Podcast Summary
Web Development Predictions for 2022: Svelte's Rise and Next.js' Future: Svelte is expected to grow in popularity, with potential improvements in Svelte and SvelteKit. Next.js has most features but lacks a built-in data layer, which may be addressed in the future.
The hosts of Syntax podcast, Scott and Wes, shared their web development predictions for 2022. They believe that Svelte will continue to gain popularity, with more companies and startups adopting it as their tech stack. They also discussed the potential for improvements in Svelte and SvelteKit, particularly in the area of server component styles and direct database queries. Additionally, they mentioned that Next.js has most features developers are asking for but lacks a built-in data layer, which they are curious to see if Next.js will address in the future. Overall, the podcast discussed the current state and future potential of various web development technologies.
Exciting Developments in JavaScript: SvelteKit, Next.js, and Web Components: SvelteKit might surpass Next.js for data handling, Vercel developing a CMS/coding platform, web components predicted to breakthrough in 2023, JavaScript ecosystem is evolving with new tools and trends.
There are exciting developments happening in the world of JavaScript frameworks and tools, particularly with SvelteKit, Next.js, and web components. While Server-side Rendering (SSR) is currently popular, there's speculation that SvelteKit might become the go-to way for handling data in Next.js. Additionally, Vercel, the company behind Next.js, is rumored to be developing a CMS or collaborative coding platform to complement Next.js. Web components, which have been around for a while but haven't gained widespread adoption, are predicted to have a breakthrough year in 2023. Despite the challenges in writing and publishing web components, their potential benefits are significant, and there's growing interest and positive sentiment towards them. Overall, the JavaScript ecosystem is constantly evolving, and these tools and trends are worth keeping an eye on.
Web Components vs Frameworks: A Continuing Debate: Web components offer platform integration, while frameworks like React and Svelte provide easier development experiences and more features. Efforts are underway to integrate web components with popular frameworks, and the Open UI project aims to standardize UI components within web components, potentially leading to advancements.
The debate between using web components directly from the platform versus using frameworks like React or Svelte continues. Web components offer the advantage of not requiring additional JavaScript to be shipped, making them a part of the platform. However, some developers argue that frameworks like React and Svelte offer easier development experiences and more features out of the box. There is a convergence happening, with efforts underway to integrate web components with popular frameworks. Another topic discussed was the potential rise of Rust as a popular language, but its success hinges on resolving internal team and community issues. Additionally, the Open UI project was highlighted as a platform aiming to provide a standardized definition of UI components within web components, which could lead to significant advancements in the future.
Rust's Unique Benefits for Complex Projects: Rust's performance improvements and issue reduction make it an attractive option for complex projects, despite challenging development experience with Rust and Wasm.
Rust is gaining popularity in the development community, particularly for reducing individual cause crossing in complex projects. A developer shared his experience of moving primary reducers into Rust, which led to improved performance and fewer issues. However, the development experience with Rust and Wasm can be challenging due to the tooling and fully-typed nature of the language. Despite the difficulties, Rust's unique benefits and potential for solving specific problems make it an intriguing option for developers. LogRocket, a sponsor of the podcast, was mentioned as a valuable tool for debugging issues on websites, offering a session replay feature that allows developers to see exactly what caused an error or exception. Another trend discussed was the growth of serverless functions and cloud computing, which is predicted to continue expanding as tools and infrastructure improve, making it easier for companies to move away from monolithic architectures.
Cloudflare's Expansion in Tech Industry: Cloudflare is growing as a serious competitor in serverless functions, static website hosting, and more, with its user-friendly approach attracting many. The speaker predicts continued expansion and a potential conversion to Tailwind CSS.
Cloudflare is emerging as a major player in the world of serverless functions, static website hosting, and more, offering a more approachable alternative to larger platforms like AWS. The speaker expresses a strong belief that Cloudflare will continue to expand its offerings and attract users with its ease of use. Additionally, the speaker shares their personal prediction that they will become a convert to Tailwind CSS, despite initially having reservations, due to the similarities between Open Props and their preferred coding style. The speaker also mentions the recent trend of Cloudflare and AWS going head to head with new offerings, and how Cloudflare's approachability is a major selling point for them. Overall, the speaker sees a lot of potential in both Cloudflare and Open Props, and believes they will make significant impacts in the tech industry.
CSS Variables and Next-Gen Dev Tools: A Game Changer for Web Development: CSS Variables offer preset options for efficient and consistent coding, while next-gen dev tools like Fig and Warp bring advanced features to the terminal, enhancing functionality and customization.
This year has seen significant advancements in CSS methodologies and tools, with the rise of CSS variables and next-gen dev tools. CSS variables, as discussed, offer preset options that can be overwritten with custom colors and properties, making coding more efficient and consistent. Tailwind CSS, an atomic design system utilizing CSS variables, limits choices and enhances design consistency. However, it still requires specifying the property and then the variable value in the CSS. A desirable improvement would be the implementation of mix-ins or classes for a more seamless experience. Next-gen dev tools like Fig and Warp have started to emerge, bringing features like auto-completion, text editing, and a command palette to the terminal. Warp, in particular, aims to replace the need for ZSH and Oh My ZSH by providing a layer of completions and text editing directly in the terminal. While not quite there yet, the potential for these tools to revolutionize the terminal experience is significant, as the terminal's functionality has remained relatively stagnant for a long time. The terminal's customization has relied on fonts, Git prompts, and plugins, but the introduction of next-gen dev tools could bring a Versus Code-like experience to the terminal. Overall, these developments in CSS and dev tools mark an exciting year for web development, with improvements in efficiency, consistency, and functionality.
Customize your shell with iTerm and Starship: Use iTerm with Starship for a personalized and efficient shell experience. Look out for container queries, CSS layers, more CSS functions, and subgrid in web development this year.
The speaker recommends using iTerm with Starship for a customizable and efficient shell experience. Starship is a minimal, blazing fast, and infinitely customizable prompt for any shell. The speaker also suggests checking out Hashnode for starting a developer blog, which allows you to use your own domain, own the content, and back up to GitHub for free. In the realm of web development, the speaker anticipates the arrival of container queries, CSS layers, more CSS functions, and possibly subgrid this year. These advancements could lead to more complex and specific CSS rules and layouts.
Exciting developments in CSS Cascade Layers and GraphQL: CSS Cascade Layers level 3 and 6 show promise, GraphQL gains traction with growing interest and the need for more data types, TypeScript and GraphQL types generation is a trend, and Deno's features may be incorporated into Node.js
The web development landscape is continuously evolving, with new technologies and improvements being made to existing ones. Two such areas of focus are CSS Cascade Layers and GraphQL. Miriam's tweet mentioned the progress of CSS Cascade Layers, specifically level 3 (containers) and level 6 (scope), which is also known as layers. This development is exciting, and while subgrid is still not widely adopted, there's hope for its implementation in the future. As for GraphQL, there's been growing energy and interest in this technology, with projects like the GraphQL Guild leading the way. However, one area where GraphQL could use improvement is the addition of more data types. This is a complex problem, but with the fully typed nature of GraphQL, it opens up opportunities for interesting tools and server options. In the realm of tools, the generation of TypeScript and GraphQL types from a schema is a trend that's gaining traction, making development even more efficient. As for Deno, while it didn't make a significant impact in 2021, it's possible that many of its features will be incorporated into Node.js or announced for Node.js in the future, making the need for a separate project less compelling. Overall, the web development world is full of exciting advancements and improvements, and it's an exciting time to be a developer.
Lack of First-Party TypeScript Support in Deno and Node.js: The speaker discusses the challenges of using TypeScript with Deno and Node.js, and looks forward to easier integration and improvements in 2022.
The speaker expresses curiosity and frustration about the lack of first-party TypeScript support in Deno and Node.js, and the complexity involved in using TypeScript with these platforms. The speaker also mentions the desire for easier integration of TypeScript into these runtime environments, as well as the potential growth and improvement of existing tools like TS Node. The speaker also predicts that TypeScript will become easier to use with Node.js in 2022, and expresses a hope for clarification or merging of interfaces and types in TypeScript. However, they also acknowledge that this might be wishful thinking. Overall, the discussion highlights the ongoing challenges and potential solutions for using TypeScript with Deno and Node.js, and the speaker's perspective on the current state and future direction of these platforms.
Struggles with advanced TypeScript typing: Writing complex TypeScript types can be challenging, admiration for those who specialize, resurgence of server-side dev with Hotwire, Live Wire, and Remix
TypeScript's advanced typing system, while powerful, can be a complex and painful experience for developers. Wes, in the discussion, shared his struggles with writing complex types for libraries and frameworks, using intricate functions like spread generics and dealing with error logs that are difficult to parse. He also mentioned his admiration for those who specialize in writing such types, acknowledging that it's not a requirement for all developers using TypeScript. Another key point from the conversation was the resurgence of server-side development, with frameworks like Hotwire in Rails, Live Wire in Laravel, and Remix gaining popularity. This shift back to the server will simplify some aspects of development but may also require learning new skills for those more accustomed to client-side work. Overall, the conversation highlighted the importance of understanding the strengths and challenges of various tools and technologies in web development.
Server-side technologies and tools on the rise: Expect more server-side code, popular platforms like Remix and React server components, continued use of static site builders, and new unforeseen platforms. Developers may also need to manage finances with tools like FreshBooks and improve checkout experiences with multicurrency and crypto capabilities.
The future of web development is leaning more towards server-side technologies and tools, with platforms like Remix and React server components gaining popularity. Static site builders like Astro will continue to be used, and there may even be new, unforeseen platforms on the horizon. Server-side code will become more prevalent, and developers may need to consider using accounting software like FreshBooks to manage their businesses and finances. Additionally, checkout flows and payment processors are expected to see a resurgence, with an emphasis on multicurrency and crypto capabilities. Wise, a popular online banking platform, could potentially expand into credit card processing, making it a more comprehensive solution for online businesses. Other trends include the continuation of remote work and the increasing importance of accessibility in web development. In summary, the web development landscape is evolving, with a focus on server-side technologies, improved checkout experiences, and more comprehensive financial management tools. Developers should stay informed about these trends to stay competitive and provide the best possible solutions for their clients.
Braintree UI's open issue and the speaker's preference for Stripe: Despite Braintree UI's open issue, the speaker prefers Stripe for its comprehensive offerings and developer-friendliness, while expressing enthusiasm for the Temporal API as a promising replacement for the JavaScript date API
The Braintree UI package, despite having an open issue for over two years to convert a div into a button, has not made the necessary change, leading to a lack of confidence in Braintree's developer-friendliness. The speaker also shared their experience with PayPal's attempt to persuade them to switch from Stripe to Braintree, but ultimately decided against it due to the perceived additional effort and complexity. The speaker highly regards Stripe for its comprehensive offerings, including APIs, checkout experience, and React components, making it a preferred choice. Another topic discussed was the Temporal API, which is seen as a promising replacement for the JavaScript date API. The speaker expressed their enthusiasm for the Temporal API, which is immutable and offers a simpler way to work with dates, and they have even implemented a polyfill for it in their codebase. The speaker also shared their plans to create a file of temporal helpers, highlighting the potential benefits of this API and their eagerness for its finalization and integration into the browser and future versions of JavaScript.
Remote development or 'iPad coding' is on the rise: Tools like Gitpod, GitHub Codespaces, StackBlitz, and Versus Code enable writing code in a browser with all processes running on a server, offering convenience and ease of use.
Remote development or "iPad coding" is set to become more popular this year. This means writing code in a browser with all processes, including linting, running on a server. Tools like Gitpod, GitHub Codespaces, StackBlitz, and Versus Code are leading the way in this trend. Essentially, the laptop or iPad functions as a thin client, streaming changes from the server. This concept, often referred to as "cloud coding," offers convenience and ease of use. While some developers might prefer traditional setups, the availability of these tools is expected to be beneficial for the development community. Additionally, the speakers shared recommendations for interesting podcasts, including "A Show About Animals," which explores the story of Koko the gorilla and the controversy surrounding her ability to use sign language, and Wyze, an online banking service offering excellent currency conversion and multi-currency balances.
A Better Alternative to Traditional Banking Tools with Wise: Wise offers lower fees and direct bank transfers for international money transfers, with potential future credit card processing and a checking account feature called 'balances' for holding and converting currencies.
Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a financial technology company offering a better alternative to traditional banking tools, particularly for international money transfers. The user finds the platform to be more convenient than banking in Canada, with lower fees and the ability to send money directly between bank accounts without conversion fees. Wise initially started as a currency conversion service but now offers a checking account feature called "balances," allowing users to hold and convert money between different currencies. The user also mentions the potential for Wise to offer credit card processing in the future. For those interested in learning new tech skills, the user shamelessly plugs Level Up Tutorials and their upcoming course on the Remix platform.