Dev Life S5E20 | Architecting for Scale: Design Systems & Web Components with Burton Smith

In this episode of The Dev Life, we sit down with Burton Smith, Senior Software Engineer at Zocdoc and former Microsoft engineer, to discuss modern frontend development, breaking down the "why" and "how" of building robust design systems, the critical UX questions every developer should ask at the start of a project, and why Web Components are becoming a vital tool for interoperability in large-scale applications. It’s a masterclass in building for the long term, delivered by a seasoned public speaker and community leader. CONNECT WITH US: https://www.linkedin.com/in/burton-smith-48132a34/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbchristiansen/

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Dev Life S5E19 | Re Engineering Git with PJ Hagerty

Git standard is often the bottleneck for AI-generated code. In this episode, we’re joined by PJ Hagerty, Head of DevRel at GitButler, to discuss how the co-founder of GitHub is reinventing change management. We dive into the "parallel branches" approach that outpaces git worktree, how to prevent the "oops, I committed to main" mistake, and why GitButler acts as the essential "traffic controller" for Agentic Coding (Cursor, Claude Code). We cover: - Beyond the GUI: Why GitButler is a new mental model, not just a wrapper. - AI & Knowledge Decay: Will AI-generated commits erode our fundamental engineering craft? -The Human Element: Why DevRel isn't "dying" and how PJ is tackling mental health in tech with OSMI. Stop fighting your tools and start mastering your craft. Stream the full episode now! CONNECT WITH US: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjhagerty/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbchristiansen/

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Dev Life S5E185 | Think Like A Monk, Code Like an Engineer with Frederic Harper

Behind every line of code is a human being - with stress, ambition, doubt, and purpose. In this episode of The Dev Life, Brooke & Matt are joined by Frederic Harper, Manager of Developer Relations and practitioner of Buddhist philosophy, to move beyond the IDE and explore the inner life of the developer. If you’ve ever felt like your identity is tied entirely to your productivity, this conversation is a vital reminder that there is a complex human being behind every feature you create. Whether you are looking to transition from software engineering into DevRel, reclaim your mental health in a high-pressure industry, or simply master the "monk-like" mindset of mindfulness and humility, Frederic shares a practical framework for finding alignment in a career that often feels restless. Stop just pushing code and start engineering a life you love by applying these simple, centered practices to your daily grind. In this episode, we cover: - The DevRel Path: Navigating the transition from shipping code to building communities and improving Developer Experience (DX). - The Productivity Trap: Why we tie our self-worth to our output and how to break the cycle of burnout. - Engineering the Ego: How adopting a "Think Like a Monk" mentality transforms team dynamics and personal career growth. - The 10-Minute Shift: Simple, actionable daily practices to help you find stillness and purpose in your work. CONNECT WITH US: https://fred.dev/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbchristiansen/

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Dev Life S5E17 | Ticket Closer to AI Leader: The Architect's Blueprint for Success w/ Tony Alicea

The era of the "Ticket Closing Developer" is coming to an end. As AI masters the syntax and boilerplate of our industry, the line between a Senior Developer and a Technical Leader is blurring. This week on The Dev Life, we sit down with popular course instructor and content creator Tony Alicea to discuss the "missing education" required to survive and thrive in the age of LLMs. Tony argues that the skills traditionally reserved for managers - clear communication, rigorous spec writing, and systems thinking - are now the primary technical requirements for guiding AI effectively. In this episode, we dive into: - The Skill Atrophy Trap: How to use AI as a force multiplier without losing your deep technical intuition. - The "Manager" Pivot: Why writing a perfect spec is the most important "coding" skill you can develop in 2026. - Cascade Methodology: Why Agile and Waterfall are failing in the AI era and what should replace them. - Becoming an "Abstraction Breaker": Why understanding the layers under your tools is the only way to avoid obsolescence. Don’t just watch the future happen - learn how to lead it. Whether you're a senior dev or an aspiring architect, this conversation is your roadmap for the next phase of your career. CONNECT WITH US: https://anthonyalicea.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbchristiansen/

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Dev Life S5E16 | AI in the Trenches - Tools We Love and Lessons Learned with Alfredo Perez

-In this episode of The Dev Life, we’re going beyond the hype to bring you a "boots on the ground" look at the AI revolution. Angular GDE Alfredo Perez joins the show for a candid, deep-dive discussion into the tools that are genuinely transforming the way we code, create, and live. Whether you're a seasoned software engineer or just AI-curious, this episode is packed with actionable insights and honest critiques. We’re stripping away the marketing fluff to discuss what’s actually helping us finish side projects and what’s just adding to the noise. What You’ll Learn : - The AI Dev Stack: Alfredo breaks down his personal AI workflows, from using v0 for rapid app development to leveraging Claude Code and Obsidian for a seamless "no-IDE" experience. - Life Beyond the Terminal: Discover how AI is being used for everything from troubleshooting NAS servers to summarizing complex YouTube content and replacing traditional search engines. - The Reality Check: We tackle the "overhyped" side of AI. Find out which tools failed to live up to the promise and why a "Plan and Spec-Driven" approach is more important than the AI itself. - The "Curiosity" Edge: Why the most important tool in your belt isn't an algorithm, but your ability to optimize your personal workflow and stay curious in a rapidly changing landscape. Ready to level up your workflow? Don't miss this chance to learn which tools are worth your time and which ones you can skip. CONNECT WITH US: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredo-perez/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbchristiansen/

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Dev Life S5E15 | Inside Technical Program Management: Misconceptions, Mindset & Making the Switch

What does a Technical Program Manager actually do & and why is the role so often misunderstood? In this episode of Dev Life, Brooke and Matt go inside Technical Program Management — unpacking the misconceptions, the mindset shift from engineer to TPM, and how engineers can work more effectively with the role. We explore: • What a TPM really owns (and what they don’t) • Where engineers misunderstand the role • Fair criticisms TPMs need to hear • What great TPM support actually feels like • Staying technical without writing production code • When making the switch makes sense — and when it doesn’t Whether you're considering the move to TPM or simply want to collaborate better with one, this conversation brings clarity to one of the most misunderstood roles in tech. CONNECT WITH US: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewbchristiansen/

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anna from frozen is standing in front of a body of water with her hands in her pockets .

Alt: anna from frozen is standing in front of a body of water with her hands in her pockets .

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S10 E1 | Meet the hosts + a sneak peak into Season 10!

Welcome to Season 10 of the Angular Plus Show! We are excited to announce our guest hosts for the season - Brooke Avery and Jay Bell! You may know Brooke from her podcast, The Dev Life and her work on the Angular community meetup. Jay is a familiar face, having a second go at hosting the Angular Plus show. Jan is hoping he'll get it right this time.  Join us for a season of  topics ranging from software architecture, Angular signal forms, MFE and native federation, and more.  Show links: https://codegen.com/ https://www.perplexity.ai/ https://devfestslc.web.app/ https://x.com/mattpocockuk/status/1925857902096470111 https://github.com/oxc-project/tsgolint https://www.reddit.com/r/javascript/comments/1mubjx7/oxlint_introduces_typeaware_linting_technical/ Learn more about the team! Brian Love: https://hashbrown.dev/ Jay Bell:     https://bsky.app/profile/jaycooperbell.dev                   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-bell-b7017681/                    https://tech.trellis.org/ Lara Newsom: https://bsky.app/profile/laranewsom.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/laranewsom.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalisaduncan/                         https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-newsom/ Brooke Avery:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/jedibravery/                            https://x.com/JediBravery Jan:         https://bsky.app/profile/wordman.dev   Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AngularShow Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theangularplusshow.bsky.social   The Angular Plus Show is a part of ng-conf. ng-conf is a multi-day Angular conference focused on delivering the highest quality training in the Angular JavaScript framework. Developers from across the globe converge  every year to attend talks and workshops by the Angular team and community experts. Join:http://www.ng-conf.org/ Attend: https://ti.to/ng-conf/2025 Follow:https://twitter.com/ngconf              https://www.linkedin.com/company/ng-conf              https://bsky.app/profile/ng-conf.bsky.social              https://www.facebook.com/ngconfofficial Read: https://medium.com/ngconf Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@ngconfonline   Edited by Patrick Hayeshttps://www.spoonfulofmedia.com/ Stock media provided by JUQBOXMUSIC/ Pond5

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S9 E14 | Playwright Takes Center Stage | Debbie O'Brien

End-to-end testing has traditionally been a source of frustration for developers - flaky tests, complex setup, and poor debugging experiences have made it a necessary evil rather than a productive part of the development workflow. With the rise of modern testing frameworks like Playwright, developers are discovering that E2E testing can actually be reliable, fast, and even enjoyable. The integration of AI capabilities is further revolutionizing how we write, maintain, and debug tests. In this episode we welcome Google Developer Expert and Principal Technical PM at Microsoft, Debbie O'Brien, to explore the current state of Playwright and its evolving ecosystem. Between juggling twins under 2, Debbie shares insights on what makes Playwright different, the latest features transforming the testing landscape, and how AI is being integrated to make testing more intelligent and efficient. You can expect to learn why Playwright is becoming the go-to choice for modern web testing and how to leverage its powerful features in your projects. More about Debbie X:https://x.com/debs_obrien LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-brien-1a199975/ https://dev.to/debs_obrien/letting-playwright-mcp-explore-your-site-and-write-your-tests-mf1 https://debbie.codes/   Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AngularShow Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theangularplusshow.bsky.social   The Angular Plus Show is a part of ng-conf. ng-conf is a multi-day Angular conference focused on delivering the highest quality training in the Angular JavaScript framework. Developers from across the globe converge  every year to attend talks and workshops by the Angular team and community experts. Join:http://www.ng-conf.org/ Attend: https://ti.to/ng-conf/2025 Follow:https://twitter.com/ngconf              https://www.linkedin.com/company/ng-conf              https://bsky.app/profile/ng-conf.bsky.social              https://www.facebook.com/ngconfofficial Read: https://medium.com/ngconf Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@ngconfonline   Edited by Patrick Hayeshttps://www.spoonfulofmedia.com/ Stock media provided by JUQBOXMUSIC/ Pond5

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