ConTejas Code

Let's stay in touch? https://twitter.com/tejaskumar_

In this comprehensive podcast episode titled "How to Build an Effective Tech Stack," listeners are guided through the intricate process of constructing a technology stack that harmonizes both User Experience (UX) and Developer Experience (DX). Beginning with a foundational understanding of what a tech stack is, the episode delves into the various components that constitute a tech stack, including technology, tools, libraries, frameworks, and databases. It also covers essential practices such as testing, deployment/hosting, monitoring, and the use of services like Software as a Service (SaaS).

Key discussions include the balancing act between UX and DX, the importance of choosing the right mix of tools and services, and when to prefer a tool over a service. The episode emphasizes the significance of developer experience in shaping user experience and vice versa, presenting insights on unit testing and the pitfalls of striving for 100% code coverage. It also features a comparative analysis of popular frontend UI libraries such as React, SolidJS, and Qwik, addressing the question of how much optimization is truly beneficial.

The podcast underscores the critical notion that beyond the choice of technology, the value of the product to its users is paramount. It concludes with the concept of a living, reactive tech stack that adapts to reduce friction and improve both development processes and user satisfaction. This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in building or optimizing tech stacks, offering a deep dive into making informed decisions that benefit both developers and users.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

00:32 - Sponsors

01:45 - Building a Tech Stack: Balancing User Experience (UX) and Developer Experience (DX)

05:03 - What is a Tech Stack?

08:25 - What is Technology?

17:09 - What are Tools?

21:39 - What are Libraries?

29:27 - What are Frameworks?

33:17 - Databases

35:37 - Testing

41:49 - Deployment/Hosting

46:14 - Monitoring

49:31 - Services (Hosted Tools), Software as a Service

54:21 - When to use a tool vs. a service?

58:53 - What to consider when choosing and using tools in a tech stack

01:05:41 - Balancing Developer Experience (DX) and User Experience (UX)

01:08:29 - Unit Testing and Why 100% Code Coverage is Bad

01:10:33 - Paying attention to how DX affects UX

01:14:24 - Comparing Frontend UI Libraries: React, SolidJS, and Qwik

01:21:32 - How much optimization is worth it?

01:23:02 - More Important than a Tech Stack: Is your product valuable?

01:28:17 - A Living, Reactive Tech Stack to Ease Friction

01:30:30 - Conclusion

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- CodeCrafters (Sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters

- Guest Socials (Paul Aragones):

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prequalizer/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PinoyHusbands

- Gottman Institute (The Four Horsemen): https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-recognizing-criticism-contempt-defensiveness-and-stonewalling/

- Cal.com (Peer Richelsen): https://cal.com

- Diazno

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4i4txd4HhngCGAtDWt0JZF?si=h-LM6LEPQGeh8Hsu2s5N4w
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/diazno-how-to-unlock-creativity-taste-and-effective/id1731855333?i=1000747678547
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8azxbxYBAc&list=PLEJpU2pV0Lie1VWU1unMg_7FRQ1gqFmAZ&index=4&t=5888s&pp=iAQBsAgC

Summary

In this episode, I sit down with Paul Aragones, an embedded Linux engineer who made the fascinating pivot to becoming a marriage coach. We explore the surprisingly deep parallels between building stable software systems and engineering a divorce-proof marriage. We discuss why marriage is actually the ultimate operating system for life, how to create a 'spec sheet' for your partner to avoid compatibility bugs, and why your friend circle might be increasing your divorce risk by 75%. Paul also opens up about his own journey through poverty and near-divorce, and we debate the controversial role of submission and servant leadership in modern relationships.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro

00:05:05 Marriage as an Operating System

00:08:28 Building the Spec Sheet: Requirements for a Spouse

00:13:38 Why Marry? The Societal & Financial API

00:18:45 The Danger of Being Too Picky (The "Feature Creep" Problem)

00:22:14 Defining Your 3 Non-Negotiables

00:27:46 The "Timeout" Clause in Dating

00:33:13 The Shock of v1.0: Early Marriage Bugs

00:39:20 The 75% Rule: How Friends Influence Divorce Risk

00:47:23 Implementing CI/CD: Continuous Improvement in Marriage

00:54:30 Overcoming Male Pride & Finding Mentors

01:01:15 Identity Stack: Husband > Father > Businessman

01:06:11 Addressing Religious Trauma & Misconceptions

01:19:58 The Four Horsemen: Predicting Divorce with 90% Accuracy

01:27:08 Emergency Protocols: Saving a Dying Marriage

01:37:41 Why It's All Worth It: The Highest Form of Satisfaction

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Links

- CodeCrafters (Sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters

- The Rise of the AI Engineer (Latent Space): https://www.latentspace.com/p/ai-engineer

- Anthropic Model Context Protocol (MCP): https://www.anthropic.com/news/model-context-protocol

Anthropic Skills (SKILL.md): https://resources.anthropic.com/hubfs/The-Complete-Guide-to-Building-Skill-for-Claude.pdf?hsLang=en

- Pratim Bhosale on Vector Search (Previous Episode): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJcrI1GbDec

- OpenClaw (Official Repository): https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

- WormGPT/Prompt Injection Incident (The Verge Reference): https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/881574/cline-openclaw-prompt-injection-hack

Summary

In this episode, I’m finally breaking down what AI Engineering actually looks like in 2026. We’ve moved past the "wow" phase of demos into the hard reality of production, where models lie, costs spike, and security is a nightmare. I define the role formally—separating it from ML engineering—and dive deep into the three core problems we solve daily: hallucinations, real-time knowledge, and context engineering.

I also explore the explosion of agent runtimes, specifically dissecting OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot/Moltbot) and why its open-source, device-local approach is winning. We talk about the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the new SKILL.md standard from Anthropic, and why I believe multi-agent concurrency is the inevitable future of software.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro: The "Monday Morning" AI Nightmare

00:08:15 What is AI Engineering?

00:21:00 AI Engineers vs. ML Engineers

00:36:20 Problem 1: Hallucinations

00:48:30 Problem 2: Real-Time Knowledge

00:59:00 Problem 3: Context Engineering

01:13:00 Agents

01:17:30 MCP (Model Context Protocol) Explained

01:22:30 SKILL.md: The New Standard

01:39:00 The 2026 Trend: Multi-Agent Concurrency

01:42:30 Build Your Own OpenClaw

01:52:00 Conclusion: Moving from Talk to Action

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links

- CodeCrafters: https://codecrafters.io

- Kyle Simpson (You Don't Know JS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEMG7Oxuan8

- Josh Goldberg (CFP Advice): https://www.joshuakgoldberg.com/blog/how-i-apply-to-conferences/

- JSHeroes CFP Guide: https://jsheroes.io/ (See blog section)

- CFP.watch (by Roudy): https://cfp.watch

- confs.tech (mentioned at ~00:34): https://confs.tech

- Guillermo Rauch Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NzkPBjwpwLmhIntEUB95x?si=51ac6de6d8fa4f8e

- Santosh Yadav Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HIl3zqyDd3cZDmJLzKR58

- Jeff Escalante Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2E3dWfK3k

- System Design in 15 Minutes (Hello Interview): https://www.hellointerview.com/learn/system-design/in-a-hurry/introduction

- Mikhail Korolev (X/Twitter): https://x.com/mkrl__

- Mikhail on GitHub: https://github.com/mkrl

- Mikhail on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkrl/

- Mikhail on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mkrl.xyz

Summary

I sat down with Mikhail "Misha" Korolev to discuss a reality many engineers face but rarely talk about: how to get into rooms where you technically "don't belong." We explored his journey from being unemployed after Toptal to networking his way into VIP dinners and eventually landing a role at Tekmetric. We dug deep into the "Pac-Man Rule" for networking, why I believe you shouldn't pursue DevRel jobs at companies with unfinished products, and the specific "cheat codes" Misha used to bypass standard interview gates—including how he used ChatGPT to speed-run a LeetCode assessment. If you're currently navigating the job market or trying to pivot from engineering to public speaking, this conversation is a masterclass in making your own luck.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro & Sponsors

00:02:45 The "VIP Dinner" Strategy

00:06:00 How to Enter Rooms You "Don't Belong" In

00:12:20 The Pac-Man Rule for Networking

00:15:00 Dealing with Competitive Networking (The MKBHD Effect)

00:20:00 Why You Shouldn't Idolize Tech Celebrities

00:28:00 How to Start Speaking at Conferences (CFP Hacks)

00:35:00 Live Coding vs. Pre-recorded Demos

00:43:00 The Truth About DevRel vs. Engineering

00:58:00 Misha's Accidental Path to Engineering (Quake & Turbo Pascal)

01:07:30 Job Hunting in a Brutal Market

01:13:30 Using ChatGPT to Pass LeetCode Interviews

01:20:00 Getting Referrals (The Supabase Story)

01:27:00 Closing Advice: Just Go

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• CodeCrafters (Sponsor)
• Steve Jobs iPhone Introduction (2007)
• Steve Ballmer "Developers"
• Bill Clinton "I did not have sexual relations"
• Tejas's First Talk (JSConf EU)
• Tejas at React Summit (The "Sweaty Room" Talk)
• Amy Cuddy's Power Posing TED Talk
• Diazno on ConTejas
• "Thin Slicing" (Ambady & Rosenthal)
• Mehrabian's 7-38-55 Rule (Original Paper)
• Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo)
• Cognitive Load & Multimedia Learning (Mayer/Wiley)
• Narrative transportation
• Exposure Therapy for Public Speaking (Frontiers)
• Breathing & Physiological Sigh (PMC)
• Deliberate practice
• Feedback
• Spacing + retrieval practice

In this episode, we're doing something different. Instead of analyzing code, we're analyzing the science of communication. I've spoken on hundreds of stages, from massive conferences to small, sweaty rooms, and I've learned that great speakers aren't born—they're built. We're going to dismantle the "talent" myth and replace it with a repeatable system. I'll walk you through the three levers of connection (Clarity, Trust, Energy), debunk the famous 7-38-55 rule, and give you practical frameworks like the "4 L's of Listening" and the "4 C's of Storytelling." Whether you're an engineer trying to get buy-in for a refactor or a founder pitching a VC, this is how you make your ideas inevitable.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:00 The Steve Jobs & Obama Standard

0:07:37 The 3 Levers: Clarity, Trust, Energy

0:10:33 Why Communication Fails (A Quick Diagnostic)

0:16:16 Debunking the 7-38-55 Rule (Mehrabian)

0:25:21 The 4 L's of Listening: Listen, Loop, Label, Lead

0:36:55 The One-Sentence Thesis

0:44:54 How to Change Minds (Elaboration Likelihood Model)

0:57:15 High Stakes vs. Low Energy: Reading the Room

1:03:00 Storytelling: The 4 C's (Context, Conflict, Choice, Change)

1:13:57 Delivery: Removing Fluff & Cognitive Load

1:21:00 Voice Control: Pace and Emphasis

1:24:40 Gestures: The "Check the Floor" Mental Model

1:30:56 Managing Nerves: Power Posing & Reappraisal

1:44:40 The 7-Day Action Plan

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- CodeCrafters (Sponsor)

- Partner with ConTejas Code

- Diazno on Spotify

- Diazno on Instagram

- Tejas’s Keynote in Malaysia (Sick Day)

In this episode of the ConTejas Code Podcast, Tejas sits down with the artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Diazno. Often described as the "Black Rick Rubin" for his ability to curate sound and vibe, Diazno shares his profound insights on the intersection of creativity and execution.

They dive deep into how to move from "idea" to "finished product" by overcoming the fear of commitment, the role of taste versus talent, and how true leadership is actually about influence and service. Diazno also opens up about his experiences directing major productions at venues like the Deutsche Oper, navigating cross-cultural communication, and how he views the rise of AI tools like Suno in the music industry. Whether you are a developer, a musician, or a team leader, this episode offers a masterclass in human connection and the discipline of high performance.

00:00:00 Intro & Sponsors

00:04:05 From Ideas to Execution: Overcoming "Fear of Commitment"

00:12:12 Creativity is Life: The Cycle of Creation and Rest

00:19:15 Consumption vs. Creation: Finding the Spark

00:25:22 Taste vs. Talent: The Role of the Producer

00:30:20 How to Get Buy-In

00:37:25 Communicating a Vision

00:42:15 Communication: Not What You Say, What They Hear

00:49:18 Honoring People & Building Relational Equity

01:00:20 The Power of Informal Relationships

01:15:20 Reps & Consistency: Performing on Your Worst Days

01:22:10 AI in Music: Will It Replace the Soul?

01:38:05 Outro

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Links

- Codecrafters (partner): https://tej.as/codecrafters

- Isaac on Instagram: https://instagram.com/isaac11890

- Contact: https://tej.as

Summary

Sitting 8+ hours a day is destroying your biomechanics. Here is how to engineer your way back to health.

In this episode of ConTejas Code, I sit down with professional footballer and CrossFit coach Isaac Akinsete to reverse the physical damage of the developer lifestyle. We dive deep into the anatomy of "tech neck," why stretching isn't enough, and how to trigger the EPOC "afterburn" effect to burn fat while sitting. Whether you have a full gym or zero equipment, Isaac outlines the exact protocols to maximize longevity, fix tight hip flexors, and optimize mental and spiritual health.

In this episode, we cover:

- The Desk Worker Protocol: A complete zero-equipment circuit routine for hypertrophy and cardio.

- Mobility vs. Stretching: Why static stretching won't fix your posture.

- RPE Explained: How to train for fat loss vs. strength without burnout.

- CrossFit vs. Gym: Which is better for the average coder?

- Mind & Spirit: The role of positive self-talk and faith in elite performance.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro

00:04:22 Isaac Akinsete

00:09:10 Mythbusting: Does lifting weights stunt growth in kids?

00:11:52 Am I too old to start working out?

00:14:15 How to find the right workout intensity (RPE Scale)

00:20:55 What sitting for 8+ hours actually does to your body

00:26:08 Mobility vs. Stretching: Why stretching isn't enough

00:30:12 How to fix "Tech Neck" and Hunchback posture

00:42:50 Can you out-exercise a sedentary job?

00:47:11 Do under-desk treadmills and walking pads work?

00:53:36 Designing a workout routine for desk workers

00:55:36 The "Zero Equipment" Home & Hotel Workout

01:04:15 High Intensity Circuit Training & The EPOC Effect

01:11:17 Traditional Gym vs. CrossFit

01:16:05 Rapid Fire Questions

01:22:25 Faith & Fitness: Treating your body like a temple

01:29:53 The psychology of self-talk

01:34:50 Outro

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Links

- Codecrafters (sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters

- Become a guest on the podcast: https://forms.gle/wMqBmVhuzL46Ha3P7

- ZurichJS Discount: https://conf.zurichjs.com?utm_source=contejas&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=zurichjs-conf-2026

- Faris on X: https://x.com/farisaziz12

- Faris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farisaziz12/

- ZurichJS: https://zurichjs.com

- SmallPDF: https://smallpdf.com

What does it take to become an Engineering Manager at 21? How do you rebuild your identity when a chronic illness takes away your physical strength? In this episode of ConTejas Code, I sit down with Faris Aziz, a Staff Engineer at Smallpdf and the lead organizer of ZurichJS. At just 25 years old, Faris has lived a career’s worth of highs and lows. From failing his first coding bootcamp module to building a career ladder for a fintech startup, and from ranking as the 2nd fittest CrossFit athlete in Switzerland to being bedridden by an autoimmune condition, Faris shares the mindset required to navigate extreme volatility.

This conversation moves beyond technical skills into the "internal garden"—how emotional regulation, sleep, and nutrition directly impact your ability to lead others. Faris breaks down his philosophy on "Peace of Mind" as the primary metric for promotion, why invisible work builds character, and how to steward authority without intimidation. Whether you are an aspiring manager, a developer looking to level up, or someone navigating a personal setback, this episode offers a blueprint for resilience and professional excellence.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro

00:04:33 Getting into Tech at 19

00:08:12 Failing (and Surviving) Bootcamp

00:11:00 Building a CrossFit App During Lockdown

00:13:38 Getting Hired Without Writing Code

00:18:49 Accidental Managers: Leading at 21

00:22:19 Choosing a Pre-seed Startup Over High Salary

00:28:53 Red Flags in Leadership

00:33:41 Tending the Garden: Balancing Work & ZurichJS

00:42:51 Health Crisis: From Top Athlete to Bedridden

00:48:51 Emotional Regulation & Bio-Hacking

00:59:36 Mindset: Gratitude vs. Bitterness

01:07:44 Invisible Work & Building Character

01:11:18 How to Get Promoted: Giving Peace of Mind

01:17:28 Confidence vs. Arrogance

01:21:42 Owning Mistakes Confidently

01:25:38 Stewarding Authority (The Kent C. Dodds Example)

01:28:06 Don't Just Be an Engineer: Solve Business Problems

01:35:02 Managing "Diva" 10x Engineers

01:40:12 Organizing the First ZurichJS

01:46:30 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links

- Codecrafters (sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters

- Clerk: https://clerk.com

- Auth0: https://auth0.com

- Arctic (OAuth Library): https://arctic.js.org

- Lucia (Session Library): https://lucia-auth.com

Why do we still use passwords in 2026? In this episode of ConTejas Code, we tear down the complex world of digital identity. From the horror story of getting hacked at a hookah bar to the mathematical elegance of public-key cryptography, we cover how the internet knows who you actually are.

Let's break down the history of web authentication, explain why "logging in" is so much harder than it looks, and demystify the new standard taking over the web: Passkeys (WebAuthn). Whether you are a developer looking for an implementation playbook or just curious why your banking app requires a fingerprint, this deep dive explains the difference between Identity, Identifiers, and Credentials—and why you should stop rolling your own auth immediately.

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to ConTejas Code

00:01:06 Sponsor: CodeCrafters

00:01:42 Why Authentication Matters (High Stakes vs. Low Stakes)

00:07:30 Storytime: Getting Hacked at a Shisha Bar

00:19:48 The Vocabulary: Identity, Identifiers, and Credentials

00:27:45 The Three Factors (Something You Know, Have, Are)

00:34:28 Real World Analogies: House Keys, Speak-easies, and Hotel Cards

00:41:10 A History of Web Auth: From Basic Auth to the "Social Login" Mess

00:49:15 Authentication vs. Authorization vs. Accounting

00:57:00 The Problem with Passwords & MFA Fatigue

01:00:40 How Passkeys Work: Public Key Cryptography Explained

01:07:00 Under the Hood: WebAuthn, FIDO2, and The "Ceremonies"

01:13:40 Synced vs. Device-Bound Passkeys

01:16:30 The Playbook: How to Design Auth for SaaS, Mobile, and B2B

01:21:00 The Golden Rule: Don't Roll Your Own Crypto

01:23:00 Libraries & Tools You Should Use (Clerk, Auth0, Arctic)

01:28:40 The Minimum Viable Security Checklist

01:32:30 The Future of Passwordless Identity

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Links

- Codecrafters: https://tej.as/codecrafters

- Why We Sleep: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144316

- Matthew Walker's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aIVAabjRjnmiouX0zCzF3

- Sleep latency paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33865376/#:~:text=Oral%20magnesium%20supplementation%20for%20insomnia,insomnia%20symptoms%20in%20older%20adults

- Glycine for sleep: https://glowable.com.au/blogs/news/glycine-the-calming-nutrient-for-soothing-anxiety?srsltid=AfmBOor_YWMUUsqdS9AJjfSJLQb1F0CSEKrbw-0AhjCVkXCcHdjPGtWq#:~:text=of%20Pharmacological%20Sciences%20found%20that,often%20closely%20linked%20to%20anxiety

- Dr. Andy Galpin's podcast: https://performpodcast.com/

- Detachment paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19592515/#:~:text=Results%3A%20%20Higher%20PEAT%20scores,of%20depression%20and%20negative%20affect

- Quantified Scientist: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheQuantifiedScientist

In this episode, we learn how to engineer better health outcomes for ourselves to live fitter and healthier than ever before drawing on the latest research.

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro

00:05:24 Episode Outline

00:12:08 Sleep Architecture: Deep and REM

00:24:17 How to Sleep Well

00:34:31 My Routine with Sleep

00:39:25 Using Temperature to Sleep Well

00:41:55 Eating before Bed

00:45:14 Getting more Deep Sleep and REM Sleep

00:52:49 How to Eat Well

00:56:05 How to Lose Fat

01:02:35 How to Gain Muscle

01:07:47 Vices: Alcohol, Nicotine, etc.

01:10:28 Loneliness and Social Connection

01:18:34 How to Develop Quality Social Connections

01:25:54 Maximizing Productivity and Work/Life Balance

01:33:36 Psychological Detachment

01:36:33 Dealing with Getting Sick

01:42:08 How to Avoid Jetlag and Travel Well

01:46:14 Heart Rate Variability: Managing Stress and Recovery

01:50:53 Conclusion

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