Scott and CJ explore why RSS still matters and how it’s more underused than outdated. They discuss how to self-host RSS readers, escape the noise of the modern web, and reclaim a cleaner, ad-free reading experience across devices.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:09 Brought to you by Sentry.io
02:41 What is RSS and how does it work?
RSS
Atom (web standard)
JSON Feed
06:14 Hosting your own RSS server: Miniflux, FreshRSS, and more
Miniflux
FreshRSS
11:00 Decluttering the web with article scraping
12:38 Best RSS clients for desktop and mobile
Capy Reader
Google Reader
ReadKit
Pocket is shutting down
wallabag
mymind
18:51 Where to find RSS feeds
The Brutalist Report
Programming Subreddit
Hacker News
BlueSky
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel: Cursor User Tries Claude Code
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
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29:47
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29:47
925: Scott & CJ’s Fave Productivity Apps & Web Apps
Scott and CJ go full productivity nerd, swapping notes on their favorite web apps for writing, coding, planning, and more. From terminals to to-do lists to dumb phones, it’s a deep dive into the tools powering their workflows.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:35 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
01:56 Text to speech or speech to text.
02:20 Superwhisper.
08:29 Kiro.
16:16 CJ’s current editor preference.
17:59 Finding the right editor.
18:47 Terminals.
20:22 Ghostty.
24:16 Note-taking.
26:32 Obsidian.
30:24 Logseq.
31:03 Todo lists.
31:08 Tweek.so
34:42 Trello.
37:25 Notion Calendar.
38:55 Email.
43:21 FairEmail.
43:43 Dumb phones.
45:10 Olauncher
47:39 Audio Bookshelf.
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
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51:42
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51:42
924: Sync Engines and Local Data
Wes and Scott talk about local-first sync engines—why they matter, what makes apps feel fast, and which platforms stand out. From LiveStore to Convex to Instant DB, they break down the pros and cons of each and debate what the “next React” might look like in a local-first future.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:52 Intro to local data: what makes apps feel fast
05:08 Could the next React be a local-first sync engine?
08:23 LiveStore
18:01 Zero
21:58 Instant DB
24:18 Brought to you by Sentry.io
24:43 Convex
27:54 ElectricSQL
29:48 PowerSync and PartyKit
30:51 Choosing the right sync engine
40:34 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott: Rummikub
Wes: Headphone covers
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
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46:11
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46:11
923: Getting the Most Out of AI Coding
Scott and Wes share their top strategies for getting high-quality results from AI coding tools like Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, and Windsurf. From better prompting to building reusable rule sets, they cover practical tips for making AI your most productive coding partner.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
Wes' Tweet
02:56 How to get the best results when using AI.
03:15 Scaffold it out yourself.
05:40 Be clear with your prompts.
07:45 Use XML tags around specific items
08:47 Utilize Rules like Cursor rules or Copilot rules.
13:20 Ask it to create some rules based on an existing codebase.
16:03 Break things down into clear concise actionable items.
17:22 Where to store your rules files.
18:37 Utilizing llm.txt files.
19:24 Context7.
20:28 Tag relevant files, functions, etc.
21:38 Feed logs back into the AI.
22:36 Logging Errors.
22:54 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
24:14 Long running chats get worse.
Wes' Tweet
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Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
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26:56
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26:56
922: Pre-commit Hooks, requestAnimationFrame, Code Reviews, and More
In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott answer your questions about code reviews, migrating legacy apps, CSS attr() use cases, pre-commit hooks, the future of creative web development, whether front-end devs need to be full-stack, and more!
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:43 When is the appropriate time to use requestAnimationFrame?
05:10 How do you handle code reviews on larger teams?
13:08 When to use the CSS attr() function
19:01 The future of browsing websites and the impact of AI
28:45 Brought to you by Sentry.io
29:10 Navigating browser preview in VS Code
31:31 Pre-populating email content with mailto
34:29 Is there increasing pressure for front-end developers to become full-stack?
43:14 What pre-commit checks should you run and how?
46:16 How do you deal with a poorly-built codebase when you already have thousands of active users?
50:05 What GitHub Copilot features should you disable while you’re learning something new?
52:22 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott: WOLFBOX MF100 Electric Air Duster
Wes: Competition Kettlebells
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
Full Stack Developers Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski dive deep into web development topics, explaining how they work and talking about their own experiences. They cover from JavaScript frameworks like React, to the latest advancements in CSS to simplifying web tooling.
UK