasoning behind Cosmo Connect’s technical architecture, and how AI/LLMs shape today’s roadmaps. We’ll cover how to ship major features without breaking trust, “reading the room” of your competitive landscape, and what this means for enterprises adopting GraphQL at scale.Here’s what you’ll learn:- How to ship big features without derailing product stability- The role of TABs & customer feedback in refining messaging and DX - Competitive landscape: spotting real “hair on fire” problems- Why plugins & services + gRPC for Connect’s architecture- How Connect supports LLM/AI workloads in engineering teams- What’s next for Cosmo & how Connect opens new doorsWho this is for: builders of developer tools, platform & infra leads, and anyone designing distributed systems who wants a pragmatic view of where API infrastructure is heading.Join the conversation (live chat/comments):- What’s your toughest Federation or infrastructure pain right now?- Federation or no federation: where do you land and why?- How are you (or aren’t you) using LLMs in your API layer?TRY COSMO CONNECT TODAY:- Try it out in 3 minutes- Explore the docs- Schedule a live 1-on-1 session (Write "Connect" in the Message field) Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens) for new Live episodes! Watch this episode here: Launching Major Features at Scale (ft. Dustin Deus, Ludwig Bedacht, Jesse Thompson) Visit us at wundergraph.com

    1h 8m

  5. 08/04/2025

    Sam Lambert (CEO @ PlanetScale) on building tools developers actually trust

    What defines a truly great developer experience? Sam Lambert is the CEO at PlanetScale, building the next-generation cloud database. Previously Sam was Vice President of Engineering at GitHub, where he was responsible for scaling the company and culture to the world's largest platform for developers with over 100 million users. He was also responsible for creating GitHub Actions, the popular workflow automation tool. Prior to GitHub, Sam led the traffic and video infrastructure teams at Facebook. He is passionate about developer experience and delivering high quality software at scale. Sam joins us this week for an unfiltered conversation on what it takes to build tools developers trust. From scaling GitHub to reinventing how teams manage database workflows, Sam has been behind the scenes of some of the most developer-loved platforms of the last decade. Hosted by Stefan Avram and Jens Neuse, we talk DevEx, open source, monetization, collaboration, and where databases are headed next. Here’s what you’ll learn: Trust over Table Stakes Dark mode, a CLI, a working UI: these are baseline features, not innovation. Sam unpacks why trust is the foundation of any great developer experience, and how long-term thinking beats short-term applause. From Vitess to DevOps for Databases When Sam joined PlanetScale, the company was transitioning from simply offering the Vitess technology to delivering a MySQL database with a “compelling developer workflow”. We’ll explore how Sam helped articulate that product vision and build trust with users. Data Federation Meets API Federation PlanetScale unifies data across shards, regions, and database types. WunderGraph unifies APIs. Together, they offer a complementary model for modern teams. We explore how customers are using both types of tools, and what makes collaboration at scale actually work. AI, Agents, and the Next Database Paradigm We couldn’t end without asking Sam how AI is shifting the way PlanetScale works, and how he sees the future. What does the rise of agents and new protocols (cough, MCP) mean for databases? And what trends is Sam betting on for the next five years? Why PlanetScale Metal is so fast Sam breaks down the architectural decisions behind their high-performance Postgres and MySQL offerings. He explains how they run petabytes of state on bare metal inside Kubernetes and why most cloud databases leave performance on the table. Lessons from 55 people with 100% uptime With just 55 employees, PlanetScale runs one of the most trusted database platforms. Sam explains how a tiny infra team, a “no passengers” culture, and zero sysadmins help them outperform hyperscalers with 10 times the headcount. The Open Source Advantage Sam, Stefan & Jens explore how OSS enabled PlanetScale’s early growth, how they think about building on top of OSS today, and what Sam really thinks about the CNCF situation. Building for Scale Sam opens up about his obsession with scale. He talks about spinning up 500-node clusters at the press of a button and living vicariously through the success of their customers. If you're building developer tools, designing distributed systems, or just want a fresh perspective on where infrastructure is headed, this one’s for you. Jump into the comments or live chat! We want to hear: What does “developer experience” mean to you? Are databases finally part of DevOps? Is open source still the best way to start something big? Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on ⁠YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens)⁠ for new Live episodes! Watch this episode here: Sam Lambert (CEO @ PlanetScale) on building tools developers actually trust Visit us at ⁠wundergraph.com⁠

    1h 11m

  6. 07/26/2025

    How APIs silently power EVERYTHING (ft. Kevin Swiber, CEO of Layered System)

    What’s the future of API’s in an AI-powered world? Kevin Swiber is an API strategy advisor with 15+ years of experience in standards and startups. They have a history of working in leading roles through software engineering, infrastructure operations, and enterprise architecture. In addition to their experience working at API companies like Apigee and Postman, Kevin is a member of the OpenAPI Initiative. Kevin is the CEO of Layered System, where they consult on the intersection of AI and APIs. Kevin joins Stefan Avram and Jens Neuse to talk APIs, MCP, Federation, collaboration, and what’s coming next. Spoiler: it’s APIs all the way down. Here’s what you’ll learn: It’s APIs All The Way Down: APIs quietly power everything. Kevin, Stefan, and Jens unpack how APIs became the connective tissue of modern software, why this era feels different, and what it means for the future of digital products. MCP: API Consumer, Not API Killer: There have been claims that MCP (model context protocol) will replace APIs. But, as Kevin puts it, “MCP is built to consume APIs, not replace them. The host (an AI assistant like Claude) communicates with clients, which in turn communicate with servers that access various resources.” We discuss what this new layer means, how OpenAI and Anthropic are building around it, and why Sam Altman calls this "the protocol era." Open Standards and Planning Your Escape Routes: Kevin, Stefan & Jens talk big-bad vendor lock-in. They reflect on the history of API description formats and what led to the “OpenAPI advantage,” while sharing perspectives on the current API ecosystem and why they encourage companies to “plan their escape routes.” API Design, Conway’s Law, and the Federation Fix: Bad APIs often reflect bad org charts. Kevin, Stefan & Jens share lessons on designing APIs that scale with your team. We explore (GraphQL) Federation as a strategy to break down silos and avoid the pitfalls of Conway’s Law on system architecture. What’s Next: Protocol Era, AI Agents, and the Future of APIs: Are companies heading toward a new existential race to build internal API + AI layers? Our hosts and Kevin share what to watch for, how to prepare, and what may be the real moat of the future. If you care about APIs, AI, or building systems that scale, this episode is for you. Join us in the chat or the comments below! HUGE thank you to Kevin Swiber for joining us today. Check out their blog here: https://www.layered.dev/ Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on ⁠YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens)⁠ for new Live episodes! Watch this episode here: 15+ Years of APIs (with Kevin Swiber, API Strategy Advisor) Visit us at ⁠wundergraph.com

    1h 8m

  7. 07/18/2025

    AI Productivity "Crash", Lovable’s $2B Surge, and Why Federation Needs gRPC | TGT #24

    AI tools were supposed to 10x developer productivity. But what if they’re actually slowing us down? A new study from METR found that AI coding tools like Cursor and Copilot slowed experienced developers down by 19 percent on average. A vindicating followup to a key insight from last episode: “every line of code is a liability”. However, this study has some SERIOUS red flags, and it seems more clickbait than substance. Meanwhile, Swedish darling Lovable just raised a $200M Series A only 8 months after launch. They’re already pushing $20M+ ARR with just 45 employees, putting them near a $2B valuation. This phenomena of small AI startups bagging HUGE influxes of cash from VCs is not surprising nowadays, but still begs the question: bubble or not? And then there’s Meta. In 2023, they doubled down on their stance that the future of AI is open-source. Now? They’re reportedly considering pulling the plug on Behemoth, their most powerful open-source model. After Chinese researchers at DeepSeek forked it and created a stronger, more efficient model, Meta might be regretting their open strategy (even if that was the point all along). Plus, we talk (of course) about Federation, and why we’re bullish on gRPC as the next generation. Jens also shares key insights from his latest two blog posts on the topic. This, and more, in this week’s episode of The Good Thing with Stefan & Jens.An overview of what we’ll cover: AI PRODUCTIVITY CRISIS?- The METR study that says AI tools are slowing developers down- A follow-up to our “every line of code is a liability” discussion- Why “code generation” isn’t the same as productivity- Can it be trusted? (probably not) LOVABLE RAISES $200M SERIES A- $20M+ ARR in just 8 months- Is this sustainable or just another startup bubble moment? META BACKS AWAY FROM OPEN SOURCE- Behemoth might get shelved- Did DeepSeek’s success spook them?- Was Meta ever truly committed to open AI? THE NEXT GENERATION OF GRAPHQL FEDERATION SPEAKS gRPC- Why we’re bullish on gRPC as the next generation- Insights from Jens’ latest blog posts- What gRPC brings to Federation that GraphQL alone can’t If you’re a dev who relies on these tools, this episode is for you. We’d love to hear:- Have AI tools actually slowed you down?- Should open-source AI stay open if it can be cloned and outpaced?- Do you agree with our take on gRPC? Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on ⁠YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens)⁠ for new Live episodes!Watch this episode here: AI Productivity "Crash", Lovable’s $2B Surge, and Why Federation Needs gRPC | TGT #24Visit us at ⁠wundergraph.com

    1h 3m

  8. 07/11/2025

    Did we just get Rug Pulled by Cursor?

    Happy Friday, and Welcome Back!Cursor's recent pricing change sparked a developer exodus. But it really wasn’t about the price.2025’s darling AI-code-editor Cursor shook its community this week with surprise pricing and usage changes that blindsided many. But It wasn’t just about the money, it was about the lack of transparency.They apologized, but only for how they announced it, not for the changes themselves. The fallout? Heated debates across Cursor's social channels and numerous articles (including one from TechCrunch) dissecting their “non-apology” apology.On the topic of Cursor… Claude Code just dropped its own VSCode extension. Many think this could eat substantially into Cursor’s userbase. Could this, coupled with the harsh reaction from the developer community to Cursor’s business model changes, signal the beginning of the end for Cursor already?Plus, the other big story of the week: Planetscale now supports Postgres, which could have HUGE impacts on the infrastructure of digital products going forward.This, and more, in this week’s episode of The Good Thing with Stefan & Jens. An overview of what we’ll cover:CURSOR CONTROVERSY: - Will its unicorn reign come to a screeching halt?PLANETSCALE FINALLY EMBRACES POSTGRES:- Postgres is the number two database tech after MySQL, which used to be Planetscale’s only focus. By adding Postgres, they just unlocked another 20 percent of the market.LEE ROB MOVES ON FROM VERCEL- The legendary Lee Robinson (@leerob) has officially moved on from Vercel. We thank him for his service to Next.JS and beyond.DIGGING A MOAT WITH AN AI PRODUCT- ..is pretty much impossible, unless you have hardware. Or is it? (yes it is, but let's talk about it).If you’re a dev who relies on these tools, this episode is for you. We’d love to hear:- Did Cursor handle this as badly as everyone says?- Will you switch to Claude Code?- Do you agree with our take on where gRPC fits in the GraphQL Federation picture?- How do you think Planetscale x PostgresQL will change system design?Drop your thoughts in the live chat or the comments below. Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens) for new Live episodes! Watch this episode here: Did we just get Rug Pulled by Cursor? Visit us at wundergraph.com

    1 hr
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About

THE GOOD THING is.. a podcast by Stefan Avram (CCO) and Jens Neuse (CEO), focusing on APIs, software development, GraphQL, and the trade-offs in engineering. Inspired by our startup journey at WunderGraph, The Good Thing comes from a phrase we often use to find the positives in any situation, no matter the challenges. With a casual chat format, our podcast dives into real-world challenges, lessons, and insights, blending humor and expertise. Hear stories told by high-profile guests from household-name companies. Stay positive with The Good Thing podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    WunderGraph
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © WunderGraph
  • Show Website
    The Good Thing

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