In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sat down with Shruti Kapoor, independent content creator and longtime React educator, to dig into what’s actually new — and worth getting excited about — in React 19.2. While it may sound like a “minor” release on paper, this update delivers some genuinely powerful improvements that can change how we build and reason about React apps.

We talked through React Compiler finally becoming stable, how the new Activity component can dramatically simplify state management and UX, what View Transitions mean for animations, and why new tooling like Performance Tracks in Chrome DevTools is such a big deal for debugging. If you care about performance, async React, or writing less code with better results, this one’s for you.

Links & Resources

• Shruti Kapoor’s YouTube Channel (React, AI, Web Dev):
  👉 https://www.youtube.com/@shrutikapoor08
• React 19 & 19.2 Documentation:
  👉 https://react.dev
• CodeRabbit (AI Code Review Tool):
  👉 https://coderabbit.ai

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AI is writing more of our code than ever before—but should we actually trust it? In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sat down with Itamar Friedman from Qodo (formerly Quoto) to dig into one of the biggest questions developers are wrestling with right now: What happens when AI is generating code, reviewing code, and shaping how we ship software?

We explore where AI fits into modern code review, whether developers should be worried about job security, and how human responsibility still plays a critical role—even in an AI-powered workflow. From guardrails and quality standards to the future of agent-driven development, this conversation goes beyond hype and gets into what’s actually working today (and what still needs a human in the loop).

AI isn’t replacing developers—it’s changing how we build, review, and take ownership of software. If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to rate, follow, share, and review JavaScript Jabber. It really helps the show, and it helps more developers join the conversation. Thanks for listening—and we’ll see you next time!

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, Steve Edwards and I kick things off by catching up on life — from winter weather and marathon training to health journeys, CrossFit, and some behind-the-scenes personal stories that shaped how we think about wellness and longevity. After warming up, we shift our focus to the state of the tech job market, something both of us have been watching closely and experiencing firsthand.

We dive into the challenges developers are facing today — especially juniors — and compare our hiring and job-hunting experiences, the impact of AI on resumes and screening, the slowdown in bootcamps, and why the industry feels different than it did even a few years ago. We also unpack economics, incentives, and business realities affecting hiring, plus what developers should be doing right now to stand out.



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In this episode, I sit down with developer and speaker Sagi Carmel to dive deep into Astro, why it’s gaining so much traction, and how it compares to frameworks like Next.js, Nuxt, Remix, and SvelteKit. We explore what makes Astro uniquely powerful — from its server-first approach and island architecture to its simplicity, speed, and ability to integrate with any front-end framework you want.

Sagi also walks me through real-world use cases, including how he built Israel’s official Census website with Astro, why scoped CSS and server components simplify the development experience, and how tools like HTMX and view transitions make web UX buttery smooth. If you’ve been curious about Astro, this conversation is a terrific deep dive into both its fundamentals and its advanced capabilities.

🔗 Links & Resources

• Astro Documentation: https://astro.build
• HTMX: https://htmx.org
• Looker (Google Cloud): https://cloud.google.com/looker
• BigQuery: https://cloud.google.com/bigquery
• Sagi Carmel on YouTube: @SagiCarmel
• Sagi Carmel on LinkedIn: Search “Sagi Carmel”

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

It feels great to finally be back on the mic after a stretch of travel, work, and general chaos, and in this episode we’re diving into a topic that’s been coming up more and more in everyday developer conversations: how to actually use AI in your JavaScript development workflow. This isn’t about adding AI features to your app — it’s about using LLMs and AI-powered tools as part of your day-to-day coding practice.

We talk through the tools we each rely on, how they’ve changed the way we write code, where they fall short, and where they can save hours of work. We also dig into the real differences between “AI-assisted coding” and “vibe coding,” the unexpected pitfalls of having AI write your tests, and the growing concerns juniors are facing in a job market that looks very different than it did just a few years ago. If you’re trying to figure out how to work with AI without losing your sanity (or your code quality), this one’s worth a listen.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

Hey everyone—it’s Steve Edwards here, and in this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I’m joined by returning guest Feross Aboukhadijeh, founder of Socket.dev, for a deep dive into the dark and fascinating world of open source supply chain security. From phishing campaigns targeting top NPM maintainers to the now-infamous Chalk library compromise, we unpack the latest wave of JavaScript package attacks and what developers can learn from them.

Feross explains how some hackers are even using AI tools like Claude and Gemini as part of their payloads—and how defenders like Socket are fighting back with AI-powered analysis of their own. We also dive into GitHub Actions vulnerabilities, the role of two-factor authentication, and the growing need for “phishing-resistant 2FA.” Whether you’re an open source maintainer or just someone who runs npm install a little too often, this episode will open your eyes to how much happens behind the scenes to keep your code safe.

🔗 Links & Resources

• Socket.dev – Protect your open source dependencies
• Feross Aboukhadijeh on X (Twitter)
• GitHub Actions Security Best Practices
• TruffleHog Blog – On secrets exposure in Git repos

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

In this solo-hosted episode, I (Steve Edwards) dive deep into the world of modern monorepos with special guest Anton Stoychev from Yotpo. Anton shares his journey from the early days of PHP and IE6 nightmares to his current work in front-end infrastructure, performance optimization, and developer tooling.

We talk about the challenges of managing dependencies, upgrading tools without breaking your codebase, and the evolution of developer experience across teams and companies. Anton also introduces Breakproof, Yotpo’s open-source monorepo template designed to make dependency management and tool upgrades painless—even when working with multiple Node.js versions, runtimes like Bun and Deno, and complex CI environments.

If you’ve ever struggled with upgrading Jest, ESLint, or TypeScript in a large monorepo, or you’re curious how to isolate dependencies to keep your codebase maintainable over time, this episode is a must-listen.

🔗 Links & Resources

• 🔧 Breakproof on GitHub: breakproof.dev
• 🧠 Yotpo LTD on GitHub: Yotpo Breakproof Base Monorepo
• 💬 Follow Anton Stoychev: stoychev.dev on BlueSky

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sit down with AWS’s Clare Liguori and Erik Hanchett to talk about Kiro, a brand-new AI-powered IDE that’s reimagining the way developers build software. We dive into how Kiro takes “AI-assisted coding” to a new level through spec-driven development — a process that focuses on defining requirements and collaborating with AI to break projects into clear, manageable tasks.

We unpack what sets Kiro apart from tools like Cursor and Copilot, explore its supervised vs. autopilot coding modes, and even talk about how it handles UI design, planning, and complex legacy codebases. Clare and Erik share behind-the-scenes insights on how Kiro was built using Kiro itself, what’s coming next for the platform, and how developers can join the early-access community to help shape its future.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• 🌐 Kiro Official Site
• 🧠 AWS Developer Advocate Team

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sit down with Dan Shapir and our special guest, Yoni Goldberg, to dive deep into the ever-evolving world of JavaScript testing. Yoni, a consultant who’s worked with over 40 organizations to refine developer workflows, shares valuable lessons learned from helping teams design efficient and reliable tests.

We explore emerging trends in testing, including the rise of browser-based test runners, the shift from unit testing toward more integration and component testing, and how modern frameworks like Playwright, Vite Test Browser Mode, and Storybook are changing the way developers think about confidence in their code. We also tackle the role of AI in writing and maintaining tests, the pros and cons of mocking vs. real backends, and why contract testing is becoming essential in 2025.

If you’ve ever struggled with flaky end-to-end tests, wondered how to balance speed with confidence, or wanted a clear breakdown of modern testing tools, this conversation will give you practical insights and fresh perspectives to take back to your projects.

Links & Resources

• Yoni Goldberg’s GitHub
• GoldbergYoni.com

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sit down with Ryan Carniato, creator of SolidJS, and Tanner Linsley, the force behind TanStack, for a deep-dive conversation on the resurgence of Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) in modern web development. We explore why RPC is making a comeback, how frameworks like Solid, TanStack, and others are shaping the way we think about data fetching, and the technical innovations that are driving this movement forward.

From streaming and serialization to type safety and the future of client-server communication, Ryan and Tanner share their experiences, insights, and the unique challenges they’ve faced building cutting-edge tools for developers. If you’ve been curious about where RPC fits in today’s frameworks—or just love geeking out about performance, signals, and developer experience—this is one episode you won’t want to miss.

Links & Resources

• Ryan Carniato on SolidJS
• TanStack (React Query, Router, Table, and more)
• Sentry – where Ryan is currently working
• Create TanStack
• SolidJS Discord

Ryan Carniato
Ryan Carniato is the creator of SolidJS, a high-performance JavaScript framework built on fine-grained reactivity. He’s also a Senior Software Engineer at Sentry, where he explores new approaches to front-end architecture and developer experience. Through his open-source contributions, talks, and in-depth content, Ryan has become a trusted voice in the web development community, helping developers think differently about building fast, reactive applications.

Tanner Linsley
Tanner Linsley is the founder of TanStack, the home of widely adopted open-source libraries like TanStack Query (formerly React Query), TanStack Router, Table, Virtual, and more. A full-time open-source entrepreneur, Tanner has redefined how developers manage state, caching, and data fetching in modern applications. With a focus on performance, simplicity, and type safety, his tools power some of the most advanced applications on the web today.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.