Backend Banter is Back! ..sort of

Join Lane and Theo talking about how AI has impacted not just junior developer's jobs, but also how they're learning (or NOT learning) to code. If you used to tune in to the Backend Banter podcast, this new podcast, Technically Qualified is for you! It's the official Boot.dev podcast, hosted by Lane Wagner.Learn to Code on Boot.dev: https://www.boot.dev/

Today we welcome YK Sugi—engineer, educator, and the mind behind CSS Dojo—for the final episode of season two.We talk about his journey from YouTube dev tutorials to building one of Sourcegraph’s most-used AI tools, and how the role of DevRel has changed (and in some cases, disappeared). YK also breaks down how senior engineers are actually using AI, why fundamentals still matter, and how Agent Chat was born during a company hackathon.If you’re curious about AI devtools, the future of DevRel, or just want to hear how a former YouTuber accidentally shipped a flagship feature—this one's for you.Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player - https://www.backendbanter.fmYK’s X: https://x.com/ykdojoYK's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykdojo/Sourcegraph's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Sourcegraph/featuredTimestamps:00:00 - Intro and Meeting YK03:05 - Starting Out with CSS Dojo05:36 - DevRel Burnout and Market Whiplash11:40 - Building Agent Chat at Sourcegraph13:52 - Claude, Cursor, and AI Tool Comparisons21:52 - AI Use: Juniors vs. Seniors26:22 - Designing Dev Tools That Think37:56 - Will AI Consolidate the Tooling Ecosystem?44:21 - Should Codebases Change for AI?50:52 - Advice for Learners, DevRels, and Job Seekers01:07:02 - Outro and Where to find YK's workLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!

In this episode, we sit down with Quincy Larson, founder of Free Code Camp, to explore his incredible path from high school dropout to influential tech educator. Quincy shares his unconventional journey — from living in his car and working fast food jobs to building one of the most impactful coding education platforms in the world.We discuss the power of self-learning, the evolution of coding education, and the philosophy behind building meaningful skills. Quincy also dives into his productivity habits, structured routines, and why he prioritizes lifelong learning over traditional memories.Lane's interview on Free Code Camp: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/getting-a-developer-job-lane-wagner-podcast-157/Free Code Camp podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDLDCm3bPfU&list=PLWKjhJtqVAbm04DK8TSUCRheRjW2P9TR7Learn back-end development: boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: backendbanter.fmFollow Quincy on X/Twitter: @ossiaFree Code Camp: freecodecamp.orgTimestamps:00:00 - Intro and Meeting Quincy01:05 - Running a charity03:58 - Getting deep into podcasts11:58 - Quincy's lifestyle17:47 - The Birth of Free Code Camp25:47 - What has freecodecamp been working on27:40 - Building Skills vs. Chasing Shortcuts30:20 - How to Stand Out in Today's Tech Job Market50:44 - What changed since Quincy wrote his book54:06 - Obligatory AI talk1:12:01 - Where to find QuincyLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the episode!

Today we welcome Mitchell Hashimoto, co-founder of HashiCorp and creator of Ghostty, a new terminal emulator built in Zig. In this episode, Mitchell shares the story behind Ghostty, how his curiosity about terminals evolved into a full-fledged project, and why Zig became his language of choice.We also dive into Ghostty’s unique features, the role of libghostty, and why Mitchell believes native-feeling apps are essential for developer experience. Plus, we explore his insights on computer science education, dynamic linking, and what really matters when learning to code.If you’re into terminals, low-level programming, or just love hearing how great software gets built, this one’s for you!Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player - https://www.backendbanter.fmMitchell's X/Twitter: https://x.com/mitchellhGhostty: https://ghostty.org/Timestamps:00:00 - Intro and Meeting Mitchell01:06 - Mitchell’s Journey at HashiCorp03:13 - What is Ghostty and Why Build It?08:35 - Native Performance and Zig’s Advantage15:25 - Why Mitchell Chose Zig Over Rust31:15 - Ghostty’s Road to Package Repositories52:00 - Future Plans for Ghostty1:04:02 - Where to Find Mitchell and GhosttyLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!

Today we welcome Malte Ubl, CTO of Vercel, to discuss the evolution of frontend development and the role of AI in shaping modern engineering workflows. Malte dives into V0, Vercel's innovative tool for generating frontend code using AI, and explains how it empowers developers—especially backend engineers—to build full-stack applications. We also explore the concept of verticalization in engineering roles, the challenges of balancing innovation with infrastructure, and how AI is redefining productivity in tech.Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fmMalte's X: https://x.com/cramforceVercel: https://vercel.com/V0: https://v0.dev/Timestamps:00:00 - Intro and Meeting Malte01:23 - What is V0 and Why Did Vercel Build It?04:00 - The Technical Challenges Behind V010:34 - How V0 Leverages Tailwind and TypeScript19:15 - AI's Impact on Frontend Development23:20 - Verticalization of Engineering Roles32:01 - How AI is Changing Development Workflows37:09 - The Future of Full-Stack Engineering44:08 - How Vercel Balances Product Innovation with Core Infrastructure46:06 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find MalteLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!

Today we welcome Madison Kana—a self-taught dev who defied the traditional path. From dropping out and navigating a world of homeschooling to launching the Code Book Club, Madison transformed her unconventional journey into a thriving community of coders. In this episode, she shares how bypassing the typical education route fueled her passion, the real challenges of learning on your own, and the power of mentorship in building a dynamic tech career. If you’re ready to break the mold and carve your own path in software development.Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fmMadison's X: https://x.com/MadisonkannaWebsite: https://madisonkanna.com/Learn out loud: learn0utloud.comTimestamps:00:00 - Intro00:30 - Where did it all start?01:40 - Dropping out08:42 - How Madison started learning code22:00 - Team leading30:30 - Code Book Club38:50 - Learn out loud46:20 - AI talk54:18 - Book recommendations56:05 - OutroLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!

This time Elliot from  @dreamsofcode  joins us to talk about building his own course platform we dive into why he chose to go custom, the tech stack behind his platform, and the philosophy of building vs. buying in software. We also discuss the challenges of teaching programming, the role of AI in development, and what it really takes to create a great online course. If you're into coding, education, or the intersection of both, this one's for you!Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fmElliott's Youtube:  @dreamsofcode Elliott's Course: https://dreamsofcode.io/Elliott's X: https://x.com/dreamsofcode_ioTimestamps00:00 - Intro and Meeting Elliot02:36 - Why Build a Custom Course Platform?08:13 - The Challenges of Serving Video Content20:16 - The Build vs. Buy Debate28:20 - What Was Bought vs. Built?33:28 - How AI Is Changing Development45:12 - GDPR, Privacy, and Analytics54:19 - Tech Stack Behind the Platform1:06:33 - AI’s Real Impact on Developer Jobs1:13:16 - Where to Find Elliot and His WorkLike & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!

Today we bring Sam Aaron, the creator of Sonic Pi, a free code-based music creation and performance tool that lets you use simple code to turn your computer into a fully networked live coding music studio! It is also used to engage students in computer science and programming through music creation!In this episode, we explore the origins of Sonic Pi, its deep connection with Raspberry Pi, and how it enables live coding for music creation, starting from it's Ruby-based language features, we discuss how Sonic Pi has evolved, the challenges of maintaining it as a sustainable open-source project and if you’re curious about coding, music, or both—this one’s for you!Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fmSonic Pi - https://sonic-pi.net/Sam's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/samaaronSam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaaron/Sam's X/Twitter: https://x.com/samaaronDJ Dave: https://www.youtube.com/@dj_dave____Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:11 - Sonic Pi Origin Story03:03 - Connection To Raspberry Pi04:23 - But What Is Sonic Pi?06:25 - Is Ruby The Primary Language Used In Sonic Pi?10:25 - A Small Sonic Pi Showcase17:53 - Collaboration through Git23:12 - How Did Sam Get Involved In All Of This?25:14 - The Feedback Loop of Sonic Pi26:56 - How Does The Live Coding Experience Work In Sonic Pi?32:01 - The Two Different Working Modes Of Sonic Pi33:42 - How Does Debugging Work In Sonic Pi38:55 - How Do The Different Components Fit Into The Architecture Of The Project51:33 - Has Sam Been Full-Time On Sonic Pi Since Its Inception?53:25 - Does Sam Want To Try Something Different?56:25 - How Is Sam Finding More Sustainable Revenue?

Today, we bring a very special guest, one whose face you might recognise, one that appears on your homepages with a sporadic video and seemingly disappears. His name is Benjamin Burke, or simply Ben, he’s the co-creator of KRAZAM, a channel that consists of sketches that combine grotesque and absurdist humor with technological anxiety, satirizing the tech industry and the modern alienation of the corporate life in general.In this episode, which admittedly is a bit different from the usual, we’ll focus on KRAZAM and its origins, creative process, and what future plans and ambitions the duo has. Both Ben and Shiva started in software engineering, met in college and started doing sketches just for fun, not expecting this project to explode in popularity in the way it did. Ben will also share their unique approach to content and why KRAZAM prioritizes loyal viewers over virality, comedic inspirations. Stay tuned!Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.devListen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fmKRAZAM'S Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KRAZAM/videosKRAZAM's X/Twitter: https://x.com/krazamtvKRAZAM'S Website: https://www.krazam.tv/Krazam's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KRAZAMBen's X/Twitter: https://x.com/bb_freshBen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnjmnbrk/Shiva's X/Twitter: https://x.com/shivakilaruShiva's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivakilaru/Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:58 - KRAZAM Origin Story03:59 - How Much More Footage Is Left After the Recordings?05:12 - Are Both Ben and Shiva Programmers?06:46 - Inspiration Behind "The Hustle"08:47 - Has Ben Read Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations"?09:25 - The Actual Introduction to KRAZAM10:49 - Microservices14:04 - Sending Birthday Messages Is HARD19:06 - On Shiva Not Being in the Microservices Video20:48 - Favorite KRAZAM Videos22:22 - Most Underrated KRAZAM Video32:00 - KRAZAM's Viewers Are Very Loyal36:03 - Ambitions for the KRAZAM Channel39:04 - How Did You Know KRAZAM Had Product-Market Fit?40:59 - Ben's Comedic Inspirations43:08 - KRAZAM Does Not Aim for Virality46:47 - Was It Stressful to Do a Live Talk?49:40 - KRAZAM's Video Release Frequency51:46 - Competitive Excel55:34 - Site Reliability Engineer Video57:50 - AI Bots on Spotify01:00:27 - Self-Hosting and The Good Old Days01:02:31 - What's the Churn in the Industry?01:05:21 - Where to Find Ben and KRAZAM

Lane chats with Chris Ferdinandi—creator of Go Make Things and ADHD for the Win—a frontend dev, educator, and all-around expert in making JavaScript (and learning) simpler. Chris has built a career helping devs cut through the noise, level up their skills, and embrace ADHD-friendly ways to stay focused and productive. We dive into his journey from discovering his own ADHD to reshaping how people learn to code. We talk about why so many devs have ADHD, how gamification can actually help (when done right), and how today’s tech is messing with our attention spans. Plus, we get into the psychology of learning and what actually works when it comes to staying engaged and motivated. Learn back-end development - https://www.boot.dev Listen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fm ADHD ftw! : https://adhdftw.com/backend-banter/ Go Make Things: https://gomakethings.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/cferdinandi.bsky.social https://mastodon.social/@cferdinandi 00:00 - Intro 01:58 - Why so many devs have ADHD 03:21 - Quick explanation of ADHD 07:10 - Is ADHD actually more common now? 17:41 - ADHD, dopamine, and why we can’t put our phones down 20:50 - Trying meds for ADHD – what’s it like? 22:34 - How ADHDftw got started 24:21 - Why finishing big projects is so damn hard 25:54 - Best content styles for ADHD brains 28:40 - Gamification: What works and what’s just hype? 34:16 - Which gamer type fits ADHD folks best? 39:27 - Is TikTok basically junk food for your brain? 41:45 - Must-read books on focus and getting stuff done 43:43 - Where to find Chris and his content 46:26 - Is ADHD a gift or a curse? 59:30 - Brutally honest feedback for Boot.dev 01:18:58 - Outro Like & subscribe for the algo if you enjoyed the video!