The last RailsConf ever is coming to Philadelphia this summer, and co-chair Chris Oliver joins us to pull back the curtain on what's sure to be a historic gathering for the Rails community.

Chris reveals how the programming committee curated an exceptional lineup from hundreds of submissions, balancing nostalgic looks at Rails' 18-year journey with cutting-edge technical content. You'll hear why Philadelphia's walkable layout, incredible food scene (Reading Terminal Market gets particular praise), and Fourth of July celebrations make it the perfect host city for this final RailsConf hurrah.

Beyond the sessions themselves, Chris and I explore what truly makes tech conferences special—those irreplaceable in-person connections. Whether you're a seasoned Rails veteran or relatively new to the framework, the hallway conversations, shared meals, and spontaneous problem-solving sessions offer exponentially more value than what appears on the official schedule. We both share how these gatherings have accelerated our careers and sparked lasting professional relationships.

The conversation takes an enlightening turn as Chris opens up about his current technical challenges, including the complexities of testing Hotwire applications and designing flexible API wrappers for payment processing systems. His insights on balancing specificity with adaptability when building reusable libraries offer valuable perspective for anyone writing code meant to be shared.

This episode serves both as an enthusiastic invitation to join the Ruby community in Philadelphia and a thoughtful exploration of why in-person events remain vital in our increasingly remote world. Supporting RailsConf isn't just about personal growth—it's about strengthening the Ruby ecosystem that has supported so many developers throughout their careers.

Ready to book your ticket for this historic event? Don't miss our podcast panel at RailsConf—come experience our conversations live and in person!

Links:

• RailsConf
• GoRails
• Learn Hotwire
• excid3 on BlueSky

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Swimming against the current sometimes leads to unexpected treasures. In this fascinating conversation, Adam Fortuna reveals how migrating Hardcover—a social network for readers with 30,000 users—from Next.js back to Ruby on Rails delivered surprising performance improvements and development simplicity.

The journey begins with Adam explaining how Hardcover originated as a response to Goodreads shutting down their API. As a longtime Rails developer who initially chose Next.js for its server-side rendering capabilities, Adam found himself drawn back to Rails once modern tools made it viable to combine Rails' backend strengths with React's frontend interactivity. The migration wasn't a complete rewrite—they preserved their React components while replacing GraphQL with ActiveRecord—and unexpectedly saw significant improvements in page load speeds and SEO rankings.

At the heart of this technical evolution is Inertia.js, which Adam describes as "the missing piece for Rails for a long time." This elegant solution allows direct connections between Rails controllers and React components without duplicating routes, creating a seamless developer experience. We dive into the challenges they faced, particularly with generating Open Graph images and handling API abuse, and how they solved these problems with pragmatic hybrid approaches.

The conversation takes an exciting turn as Adam discusses their work on book recommendation engines, combining collaborative filtering with content analysis to help readers discover their next favorite book. As someone currently enjoying the Dungeon Crawler Carl series (described as "RPG mixed with Hitchhiker's Guide"), Adam's passion for both books and elegant technical solutions shines throughout.

Listen in as we explore how going against conventional wisdom sometimes leads to better outcomes, and discover why Hardcover is now being open-sourced to invite community collaboration. Whether you're interested in Rails, JavaScript frameworks, or book recommendations, this episode offers valuable insights into making technical decisions based on real-world results rather than following trends.

Links

• https://hardcover.app/blog/part-1-how-we-fell-out-of-love-with-next-js-and-back-in-love-with-ruby-on-rails-inertia-js
• https://adamfortuna.com/
• https://bsky.app/profile/adamfortuna.com

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What happens when a seasoned Rails developer with 17 years of experience decides to document their journey learning Hotwire? Radan Skorić joins us to discuss his ebook "Master Hotwire" and the fascinating parallels between writing and coding.

Unlike most tutorials that start from ground zero, Radan's approach assumes you already know Rails—because that was his experience when learning Hotwire. "When I was picking up Hotwire, I had tons of Rails experience. I've just not done Hotwire," he explains. This focus allows his readers to skip the basics and dive deeper into what makes Hotwire powerful.

We explore the meticulous process behind creating technical content, from researching pain points on forums to managing a beta reader program. Radan shares a powerful insight about feedback: "With positive feedback I feel good. With negative feedback I can actually go and improve it." This mindset led him to completely restructure portions of his book based on reader experiences.

The conversation takes unexpected turns as Radan reveals how he overcame writer's block by applying software development principles to his writing process. Just as he might write tests to overcome coder's block, he found success by allowing himself to write "crap words" initially, knowing he would refactor later—a technique that mirrors how many of us approach code.

Perhaps most compelling is Radan's observation about Hotwire's place in the ecosystem: it allows backend-focused developers to "stop lying" about being full-stack by providing a framework they can realistically master without diving deep into JavaScript frameworks like React. It's a refreshing perspective that reframes how we think about the full-stack developer identity.

Check out masterhotwire.com and use coupon code "CodingCoders" for 20% off the book, and join the growing community of Rails developers embracing Hotwire!

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

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Join us as we unravel the inspiring journey of Tailwind CSS with its creator, Adam Wathan. From its inception in 2017 as an open-source CSS framework to becoming a major player in web design, Tailwind has recently undergone a significant rebranding with the launch of Tailwind Plus. This episode provides listeners with insights into Adam's strategic choices, including the reasoning behind merging Tailwind UI into the broader Tailwind ecosystem. 

Discover the challenges and outcomes of balancing community-driven development with commercial viability, as Adam shares how feedback shapes product improvements. Learn about the launch of "Build UIs That Don’t Suck," an initiative designed to foster user engagement and demonstrate Tailwind's quality. Adam also reflects on the importance of sustaining a business model while nurturing open-source passion, offering invaluable advice for anyone in the tech space. 

Whether you're a developer, designer, or just interested in entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with insights, revealing the artistry behind code and the business. Don't miss it! Subscribe, share, and let us know what you've learned!

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

Judoscale
Autoscaling that actually works. Take control of your cloud hosting.

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Join us for a fascinating episode where we explore the development of SaturnCI—a new and user-friendly Continuous Integration tool that arose from frustrations with existing solutions like CircleCI and GitHub Actions. Our guest, Jason Sweat, shares his passion for creating a platform that not only simplifies the user experience but actively incorporates feedback from early adopters. Through candid conversations, Jason recounts his journey as a content creator in the Ruby community, and how it inspired him to address the shortcomings he observed in CI tools.

We delve into the technical challenges faced as SaturnCI grows, particularly those relating to user scalability as it onboarded new customers. Jason offers valuable insights into his tech stack choices while drawing attention to the importance of creating streamlined interfaces that cater to developers' needs. The conversation shifts to the foundation of community through his upcoming Sin City Ruby conference, showcasing the efforts made to facilitate connection among participants and ensure each attendee leaves with new friendships and knowledge.

Toward the end of our episode, we touch upon Jason’s unique approach to outreach through his snail mail newsletter, where he shares insights and stories beyond technology. This creative endeavor highlights how stepping away from screens can cultivate a deeper connection with the audience. With an inviting conversational tone and enriching discussions, this episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in CI tools, community-building, and finding the courage to innovate within your space. Be sure to subscribe and share your thoughts with us!

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

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David Hill, the innovative mind behind "Ode to RailsConf" and a senior engineer at Simplify, invites us to explore his fascinating journey into the world of podcasting. Inspired by the final announcement of RailsConf, David crafted a platform to celebrate the cherished memories of the event while also providing himself with a bridge to manage social interactions more comfortably. With his love for board games providing a structured approach, David shares how the podcasting framework has transformed him from a hesitant introvert to a comfortable conversationalist.

Our conversation takes an intriguing turn as we delve into the art of podcast guest planning and the intricate process of editing conference videos. From featuring guests from the Scholar Guide program at RailsConf and RubyConf to orchestrating a unique episode with nine guests from a single company, we leave no stone unturned. Engaging discussions with prominent figures like Freedom Dumlao and Sarah May offer listeners a treasure trove of insights, while upcoming episodes with Ruby Central's Rhiannon and Ali Vogel promise to further explore the dynamic world of PR, marketing, and operations.

As we navigate the evolution of podcasting strategies, the conversation shifts to the often-overlooked balance between coding and communication. The journey from a simple chat between friends to a thriving podcasting community has not been without its challenges and surprises. We reflect on the impact of Jason Charnes' departure due to family commitments and celebrate the resilience and growth that comes with embracing new roles. Amidst it all, the spirit of supporting creators, learning new skills, and fostering personal growth shines through, with an optimistic outlook for the show's future.

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Stephen Margheim, a celebrated figure in the Ruby and Rails community, returns to unravel the fascinating intricacies of his latest project—writing a parser for SQLite's SQL dialect in Ruby. He shares his enlightening journey of translating complex SQL syntax, which at first seemed a simple endeavor but soon unfolded into a realm of deep learning and unexpected challenges. Alongside this, Stephen collaborates with Aaron Francis on "High Leverage Rails," a video course designed to spotlight the synergy between Rails and SQLite, offering a treasure trove of insights into developing high-quality applications.

We dive into the nuanced world of SQL parsing, where Stephen candidly recounts the arduous process of porting SQLite's lexer and parser into Ruby. What began as a straightforward task quickly turned into a labyrinth of complex syntax and discrepancies that required astute attention and incremental progress. He reflects on the absence of a fully compatible SQLite parser in any language, emphasizing the significance of open parsers like Postgres in creating a robust ecosystem for tools and libraries.

Stephen's excitement is palpable as he discusses Quickdraw, a groundbreaking testing framework that revolutionizes testing in multi-core environments. This innovation, along with the anticipation for RailsConf 2025 in Philadelphia, paints a bright future for the Rails community. With rich discussions on parsing, testing, and upcoming Rails events, this episode promises to inspire and engage both seasoned developers and newcomers to the Ruby and Rails landscape. Join us for an episode filled with excitement, insight, and a glimpse into the future of Rails development.

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

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What if you could scale your SaaS platforms effortlessly across diverse hosting services? Join us as we welcome Adam McCrea, the brilliant mind behind JudoScale, who takes us through his fascinating evolution from being a Rails developer to creating a cutting-edge autoscaling solution. Adam opens up about the technical challenges he faced while adapting JudoScale for platforms like Render, Fly, and Railway, and how Heroku's unique architecture initially shaped his approach. His journey is one of innovation driven by necessity, as JudoScale originated from a need to optimize costs more efficiently than existing solutions.

Our conversation doesn't shy away from complexity; in fact, it embraces it. Adam shares his experiences of grappling with AWS integration, navigating the intricate maze of ECS, EC2, Fargate, and IAM, all driven by customer demand. We explore the strategic shift from metered billing to flat-tiered pricing and the hurdles faced while setting up a staging environment on Render, ultimately reaffirming Heroku's smoother experience. This episode promises valuable insights into the strategic decisions and architectural reimaginations that keep JudoScale ahead of the game.

Adding a creative flair, we delve into the entertaining world of infomercial production, as Adam recounts his experience crafting a humorous Billy Mays-inspired ad for JudoScale. With the aid of AI tools like ChatGPT and Descript, Adam turned a fun concept into an engaging reality. As we wrap up, Adam shares his excitement for RailsConf in Philadelphia and the significance of fostering connections through digital networking. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a developer seeking innovative scaling solutions, this episode is brimming with insightful takeaways and creative inspiration.

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

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What drives a seasoned developer from Taiwan to London, and how does one translate a passion for Ruby into groundbreaking projects? Hear from Stan Lo of Shopify's RubyDX team as he shares his captivating journey and his significant impact on the Ruby development landscape. From his essential work on the debug gem and IRB to his current efforts with the Sorbet type checker and Prism parser, Stan delves into the technical intricacies of using C++ for performance and memory management. Gain unique insights into the collaborative decision-making process at Shopify that guided his transition from the Ruby LSP to focusing on Sorbet's integration.

We also tackle the hurdles of progressing Ruby's Sorbet parser to Prism and the challenges of maintaining comprehensive Ruby documentation. Discover the importance of community-driven contributions, and how small acts like fixing typos can have a profound impact on the Ruby ecosystem. Experience Stan's personal anecdotes, from climbing adventures to mastering calisthenics, and explore the innovative shift from VS Code to Cursor, amplifying his development experience through AI capabilities. As we gear up for future events like RailsConf and RubyKaigi, there's an air of excitement for community reunions and ongoing projects. Join us for a blend of technical discussion, personal stories, and a call to action for all Ruby enthusiasts.

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

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Cody Norman, an independent Ruby on Rails consultant and creator of SpotSquid, takes us on a fascinating journey through the intersection of technology and tattoo artistry. Discover how Cody transformed a traditionally paper-based industry into a tech-savvy environment, using customer feedback to tackle the unique challenges faced by tattoo artists and shop owners. With anecdotes from his tech conference experiences and insights into his consulting career, Cody's story is both relatable and inspiring for anyone looking to merge creativity with technology.

In this episode, you'll unlock the secrets to finding your niche and the delicate balance between diverse client projects and passion-driven endeavors. We explore Cody's path to becoming a potential expert in Action Mailbox and email solutions within the Rails community, as well as his strategies for creating impactful educational content. Cody's experiences offer valuable lessons on testing email functionality and the potential of establishing oneself as an authoritative figure in a specialized area.

As Cody shares his journey through various tech conferences like Rocky Mountain Ruby and RailsConf, listeners will be captivated by his engaging presentations and the excitement of future opportunities. We delve into the anticipation of attending events like MicroConf and RailsConf and the potential breakthroughs these gatherings can bring. Wrapping up with Cody's entrepreneurial aspirations, this episode promises insights and inspiration for developers eager to carve their own path in the dynamic world of software development.

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Honeybadger is an application health monitoring tool built by developers for developers.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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