Build and Learn

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 webhooks

We 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 group
• Railsconf 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 GraphQL
• Stack Recommendations for Connecting a Next.js App
• Taylor Otwell’s Tweet on Next.js and Laravel
• Rails Developer Survey 2024
• Unity Learn Pathways
• Chris Trag’s LinkedIn Post
• Remotion: Create Videos Programmatically

Thanks for listening!

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 AI
• Wizards of the Coast/D&D and AI
• Platform Risk when building on APIs
  • More integrations
  • API stability
  • Degrated integrations and delivery
• The RailsConf 2024 FOMO
  • 2024 will be the penultimate conference
  • 2025 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 podcast
  • https://affordanything.com/495-cal-newport-the-shocking-secret-of-productivity/
• Write The Docs 
  • https://www.writethedocs.org/conf/portland/2024/speakers/ 
• Slow Productivity
  • https://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 choices

Resources

• https://twitter.com/dhh/status/1748378865725329495
• https://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 Rog

Next episode, we're digging into the Campfire codebase from 37Signals/Once.

glhf!