Backend Engineering Isn't Dying. It's Evolving || Solomon Eseme

Cassidy Williams joins Ido Evergreen to discuss GitHub Copilot, trust in AI agents, and why engineering judgment and product direction still matter.We explore how developer experience is changing, how Cassidy decides what to delegate, and why trying to keep up with every new AI tool can work against you. Cassidy also shares her perspective on using multiple models, MCP and skills, WebMCP, and the pressure AI-generated pull requests put on open-source maintainers.In this episode:• Choosing when to write code yourself and when to use agents• Staying relevant without chasing every new tool• GitHub Copilot’s evolution beyond autocomplete• Building trust in agents through small, practical experiments• Why faster implementation still needs product judgment• Accessibility and the future of an agent-driven web• Contributing responsibly to open source• Cassidy’s predictions for the next five years of software developmentWhat do you delegate to AI—and what do you still prefer to do yourself? Share your approach in the comments.Subscribe for more conversations about building software, and share this episode with a developer friend.#SoftwareDevelopment #GitHubCopilot #AIAgents

What would the web look like if AI agents could use websites alongside people?I sat down with Alex Nahas to discuss WebMCP: a way for websites to expose useful actions to agents without making them navigate every task through screenshots and clicks. We talk about the browser’s existing authentication and security systems, why a website might use WebMCP even when it already has APIs, and why human-facing interfaces still matter.Alex also shares practical advice for developers: expose a small number of powerful tools that match real tasks, rather than turning every button into a separate tool.What would you let an agent do on your website?Subscribe for more conversations about AI, software, and the future of the web.00:00 Why you shouldn’t expose every action to AI00:48 Introducing WebMCP and Alex Nahas01:20 How Alex started working on WebMCP04:23 The browser and the authentication problem06:56 What an agent-accessible web looks like09:32 A web for agents, people, or both?10:00 Why user interfaces still matter12:31 “My website already has APIs. Why add WebMCP?”14:03 What should people control in the interface?14:22 Which actions should a website expose to agents?

In this episode of Talks with Ido Evergreen, I'm joined by Solomon Eseme, Senior Backend Engineer and educator, to unpack the realities of backend engineering in the age of AI. We discuss:What backend engineers actually do beyond building APIs; Backend as a Service vs traditional backend architecture; AI's impact on backend engineering; System design and scalability; Vendor lock-in and long-term architectural decisions;How junior developers should learn backend today;The skills AI can't replace. Advice for developers building a long-term career🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with engineers, founders, and product builders shaping the future of technology.#BackendEngineering #SoftwareEngineering #AI #SystemDesign #Developer #Programming #Podcast #TechPodcast #SolomonEseme #IdoEvergreen

Tanstack AI is one of the most talked-about AI SDKs right now, and it’s still in alpha. In this episode, I’m joined by Alem Tuzlak, core maintainer at Tanstack and lead on TanStack AI and Tanstack DevTools, to break down what TanStack AI actually is, why it was built, and where it’s headed.Follow Alem's on X : https://x.com/AlemTuzlak

In this new episode, Artem Zakharchenko creator of Mock Service Worker (MSW) and a Testing Instructor at Epic Web join me to break down why testing is the most valuable skill a developer can master. Artem argues that testing is an inseparable part of development, not a chore, and explains how to build trust in your code by writing effective tests. He tackles common developer frustrations, from the fear of over-testing to the headache of flaky tests, and offers his best-kept secrets for maintaining a high-quality test suite using modern tools like Playwright and Vitest. If you're starting your testing journey, dealing with brittle end-to-end tests, or simply looking to elevate your code quality, this conversation is essential viewing! Connect & Resources: Artem's Website: kettanaito.com Artem on X (Twitter): https://x.com/kettanaito?lang=en Artem's Workshops & Articles (Epic Web): EpicWeb.dev/contributors/artem-zakharchenko

In this conversation, Rizel Scarlett joins me and dives into how AI is reshaping the way developers work. Rizel walks through what Goose actually is, why MCP matters, and how agents move beyond autocomplete into real autonomy. We get into practical workflows, how to keep agents from hallucinating, what tasks you should hand off vs keep for yourself, and why the Chrome DevTools MCP server changes the game. If you’ve been curious about agentic workflows, vibe-coding, or the future of engineering productivity, this episode lays it out in a way that actually makes sense.

In this episode, Jacek Pudysz author of Unistyles and Uniwind breaks it down with real clarity. We get into why styling feels scattered, what Uniwind and Unistyles are actually doing under the hood, and how performance and consistency shape the future of building for mobile.If you work with React Native, or you’ve ever fought with styling on a big codebase, this conversation will make you rethink the whole workflow. Simple, honest, and packed with insights that come from building the tools themselves.Doc: https://uniwind.dev/ https://www.unistyl.es/Timeline00:00 Intro00:25 Jacek’s background and how Uniwind started03:10 The problem with current React Native styling06:45 Why Uniwind exists and what it fixes10:20 How Unistyle fits into the bigger picture14:05 The shift toward web-like styling in React Native18:30 Performance talk and real bottlenecks23:15 How Uniwind compiles styles and stays fast27:40 Cross-platform styling and future possibilities36:00 How the RN ecosystem might change in the next few years42:20 What’s next for Uniwind and Unistyle45:00 Closing thoughts

In this episode, I chat with Dan Stepanov, the maintainer behind NativeWind and NativeWind UI. We dive deep into the world of React Native, covering:What React Native really is and how it works across iOS, Android, and the webThe evolution of Create Expo Stack and its impact on developer toolingThe philosophy behind NativeWind and NativeWind UI, and why they matter for styling and native-feel experiencesChallenges and trade-offs in React Native, including platform-specific development and tooling limitationsInsights into React Native web and React Strict DOMTips for developers on when to use React Native and how to approach learning the ecosystemSneak peek into Dan’s upcoming projects like Plugin Pro, aimed at simplifying native configurations in React Native🔗 Resources Mentioned:NativeWind: https://www.nativewind.devExpo: https://expo.devCreate Expo Stack / RN.newDon’t forget to subscribe for more discussions with developers building the future of web and mobile!#ReactNative #NativeWind #MobileDevelopment #Expo #DeveloperTools #FrontendDevelopment #TailwindCSS #ReactNativeUI #ProgrammingPodcast

In this episode, I talk with Jeppe Reinhold, maintainer of Storybook and engineer at Chromatic, about how Storybook fits into modern UI workflows.We cover:The three pillars of Storybook: development, documentation, and testingHow solo developers and teams use Storybook differentlyStorybook’s role in design systems (and why it isn’t a design system itself)When you shouldn’t use StorybookWhat’s new in Storybook 9: smaller bundles, faster workflows, integrated testingCommon mistakes developers make when starting with StorybookIf you’re building React, Vue, or modern frontend apps, you’ll walk away with practical insights and a clearer view of the tool’s future.Follow Jeppe Reinhold → https://x.com/JeppeReinholdLearn more about Storybook → https://storybook.js.org

Join Ido Evergreen and Oliver Dunk from the Google Chrome extension team as they delve into the world of Chrome extensions. This episode covers everything from the basics of building and publishing extensions to the Chrome Web Store to essential security practices and monetization strategies. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, this conversation is packed with insights to help you succeed.Link to Documentation: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensionsOliver Linkshttps://oliverdunk.com/https://x.com/oliverdunk_https://bsky.app/profile/oliverdunk.com