Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

Scott and CJ explore why RSS still matters and how it’s more underused than outdated. They discuss how to self-host RSS readers, escape the noise of the modern web, and reclaim a cleaner, ad-free reading experience across devices. SHOW NOTES * 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! * 01:09 Brought to you by Sentry.io [https://sentry.io/syntax/] * 02:41 What is RSS and how does it work? * RSS [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS] * Atom (web standard) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_(web_standard)] * JSON Feed [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON_Feed] * 06:14 Hosting your own RSS server: Miniflux, FreshRSS, and more * Miniflux [https://miniflux.app/] * FreshRSS [https://www.freshrss.org/] * 11:00 Decluttering the web with article scraping * 12:38 Best RSS clients for desktop and mobile * Capy Reader [https://capyreader.com/] * Google Reader [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Reader] * ReadKit [https://readkit.app/] * Pocket is shutting down [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/future-of-pocket] * wallabag [https://wallabag.org/] * mymind [https://mymind.com/] * 18:51 Where to find RSS feeds * The Brutalist Report [https://brutalist.report/] * Programming Subreddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/programming.rss] * Hacker News [https://news.ycombinator.com/] * BlueSky [https://bsky.app/] SHAMELESS PLUGS * Syntax YouTube Channel: Cursor User Tries Claude Code [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZMX5cwo35k] HIT US UP ON SOCIALS! Syntax: X [https://twitter.com/syntaxfm] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/syntax_fm/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@syntaxfm] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/96077407/admin/feed/posts/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@syntax_fm] Wes: X [https://twitter.com/wesbos] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wesbos/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wesbos] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesbos/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@wesbos] Scott: X [https://twitter.com/stolinski] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/stolinski/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@stolinski] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stolinski/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@stolinski] Randy: X [https://twitter.com/randyrektor] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/randyrektor/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@randyrektor] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@randyrektor]

Scott and CJ go full productivity nerd, swapping notes on their favorite web apps for writing, coding, planning, and more. From terminals to to-do lists to dumb phones, it’s a deep dive into the tools powering their workflows. SHOW NOTES * 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! * 00:35 Brought to you by Sentry.io [https://sentry.io/syntax]. * 01:56 Text to speech or speech to text. * 02:20 Superwhisper [https://superwhisper.com/]. * 08:29 Kiro [https://kiro.dev/]. * 16:16 CJ’s current editor preference. * 17:59 Finding the right editor. * 18:47 Terminals. * 20:22 Ghostty [https://ghostty.org/]. * 24:16 Note-taking. * 26:32 Obsidian [https://obsidian.md/]. * 30:24 Logseq [https://logseq.com/]. * 31:03 Todo lists. * 31:08 Tweek.so [https://tweek.so/] * 34:42 Trello [https://trello.com/]. * 37:25 Notion Calendar [https://www.notion.com/product/calendar]. * 38:55 Email. * 43:21 FairEmail [https://email.faircode.eu/]. * 43:43 Dumb phones. * 45:10 Olauncher [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.olauncher] * 47:39 Audio Bookshelf [https://www.audiobookshelf.org/]. HIT US UP ON SOCIALS! Syntax: X [https://twitter.com/syntaxfm] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/syntax_fm/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@syntaxfm] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/96077407/admin/feed/posts/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@syntax_fm] Wes: X [https://twitter.com/wesbos] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wesbos/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wesbos] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesbos/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@wesbos] Scott: X [https://twitter.com/stolinski] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/stolinski/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@stolinski] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stolinski/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@stolinski] Randy: X [https://twitter.com/randyrektor] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/randyrektor/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@randyrektor] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@randyrektor]

Wes and Scott talk about local-first sync engines—why they matter, what makes apps feel fast, and which platforms stand out. From LiveStore to Convex to Instant DB, they break down the pros and cons of each and debate what the “next React” might look like in a local-first future. SHOW NOTES * 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! * 01:52 Intro to local data: what makes apps feel fast * 05:08 Could the next React be a local-first sync engine? * 08:23 LiveStore [https://livestore.dev/] * 18:01 Zero [https://zero.rocicorp.dev/] * 21:58 Instant DB [https://www.instantdb.com/] * 24:18 Brought to you by Sentry.io [https://sentry.io/syntax/] * 24:43 Convex [https://www.convex.dev/] * 27:54 ElectricSQL [https://electric-sql.com/] * 29:48 PowerSync [https://www.powersync.com/] and PartyKit [https://www.partykit.io/] * 30:51 Choosing the right sync engine * 40:34 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs SICK PICKS * Scott: Rummikub [https://amzn.to/4nzCWY3] * Wes: Headphone covers [https://wickedcushions.com/] SHAMELESS PLUGS * Syntax YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@syntaxfm] HIT US UP ON SOCIALS! Syntax: X [https://twitter.com/syntaxfm] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/syntax_fm/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@syntaxfm] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/96077407/admin/feed/posts/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@syntax_fm] Wes: X [https://twitter.com/wesbos] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wesbos/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wesbos] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesbos/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@wesbos] Scott: X [https://twitter.com/stolinski] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/stolinski/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@stolinski] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stolinski/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@stolinski] Randy: X [https://twitter.com/randyrektor] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/randyrektor/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@randyrektor] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@randyrektor]

Scott and Wes share their top strategies for getting high-quality results from AI coding tools like Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, and Windsurf. From better prompting to building reusable rule sets, they cover practical tips for making AI your most productive coding partner. Show Notes * 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! * Wes' Tweet [https://twitter.com/wesbos/status/1940052197938450867] * 02:56 How to get the best results when using AI. * 03:15 Scaffold it out yourself. * 05:40 Be clear with your prompts. * 07:45 Use XML tags around specific items * 08:47 Utilize Rules like Cursor rules or Copilot rules. * 13:20 Ask it to create some rules based on an existing codebase. * 16:03 Break things down into clear concise actionable items. * 17:22 Where to store your rules files. * 18:37 Utilizing llm.txt files. * 19:24 Context7. * 20:28 Tag relevant files, functions, etc. * 21:38 Feed logs back into the AI. * 22:36 Logging Errors. * 22:54 Brought to you by Sentry.io [https://sentry.io/syntax]. * 24:14 Long running chats get worse. * Wes' Tweet [https://twitter.com/wesbos/status/1940052197938450867] Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X [https://twitter.com/syntaxfm] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/syntax_fm/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@syntaxfm] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/96077407/admin/feed/posts/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@syntax_fm] Wes: X [https://twitter.com/wesbos] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wesbos/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wesbos] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesbos/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@wesbos] Scott: X [https://twitter.com/stolinski] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/stolinski/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@stolinski] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stolinski/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@stolinski] Randy: X [https://twitter.com/randyrektor] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/randyrektor/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@randyrektor] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@randyrektor]

In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott answer your questions about code reviews, migrating legacy apps, CSS attr() use cases, pre-commit hooks, the future of creative web development, whether front-end devs need to be full-stack, and more! Show Notes * 00:00 Welcome to Syntax! * 00:43 When is the appropriate time to use requestAnimationFrame? * 05:10 How do you handle code reviews on larger teams? * 13:08 When to use the CSS attr() function * 19:01 The future of browsing websites and the impact of AI * 28:45 Brought to you by Sentry.io [https://sentry.io/syntax/] * 29:10 Navigating browser preview in VS Code * 31:31 Pre-populating email content with mailto * 34:29 Is there increasing pressure for front-end developers to become full-stack? * 43:14 What pre-commit checks should you run and how? * 46:16 How do you deal with a poorly-built codebase when you already have thousands of active users? * 50:05 What GitHub Copilot features should you disable while you’re learning something new? * 52:22 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs Sick Picks * Scott: WOLFBOX MF100 Electric Air Duster [https://amzn.to/4em304w] * Wes: Competition Kettlebells [https://www.amazon.com/Competition-Kettlebells/s?k=Competition+Kettlebells] Shameless Plugs * Syntax YouTube Channel [https://youtube.com/@syntaxfm] Hit us up on Socials! Syntax: X [https://twitter.com/syntaxfm] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/syntax_fm/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@syntaxfm] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/96077407/admin/feed/posts/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@syntax_fm] Wes: X [https://twitter.com/wesbos] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wesbos/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wesbos] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesbos/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@wesbos] Scott: X [https://twitter.com/stolinski] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/stolinski/] Tiktok [https://www.tiktok.com/@stolinski] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stolinski/] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@stolinski] Randy: X [https://twitter.com/randyrektor] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/randyrektor/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@randyrektor] Threads [https://www.threads.net/@randyrektor]