Links

- Wix Studio (sponsor): https://tej.as/wix

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

- Shruti Balasa's Website: https://shrutibalasa.com/

- Tailwind Weekly: https://tailwindweekly.com/

- Shruti on X: https://x.com/shrutibalasa

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Shruti Balasa, a Tailwind CSS expert, shares her journey of discovering and specializing in Tailwind CSS. She explains how Tailwind CSS enhanced her CSS skills and made her more efficient in web development. She also discusses the pain points that Tailwind CSS solves, such as context switching, naming conventions, and cross-browser compatibility.

Shruti emphasizes the importance of understanding CSS fundamentals before diving into Tailwind CSS. She also addresses common criticisms of Tailwind CSS, such as the length of class names and the use of the apply directive.

The conversation also covers topics like layers, dynamic and static components, and the use of Tailwind CSS for email design. Shruti recommends using plugins like Prettier Tailwind CSS Sorting for code organization and subscribing to Tailwind Weekly for updates on new plugins and resources. She also discusses upcoming features in Tailwind CSS, such as CSS-first configuration and container queries.

Takeaways

1. Understanding CSS fundamentals is important before diving into Tailwind CSS

2. Tailwind CSS solves pain points such as context switching and naming conventions

3. The apply directive should be used sparingly and for specific cases

4. The Tailwind config file allows customization and the creation of plugins

5. Tailwind CSS version 4 introduces auto-discovery and shifts towards using CSS for configuration

6. Tailwind CSS generates only the styles that are used in the source code with the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler

7. Tailwind CSS is a choice and not a requirement for improving accessibility or performance.

8. Subscribing to Tailwind Weekly can provide updates on new plugins and resources.

9. Upcoming features in Tailwind CSS include CSS-first configuration and container queries.

Chapters

06:19 Discovering and Specializing in Tailwind CSS

09:33 Enhancing CSS Skills with Tailwind CSS

13:19 Solving Pain Points with Tailwind CSS

17:36 The Use of the Apply Directive in Tailwind CSS

26:16 Upcoming Changes in Tailwind CSS Version 4

34:21 The Latest State of Tailwind CSS v4 Discussions

37:33 Generating Only the Used Styles with the JIT Compiler

40:56 Maintaining Consistency in Large-Scale Projects with Custom Classes

53:47 Responsive Features in Tailwind CSS: Dark Mode and Reduced Motion

01:01:31 Tailwind CSS: A Choice for Convenience

01:04:28 Exploring Layers and Components in Tailwind CSS

01:09:00 Tailwind CSS for Email Design and Development

01:18:00 Useful Plugins for Tailwind CSS Productivity

01:22:34 Exciting Upcoming Features in Tailwind CSS

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Links

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

- Nx: https://nx.dev/

- Jeff on X: https://twitter.com/jeffbcross

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Jeff B. Cross, co-founder of NX, discusses the origins of NX and its evolution as a tool for monorepos. He explains the benefits of using NX, such as code mod running, large-scale migrations, and CI optimizations.

Jeff also clarifies the definition of a monorepo and how NX supports both package-based and graph-based monorepos. He highlights the features of NX that help with development, integration, and deployment, including the interactive graph, tagging system, and caching.

We also cover the ability of NX to deflake tests and shares his perspective on running a business, including the challenges of positioning and marketing, and his experience of starting NX.

Takeaways

1. NX is a powerful tool for monorepos that offers features such as code mod running, large-scale migrations, and CI optimizations.

2. A monorepo can be defined as a single repository containing multiple distinct projects with well-defined relationships.

3. NX supports both package-based and graph-based monorepos, with the latter being more suitable for application developers.

4. NX also offers features for integration and deployment, such as building affected targets, replaying builds and tests, and distributing work across multiple machines.

5. NX has the ability to deflake tests, which are tests that indeterministically fail or pass. NX detects and handles flaky tests by analyzing test results and determining if a test fails often or fails without changes in inputs or dependencies.

6. Measuring the developer experience is challenging, but NX uses user feedback, internal testing, and collaboration with enterprise customers to improve the product.

7. Positioning and marketing a product can be a difficult task, especially for a tool like NX that doesn't fit into a specific category.

8. Finding a niche and being the best in the world at it is crucial for success as a consultant or business owner.

9. Continuous adaptation and evolution are essential qualities for a CEO, as they need to be able to change and pivot as the company grows.

10. Polygraph, an upcoming feature of Nx, will provide visibility and dependency management across multiple workspaces in an organization.

Chapters

00:00:00 Jeff Cross

00:03:18 Introduction and Origins of NX

00:06:25 Understanding Monorepos and NX

00:11:04 Tools for Development and Code Consistency

00:14:56 Integration and Deployment with NX

00:36:09 Detecting and Handling Flaky Tests

00:38:20 The Developer Experience with NX

00:48:36 Understanding Lexers, Parsers, Compilers, and Rich Text Editors

01:00:54 Challenges of Positioning and Marketing

01:03:36 Starting and Running a Business

01:10:47 The impact of Nx Cloud on CI performance

01:18:49 Introducing Polygraph: Visibility and dependency management

01:27:46 What's next for Nx

01:31:47 Conclusion

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Links

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

- Jatin on X: https://x.com/JatinRamanathan

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Jatin Ramanathan, a software engineer at Google, discusses the Wiz framework and its use in Google products like search, photos, and payments. Wiz is a resumable web framework that focuses on loading minimal JavaScript and uses the concept of signals for reactive programming. Signals are reactive properties that reflect the state of an observable or reactive property at any given time.

The Wiz framework also incorporates JS Action, a library that listens to events and delivers them to event handlers only when necessary, reducing the amount of JavaScript that needs to be loaded. The conversation also touches on the merger of Wiz and Angular and the potential for unified APIs in the future. The conversation explores the concept of responsible JavaScript and web performance.

We dive into the use of signals and JS action in Wiz and Angular, and how they enable declarative behavior and interactivity on the client side. The discussion also touches on the challenges of using TSX in Angular and the potential for future improvements. The importance of measuring performance and understanding the user experience on different devices is emphasized, along with the use of feature flags and instrumentation to optimize the user funnel.

Takeaways

1. Wiz is a resumable web framework used in Google products like search, photos, and payments.

2. The framework focuses on loading minimal JavaScript and uses signals for reactive programming.

3. JSAction is a library that listens to events and delivers them to event handlers only when necessary, reducing the amount of JavaScript that needs to be loaded.

4. Wiz and Angular are merging to exchange ideas and potentially unify APIs in the future.

5. Signals and JSAction in Wiz and Angular enable declarative behavior and interactivity on the client side.

Chapters

00:00 Jatin Ramanathan

03:05 Welcome Jatin

06:15 Overview of Wiz and its Use in Google Products

13:00 Resumability and the Concept of Signals

36:03 Merger of Wiz and Angular: Unifying APIs

48:08 Signals and Interactivity

50:26 Declarative Behavior with Signals and JS Action

52:10 Performance of HTML and htmx

59:10 Responsible JavaScript as a Diet

01:09:26 Open Sourcing Wiz through Angular

01:13:34 Challenges of TSX in Angular

01:16:40 Declarative Behavior Composition in TSX

01:22:15 Contributing to Wiz through Angular

01:25:11 Checklist for Responsible JavaScript and Web Performance

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Links

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

- Polypane: https://polypane.app/

- Kilian on X: https://x.com/kilianvalkhof

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Kilian Valkhof created Polypane, a web browser designed to enhance developer productivity. Built on Chromium with Electron, it offers features like local server sharing, live DOM view, and social media preview tools.

Polypane's development faced challenges in element injection, security, and dependency management. Valkhof balances user feedback with innovation, maintaining a user-centric approach while introducing novel features.

The business model includes a free trial and paid plans, addressing the challenge of monetizing in a market accustomed to free tools. Valkhof emphasizes clear communication of Polypane's value in the competitive DevTools space.

Throughout Polypane's journey, Valkhof has stressed the importance of comprehensive documentation, willingness to take risks, and effective user engagement. These principles guide Polypane's evolution as it aims to distinguish itself in the web development tool market.

Takeaways

1. Explore specialized tools for improved productivity

2. Consider cross-device testing for better user experience

3. Gather concrete user feedback for meaningful improvements

4. Utilize visual tools for better code understanding

5. Try free trials to evaluate tool value

6. Focus on value provided when pricing products

7. Refine messaging to effectively communicate product benefits

8. Develop active listening skills for user engagement

9. Balance user requests with innovative features

10. Invest time in comprehensive documentation

Chapters

00:00 Kilian Valkhof Introduction

03:49 Introduction and Background

07:07 Polypane: A Web Browser for Developers

10:37 The Engineering Behind Polypane

14:11 Testing and Compatibility in Polypane

19:37 Real-Time Collaboration and Testing with Polypane's Proxy Feature

35:49 Challenges of Injecting Visual Elements

42:57 The Importance of a Concrete Basis for User Feedback

44:46 Insights for Developers: Live DOM View and Head Order Visualization

57:36 Complexities of Creating Accurate Social Media Previews

01:07:24 The Business Side of Polypane: Pricing and Value

01:12:49 Getting Employers to Pay for Developer Tools

01:14:59 The Value of Developer Tools and Fair Compensation

01:21:01 Messaging and Positioning in the DevTools Space

01:23:26 Iterating on Messaging and Positioning

01:28:01 The Skill of Listening and Engaging with Users

01:29:54 Balancing User Needs and Innovative Features

01:33:09 Features That No One Asks For

01:36:58 Navigating Pushback and Communicating Decisions

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Links

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

- Fair Source License: https://fair.io/

- Sentry: https://sentry.io/

- Sentry on X: https://x.com/getsentry

- Chad on X: https://x.com/chadwhitacre_

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Chad Whitacre, Head of Open Source at Sentry, discusses his involvement in open source and the commitment of Sentry to open source. He shares his background in the Python community and his experience with open source sustainability. Chad explains the importance of community in open source and the origins of the free software movement. He also talks about Richard Stallman, the founder of the free software movement, and his impact on the open source community.

Chad discusses his role at Sentry and the company's deep roots in open source. He highlights Sentry's efforts to give back to open source maintainers and their commitment to open source sustainability. The conversation explores the tension between the pressure to grow and make money in the startup world and the act of giving back to the open-source community.

Together, we discuss how Sentry gives away half a million dollars to open-source projects. He explains that this act is part of their brand and values as a company. They believe in supporting open source, privacy, and security. Chad also talks about the challenges and ethical dilemmas of open source, including re-licensing and the tension between community and corporation. The conversation explores the concept of fair source licensing and the role of foundations in supporting open source projects. It discusses the need for a balance between user freedom and developer sustainability.

Open source is fundamentally broken within the framework of market dynamics. It writes itself out of capitalism and lacks a sustainable funding model. The current approach to funding open source involves jumping through hoops and finding adjacent business models to subsidize the work. This is not a sustainable solution. The concept of fair source, where compensation is required for commercial use of open source software, offers a potential solution. Companies can join a funding cabal or pledge to contribute a percentage of revenue to support open source projects. The goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem where developers can be fairly compensated for their work.

Chapters

00:00:00 Chad Whitacre

00:04:40 Introduction and Background

00:12:02 The Importance of Open Source and Community

00:17:12 Sentry's Commitment to Open Source

00:20:47 Supporting Open Source with Thanks.dev

00:28:49 The Tension Between Startup Growth and Giving Back to Open Source

00:39:10 The Ethical Dilemmas of Open Source and Re-Licensing

00:47:24 Balancing Community and Corporation in the Open-Source Ecosystem

00:52:20 Fair Source Licensing

00:54:06 Introducing Fair Source

00:58:05 Transitioning from BST to BSL

01:00:48 Balancing Developer Sustainability and User Freedom

01:03:38 The Value of the In-Between

01:07:19 Defining Open Source

01:13:09 Negotiating Fair Compensation

01:15:42 The Role of Foundations

01:20:16 Foundations as Community Stewards

01:27:51 Jumping Through Hoops: The Current Approach to Funding Open Source

01:38:46 Fair Source: A Potential Solution for Sustainable Funding

01:42:20 Joining the Funding Cabal: Supporting Open Source Projects

01:44:30 Creating a Sustainable Ecosystem for Fair Compensation

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Links

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

- Sentry: https://sentry.io/

- Sentry on X: https://x.com/getsentry

- David on X: https://x.com/zeeg

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

David Cramer, the founder of Sentry, discusses the origins and growth of the company. Sentry started as an open-source project that Cramer built to solve his own problems as a software engineer. The initial version of Sentry captured and deduplicated errors, providing developers with valuable context for debugging. Cramer's experience at Disqus and Dropbox allowed him to refine and commercialize Sentry, turning it into a successful business. The key to Sentry's success was its versatility and ease of integration, supporting any SQL adapter that Django supported. Cramer emphasizes the importance of simplicity and pragmatism in building a product and the value of user feedback in shaping its development.

We discuss the challenges of using open source technology and the early architecture of Sentry. He emphasizes the importance of simplicity and the power of SQL databases. He also talks about the need for a fast and accurate development environment and the value of being brand-driven rather than data-driven. Sentry is focused on capturing attention through creative marketing campaigns. They believe that marketing is about capturing someone's attention and making them curious. They use preposterous and visually compelling campaigns that have nothing to do with their product to capture attention. They emphasize the importance of building brand recognition and authenticity. They also discuss the challenges of marketing and positioning complex technical products. They believe that marketing and positioning are more important and more complex than the engineering side of things. They emphasize the need for founders to care deeply about what they are doing and to be willing to take risks.

Chapters

00:00:00 David Cramer

00:03:19 Introduction and Background

00:15:39 The Initial Problem and Early Development of Sentry

00:26:38 Transitioning Sentry from Open-Source Project to Company

00:33:22 Technical Decisions that Shaped Sentry's Versatility and Portability

00:36:11 The Importance of Simplicity and User Feedback in Sentry's Development

00:36:38 Challenges of Using Open Source Technology

00:38:32 The Power of SQL Databases in Architecture

00:41:47 The Importance of a Fast and Accurate Development Environment

00:49:09 Being Brand-Driven vs. Data-Driven

00:54:40 The Value of Customer Feedback Signal

01:09:49 Capturing Attention through Creative Marketing

01:11:26 Building Brand Recognition and Authenticity

01:12:53 The Challenges of Marketing Technical Products

01:13:56 The Importance of Caring and Taking Risks

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Links

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

- Santosh on X: https://x.com/SantoshYadavDev

- Santosh' story: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/my-journey-into-tech-from-slums-of-mumbai-to-my-own-apartment/

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

In this episode, we deep dive into Angular and its related frameworks, along with the power of open source to change one's life—moving Santosh from the slums of Mumbai to Germany, where he now owns a home. If you're interested in Angular, web engineering, or open source, then this episode is for you.

Takeaways

1. Santosh Yadav started his career in software development with Windows development before transitioning to web development with Angular.

2. Web development presented challenges such as cross-browser compatibility and deployment, which were not as prevalent in Windows development.

3. Santosh emphasizes the importance of contributing to the open source community and shares his journey of contributing to the Angular community.

4. Modern Angular has simplified the building blocks and introduced standalone components, making it easier to learn and use.

5. Angular Universal and Angular SSR provide server-side rendering and file-based routing capabilities in Angular applications.

6. Modern Angular has shifted from constructor-based injection to function parameter-based injection, which offers advantages such as easier use of services outside the constructor.

7. Components in Angular should be minimal and focused on UI rendering, with logic and data dependencies handled by services.

8. Constructive collaboration and empathy are essential in open source projects, and discussions and contributions should be made on GitHub rather than on social media platforms.

9. Sharing personal stories and experiences in the open source community can inspire and motivate others. Education can be a powerful tool for overcoming challenging circumstances.

10. Perseverance and hard work are key to achieving success.

Chapters

00:00 Santosh Yadav

03:00 Introduction and Background

11:03 Open Source Contributions

32:30 Server-Side Rendering and File-Based Routing

40:53 Modern Angular and Dependency Injection

52:59 The Power of Nx as a Build Tool

01:03:42 Constructive Collaboration in Open Source

01:20:50 Living in the Slums and the Start of Santosh's Journey

01:31:11 Burnout and the Need for Work-Life Balance

01:44:51 Future Plans and Helping Others

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Links

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

- SST: https://sst.dev

- Jay on X: https://x.com/jayair

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Jay V, co-founder of the serverless framework SST, discusses the origins and purpose of SST. SST is an open-source framework for building applications on AWS and other cloud providers. It aims to make it easy to get started with building an application and scale as the application and team grow. SST differentiates itself by allowing developers to write infrastructure as code in TypeScript, providing abstractions that simplify the complexity of serverless applications.

The conversation also touches on the importance of positioning and messaging in marketing, the value of educational content and courses, and the role of community in building a following. In this final part of the conversation, we discuss the importance of building a community and reaching critical mass in order to grow a product. We also talk about the future plans for SST, including adding support for more frameworks and runtimes.

Takeaways

1. SST is an open-source framework for building applications on AWS and other cloud providers

2. SST allows developers to write infrastructure as code in TypeScript, providing abstractions that simplify the complexity of serverless applications

3. Next.js is considered the Kubernetes front end because it provides a batteries-included framework with many out-of-the-box features for React SSR apps.

4. Positioning and messaging should be tied to the product and focused on addressing the needs and interests of the target audience.

5. Founders and CEOs face challenges such as resistance to new ideas and the need to adapt to change.

Chapters

00:00 Jay V

03:07 Introduction to Jay and SST

17:22 SST's Approach to Infrastructure as Code

21:30 Shift from CDK to Pulumi and Terraform

29:01 Jay's Role as a Technical Founder

31:20 Managed Services vs Kubernetes

38:39 Building AI Agents and Using GPT-4 with SST

40:11 Why Next.js is the Kubernetes Front End

42:41 Limitations of Serverless Architecture

46:36 The Importance of Positioning and Messaging

52:48 The Value of Educational Content and Courses

58:06 Building a Community and Following

01:04:29 Building a Community and Reaching Critical Mass

01:05:45 Future Plans: Adding Support for More Frameworks and Runtimes

01:06:40 Staying Updated in the Tech Industry

01:10:55 Challenges Faced by Founders and CEOs

01:12:12 Creating High-Performing Teams

01:25:11 The Importance of Familiarity and Trust in Communication

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Links

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

- TBD: https://www.tbd.website/

- Rizèl on X: https://x.com/blackgirlbytes

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Rizèl Scarlett, a developer advocate at TBD, discusses her experiences with GitHub Copilot, open source, and Web5. She shares how she enjoys engaging with skeptics and helping them understand new technologies. Rizèl also explains TBD and its SDKs, TBdex and Web5, which aim to enable global money exchange and provide decentralized identity verification.

Takeaways

1. Rizel enjoys engaging with skeptics and helping them understand new technologies.

2. TBD is a company that focuses on enabling global money exchange and decentralized identity verification.

3. TBdex is an SDK that facilitates the exchange of money, while Web5 supports TBdex through identity verification.

4. Web5 utilizes decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials to create a seamless and secure web experience.

5. Decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials offer convenience and selective disclosure of personal information.

6. Digital identifiers have the potential to replace single sign-on methods and provide a standardized authentication protocol across the web.

7. Interoperability among companies is a challenge for the adoption of Web5.

8. Web5 can be used to build various applications, such as chat applications. Web5 is built on open web standards and offers a secure way to handle decentralized identity and share files.

9. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial in the tech industry, and efforts should be made to create positive and inclusive experiences for underrepresented groups.

Chapters

00:00:00 Rizèl Scarlett

00:03:50 Introduction and Background

00:12:52 Skepticism of Open Source

00:17:01 Introduction to TBD and TBdex

00:26:21 Web5: Creating a Seamless Web Experience

00:27:38 Decentralized Identifiers and Verifiable Credentials

00:33:54 Exploring the Potential of Digital Identifiers

00:36:11 Building Decentralized Digital Identities with the Web5 SDK

00:41:27 The Benefits and Challenges of Web5

00:49:26 The Future of Authentication: Web5 and Digital Identifiers

01:05:21 Exploring the Potential of Web5 and Decentralized Identity

01:09:08 Leveraging AI Technologies in the Web5 Ecosystem

01:13:21 The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Tech

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Links

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

- Turso: https://turso.tech

- The Save File Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGUwjXxvasIczMiiZ5joRlTA-PFydJZbb

- Glauber on X: https://x.com/glcst

- Tejas on X: https://x.com/tejaskumar_

Summary

Glauber Costa, CEO of Turso Database, shares his journey from coding for the Linux kernel to co-founding Turso. He started contributing to open source in university and developed a passion for low-level programming. He joined RedHat and later joined a database company, which eventually pivoted into ScyllaDB, a NoSQL database.

Glauber discusses the challenges and successes of building ScyllaDB and the importance of competition in driving innovation. After leaving ScyllaDB, he joined Datadog before deciding to start Turso. The opportunity to start a company arose, and Glauber and his co-founder, Pekka, took the leap.

Turso is a database that is based on SQLite and focuses on data replication. It offers a cost-effective and easy way to replicate data to multiple locations, with a single URL that routes requests to the closest replica. Turso is not limited to web use cases and can be used for various applications. It provides read-your-own-writes consistency, ensuring that when a value is written, it can be immediately read.

The term 'edge database' is not accurate for Turso, as it is more focused on data replication rather than edge compute. The confusion around the term 'edge' arises from the conflation of network edge and edge compute. In this conversation, we discuss the challenges and misconceptions surrounding the concept of the edge in web development.

Glauber also explains how messaging and positioning are crucial in the success of a startup, and how validation should be carefully considered. He also highlights the importance of moving fast and adapting to the needs of users. He emphasizes that replication is a core feature of Turso, allowing for high availability and performance, and the ability to replicate data closer to users for faster access.

Takeaways

1. Turso is a database based on SQLite that specializes in data replication.

2. The term 'edge database' is not accurate for Turso, as it focuses more on data replication than edge compute.

3. Messaging and positioning are crucial in the success of a startup.

4. It is important to carefully consider validation and not rely solely on positive feedback.

5. Moving fast and adapting to user needs is essential for success.

Chapters

00:00 Glauber Costa

03:21 Introduction and Background

12:39 Pivoting from Operating System to Database

27:15 Transition from ScyllaDB to Turso

31:32 Timing and Market Conditions in Starting a Company

56:31 Turso: A Database for Data Replication

01:02:52 The Horizontal Nature of Databases

01:06:03 Turso's Impressive Write Performance

01:09:37 Turso's Versatility Beyond Web Use Cases

01:16:19 The Need for Speed: Moving Fast and Adapting to User Needs

01:38:31 Conclusion

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