Episodes
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In this episode, we discuss the WordPress vs. WP Engine drama. We also chat about Discord Activities, the new way to embed games and experiences directly in Discord.
https://replicate.com/ https://mikecann.co.uk/posts/battletabs-global-launch-on-discord-activitieshttps://a16z.com/discord-activities-social-gaming/Tech Crunch Wordpress Drama Explained https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/07/wordpress-vs-wp-engine-drama-explained/
Resources -
CJ and Colin chat about AI tools and coding environments. Pros and cons, daily workflows, and challenges of various AI-driven coding tools like VS Code, Cursor, and Copilot.
We also talk about the broader implications of AI in content generation, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, and emphasize maintaining a human touch in communication to avoid hollow, AI-generated content.
- Avante nvim plugin
- Cursor
- Github Copilot -
Missing episodes?
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In this episode, you'll learn about the PARA Method for organizing your notes and tasks, emphasizing the importance of balancing craftsmanship with delivering real customer value. Discover insights from Pieter Levels' success with straightforward tech stacks and recurring revenue from multiple startups. The discussion covers the power of building in public, optimizing productivity with personal CRMs and AI tools, and managing digital notes using Obsidian and Logseq. Tune in to explore practical challenges and solutions for enhancing your workflow and staying connected.
00:00 Introduction and Catching Up
00:20 Lex Friedman and Pieter Levels Interview Discussion
01:09 Frameworks and Developer Influencers
03:08 Peter's Success and Indie Hacking
05:23 Building and Shipping Products
05:43 Marketing and Influencer Impact
13:23 Personal Knowledge Management
22:25 Exploring Obsidian and PARA
23:02 Organizing Projects and Areas
23:43 Daily Logs and Workflows
26:42 Handling Digital Scraps and Notes
30:31 Plugins and Syncing Issues
34:34 AI Tools for Meetings and Transcriptions
38:07 AI Code Editors and Future Discussions
39:37 Conclusion and Next Week's Teaser -
In this episode, Colin and CJ discuss their audio and video setups, ideal microphones, cameras, and software for content creation. They dive into the specifics of the equipment they use and recommend budget-friendly options for those just getting started. Additionally, they touch upon some useful applications and tools that streamline their workflows, and discuss their experience with various developer-related projects.
Our Daily Drivers
1. Shure SM7B
2. Shure SM58
3. Cloudlifter
4. Triton Fethead
5. Scarlett Solo
6. Eleven Labs
7. YouTube Studio
8. Google Experimental Music Effects
9. Descript
10. Apple Studio Display
11. Sony A6100
12. Elgato Camlink
13. Elgato Key Lights
14. Elgato Streamdeck
15. OBS
16. Audio-Technica ATR2500
17. Shure MV7
18. Handmirror app
19. Cleanshot
20. Skitch
21. Warp
22. Neovim
23. iTerm2
24. OhMyZsh
25. Alacritty
26. VS Code
27. ngrok
28. zoxide
29. eza
30. fzf
31. Raycast
32. Fantastical
33. Textmate
34. CJ's /uses pageFind more audio gear at Podcast Method
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In this episode, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ruby on Rails, reflecting on its impact and vibrant community. We share Rails origin stories from the late 2000s and early 2010s. You'll hear about different companies' reading and writing cultures, including practices like decision documents, meeting notes, and internal newsletters.
You'll hear updates on current projects, with Colin discussing a major documentation initiative and the challenges of balancing meta-work with actual work. CJ provides an update on a large-scale refactoring project, detailing the process of converting enums to models across various parts of the codebase. You'll also get book recommendations, including "The PARA Method" about note-taking and personal knowledge management, and "Unreasonable Hospitality" which explores creating exceptional customer experiences.
Finally, we discuss the concept of "unreasonable hospitality" and how to delight customers through thoughtful, personalized interactions.
Resources
Unreasonable Hospitality - https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573PARA method - https://fortelabs.com/blog/para/ Amazon's working backwards - https://www.productplan.com/glossary/working-backward-amazon-method/ -
We discuss visiting NYC, DevRelCon, red-eye flights, and why enums are terrible.
Some of the bits and bobs mentioned in this episode:
- DevRelCon
- Chef's Table (S2E1 Grant Achatz) / Alinea
- Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon
- CJ enumerating lessons about enums -
We're celebrating our 50th episode and two years of podcasting. In this milestone episode, we reflect on what has kept us consistent, our laid-back approach to podcasting, and give a shoutout to you! We also explore how social media affects consumer behavior and share tips for managing digital consumption and mental health.
You'll also hear about our latest projects, including optimizing Redis for better performance in our Rails app and our current work at Discord and Craftwork. Plus, we dive into the world of AI tools for content creation, using them to create engaging short-form videos. Thanks for joining us on this journey!
Resources
* Money with Katie - https://moneywithkatie.com/
* Mostly Technical - https://mostlytechnical.com/
* Bootstrapped Web - https://bootstrappedweb.com/
* Syntax - https://syntax.fm/
* APIs You Wont Hate - https://apisyouwonthate.com/
* The Bike Shed - https://bikeshed.thoughtbot.com/ -
Producer's note: This episode should have gone out as episode 48 ahead of Webhooks! This is our missing episode. Join us next episode for episode 50!
Colin has a fitness update: working on the lungs, breathing and stress in general. CJ is digging into enums and converting them to models at Craftwork. More to come on that topic soon. Colin continues to avoid building Coworking Software (to everyone's applause) and CJ is digging back into James Clear's Atomic Habits.
Colin: Fitness update / massage / breathing CJ: Big refactor from an enum to a model - evolving pricing modelsCJ's sleek lidar mop vacuum Colin: Coworking Software Update: not building anything, trying out JoanColin: Internal discussion on WebhooksCJ: rereading Atomic HabitsColin mentions some Obsidian (more on that to come in future episodes) -
In this episode, you'll learn about webhooks and how they enable event-driven integrations. We cover webhooks, how they work, and best practices for providers and consumers.
Topics:
- The evolution of webhooks and how they compare to traditional API polling methods
- Implementing webhooks securely, including verification techniques
- Strategies for handling and processing webhook data
- Challenges you might face with versioning and payload changes
- Useful tools and resources for working with webhooksWe share our experiences implementing webhooks across various platforms, mentioning Stripe, Twilio, and Slack as examples of good webhook implementations. We also discuss how tools like Zapier can help with webhook integrations and automation.
You'll hear about CJ's recent experiences with React Native and Expo Go, as well as updates on our side project "Buckets", a Mint-like finance app.
Resources:
https://webhooks.fyi/ Webhooks google groupRailsconf webhooks workshop -
CJ and Colin with the summer updates and fitness check-in. We dive into cron jobs, scheduling those jobs with various tools and services and best practices for when/how to cron.
- Summer updates
- CJ's live peloton class in the studio
- Peloton hotel finder
- Colin gives a RTO recap
- Craftwork update, one year of the Rails codebase
- Realtime project view tracking with action cable (who’s looking at the same doc as me)
- Command Palette using Ninja Keys
- CJ on Enums in Rails and other best practices
- CJ using sidekiq-cron, alternative to whenever. - team already asking for event-based things
- BullMQ mentioned!
- Colin working on some sample Discord bots and apps -
Colin and CJ explore the ongoing debate between monolithic architectures versus API-driven frontends, touching on the pros and cons of GraphQL and REST. The conversation also covers the intricacies of integrating Next.js with Rails applications. On the personal front, CJ shares his solar pool heater project and Colin prepares for his upcoming relay race, Reno Tahoe Open (RTO). Both hosts reflect on their work anniversaries and discuss the challenges and strategies for effective Developer Relations (DevRel).
Monoliths vs. API-driven Frontends: The pros and cons of each approach, including the challenges of maintaining large JSON payloads and ensuring API stability.GraphQL: A critical look at the limitations and complexities of GraphQL, including rate limiting and authorization issues.Next.js and Rails Integration: Strategies for connecting a modern frontend framework with a traditional Rails backend.Personal Projects: CJ's DIY solar pool heater project and the considerations involved in making it efficient and safe.Relay Race Preparation: Colin's training for the Reno Tahoe Odyssey and strategies for managing challenging race conditions.DevRel Strategies: The multifaceted role of Developer Relations and how to balance content creation, community engagement, and internal advocacy.Resources
Why I’m Over GraphQLStack Recommendations for Connecting a Next.js AppTaylor Otwell’s Tweet on Next.js and LaravelRails Developer Survey 2024Unity Learn PathwaysChris Trag’s LinkedIn PostRemotion: Create Videos ProgrammaticallyThanks for listening!
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This week, CJ and Colin talk about content clickbait, Gameboy nostalgia, and the in-vogue topic of AI/LLMs. CJ dives into some cautionary tales around more API integrations and his steps to avoid platform risk while trying to build software at a growing company. Finally, we bid farewell to RailsConf and discuss the market for Ruby/Rails conferences in 2024 and beyond.
Colin's Gameboy nostalgia a dose of retro gaming wifi gameboy cartridge right to repair Retro Future YouTube Acquired FM: The Complete History & Strategy of Nintendo Analogue Pocket Gen Alpha == Generation AIWizards of the Coast/D&D and AIPlatform Risk when building on APIs More integrations API stability Degrated integrations and deliveryThe RailsConf 2024 FOMO 2024 will be the penultimate conference2025 will be the last RailsConf Focus on rubyconf and rubygems Focus on regional conferences Announcement: A New Era for Ruby Central Events -
In this episode, you'll hear about the Write the Docs conference in Portland, a must-attend for anyone in the tech writing community. CJ and Colin chatted about the unique, community-focused vibe of the event, which was akin to RailsConf or RubyConf, and shared some standout talks. One highlight is Calvin Fung's "Beyond Words: Strategies for Leveling Up Your Tech Writing Career," where he details practical tips for documenting your work and aligning it with your job description to advance your career. They also discuss creative ways to enhance documentation using interactive elements, and offers tips on how to get involved and meet people at conferences.
You'll also hear about "Slow Productivity," Cal Newport's book that has us rethinking how they manage their workloads. We'll discuss the book’s core principles: (1) doing fewer things, (2) working at a natural pace, and (3) obsessing over quality. This leads to a deep dive into managing distractions, the anxiety around being constantly responsive, and the value of deep, focused work. Plus, they share updates on fun projects at Craftwork, like organizing painting crews with a drag-and-drop interface and rebuilding a pricing engine. Finally, they touch on their DIY approach to calendar management and Colin’s adventures in learning Unity for game development. This episode is packed with insights and practical advice for balancing productivity and creativity in the tech world.
Resources
Afford Anything podcasthttps://affordanything.com/495-cal-newport-the-shocking-secret-of-productivity/Write The Docs https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/portland/2024/speakers/ Slow Productivityhttps://amzn.to/3UNP0qT -
This week, we discuss building companies on top of API integrations and recent acquisitions that we've been following closely and dig into some tech we're both using in our daily work. If you feel like you have a lot going on in your world right now, we also tease our upcoming episode on Cal Newport's newest book, Slow Productivity.
- Postman acquires Orbit! Congrats to the team!
- Discussing building companies that are heavy on integrations
- Autocode shut down
- Cloudflare acquires Partykit
- Using Turbo at Craft
- Calendaring and staffing in Craft
- Neverending conference room app
- Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
- Podcast Interview with Cal Newport
- Cal Newport's website
- Events and Event Emitting
- Building and learning on Game Engines -
In this episode, Colin shares insights from the Game Developers Conference (GDC) on cutting-edge technologies like motion capture and AI-powered game creation. We'll chat candidly about the challenges of achieving work-life balance, recognizing burnout signs, and staying productive amid demanding software projects. Additionally, we'll explore personal finance topics, such as budgeting, emergency funds, and leveraging AI and APIs to optimize spending and financial planning.
Resources
frvr.ai https://www.frvr.ai/ Robin desk booking software https://robinpowered.com/Tailwind UI Calendars https://tailwindui.com/components/application-ui/data-display/calendars Tailwind Catalyst https://tailwindcss.com/blog/introducing-catalyst Fullcalendar https://fullcalendar.io/ GDScream https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GDC2024&src=typeahead_click -
In this episode, we talk about that subscription fatigue that is coming for us all. CJ has been working on some homesteading projects, including maple syrup harvesting and an AI birdspotting camera. Colin finally reveals what he's been working on at work: a new SDK!
What we're building
- CJ is homesteading: maple syrup
- Raspberry PI + camera + AI to detect birds in the yard
- Colin finally shares what he's been working on at work: documenting a new Discord SDK!What we're learning
- Our lessons learned when buying (or not buying) a house -
In this episode, we'll dive into the codebase of Campfire, a product released by the 37signals (now Basecamp) team. Sharing our initial impressions of the codebase hitting some of these topics:
- The use of helpers and views in this Rails app
- The gems and dependencies
- The decision to use SQLite
- The integration of Hotwire, Stimulus, and front-end tech
- The inclusion of Go code for the Thruster proxy accelerator
- The CSS files and design choicesResources
https://twitter.com/dhh/status/1748378865725329495https://world.hey.com/dhh/finished-software-8ee43637 -
This week, Colin and CJ discuss how differently we can feel when we get caught in the mindless doomscrolling traps of consuming content rather than creating things, interacting with other IRL humans, and more!
- Accountability/fitness update
- Quick update on Buckets!
- Consumption vs Creation
- Learning styles
- Badass Course Creators podcast: Raising the bar for online learning with Greg RogNext episode, we're digging into the Campfire codebase from 37Signals/Once.
glhf!
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In this episode of Build and Learn you'll hear CJ and Colin discuss the following:
CJ's weekend project of installing new kitchen cabinets. They share the DIY process of customizing and installing inexpensive cabinets from Lowe's.Running and training tips, including focusing on "zone two" aerobic base training. Colin shares his goals to rebuild his running foundation and get faster this year.How performance reviews work at their companies, the process of self-reviews and peer feedback, and how 5:15s "five fifteens" help document accomplishments.CJ is building API documentation using OpenAPI spec and integrating Twilio APIs into his product. He realized he needed both Twilio's legacy and modern APIs.Colin is working on a Google Calendar integration for Discord, allowing users to schedule meetings in Discord voice channels. He discusses the challenges with Discord's permanent voice channel URLs.Interviewing and pair programming with candidates using Tuple. They wish for ephemeral URLs to avoid overlaps.Strategies for ramping up on and understanding a new codebase, like tracing the flow of a request. An LLM tool for summarizing codebases could be useful.Encouragement to get outdoors, avoid burnout, and "touch grass"! -
2024! This week, we're sharing the various tools we use day-to-day in our work and side projects. Let us know if you have any favorites on Twitter @buildandlearn_
Building
CJ: working on a side project, https://buckets.cjav.devColin: working on some fun docs projects at workLearning: Sharing Our Tools in 2024
Tools by Category
TerminalEditorAPI tools/clientsContent Creation/EditingMac Helper AppsNotesCalendarEmailCJ's Toolkit
Warp terminal ohmyzsh with my own theme which is based on Sarah Drasner’s night owlRaycastneovimfzf and telescopetpope: vim-rails, vim-commentary, vim-fugitivevim-testale - lintingAI: copilot + butterfishSkitch for screenshot annotationsPostman (Used to use Insomnia a lot, but many companies have Postman collections so that’s easy to drop in)Descript for screen recordingsTuple for pairingColin's Toolkit
iTerm2 as my main terminalohmyzsh with Dracula ThemeVSCode as a daily driver for code and markdown (also Dracula themed)RapidAPI client (formerly Paw)Descript for audio-editingScreenflow for screencast video editingMac Workflow AppsCleanshot for screenshotting, annotations, and recording screen gifsRaycast for moving around apps quicklyMagnet for window managementHandMirror for monitoring videoHiddenMe for hiding icons on desktopNote Apps (too many lol)Notion for work and podcast notesObsidian for 2nd brain, brainstormingTextmate for scratchpads while working on a projectApple Notes for personal on-the-go and collaborative notes for homeFantastical for desktop calendars Apple Mail on phone for personal inboxes, Gmail app for work emailsBuild and Learn around the web
Twitter: @buildandlearn_Colin: @colinloretzCJ: @cjav_dev - Show more
