Scott and Wes recap the current state of web authentication and explore how Better Auth simplifies the whole process. With built-in plugins, modern features, and no need to hand-roll your own solution, Better Auth makes secure login a breeze for developers.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:59 Scott’s history with authentication.
02:05 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
03:15 My opinion has changed on auth.
04:40 Current authentication options.
06:32 Arctic.
06:56 OpenAUTH.
07:36 Auth.js.
08:02 Better Auth.
10:45 Better Auth CLI.
11:37 Email integration.
12:09 Hooks and Tokens.
13:43 CAPTCHA Integration.
14:36 Database Integration.
15:04 Integrations.
15:19 Plugin Ecosystem.
17:40 Admin features.
19:41 The Docs.
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Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
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26:58
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26:58
918: Extreme Native Perf on the Web with Superhuman
Wes and Scott talk with Loïc Houssier about how Superhuman builds lightning-fast, delightfully-designed email software. They dig into engineering philosophy, offline-first architecture, local databases, AI-powered productivity, and what it takes to create tools that people love.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
03:05 Inside Superhuman and Loïc’s role
06:49 Is Superhuman native? What’s the tech stack?
08:16 How Superhuman approaches product design and speed
12:17 Local-first architecture – Sync, storage, and performance
Realm
13:46 Vector search, AI, and privacy considerations
18:12 How the team ships fast and stays focused
21:27 Rethinking email for the future
26:54 Brought to you by Sentry.io
27:19 How calendar integration and smart features work
29:54 Where new ideas come from
31:54 Will there ever be a true dark mode?
33:02 Are people actually using keyboard shortcuts?
36:42 How shortcuts work and the role of the command palette
41:28 Engineering for speed – Costs and trade-offs
43:32 How Superhuman’s sync engine works
46:09 What code runs locally and what runs on the server?
46:51 How Superhuman handled the Google and Cloudflare outage
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Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
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48:54
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48:54
917: AI Tools You Should Know
Scott and Wes round up the hottest AI tools you should have on your radar; from text-to-speech wizards to self-hosted image generators. They break down what they’re using, what’s worth paying for, and which tools are changing their workflows.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:49 Getting too cozy with your tools.
01:34 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
03:40 LangFlow.
08:44 Super Whisper and Whisper Flow.
15:00 Dia.
23:16 Chat apps.
Claude
ChatGPT
Raycast
Cursor
Midjourney (Imagine.art)
26:58 Self-hosted.
27:01 Comfy UI.
31:27 Automatic1111 and Forge UI.
Xenova Shoutout
34:11 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs.
Sick Picks
Scott: Rat A Tat Cat Card Game.
Wes: Syntax Hats
Shameless Plugs
Wes: Syntax Hats
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Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
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37:48
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37:48
916: I got fired, what should I focus on?
In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott answer your questions about maintaining popular open-source projects, where to start after a layoff, impostor syndrome, Scott’s recording setup, whether a computer science degree is still worth it in the age of AI, and more!
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:44 Brought to you bySentry.io
04:16 How to maintain a successful NPM package
08:03 What to do in Denver while attending Laracon
11:18 How to branch out and learn new frameworks while balancing work life and family
15:55 Built-in state management vs external state managementFull Stack App Build | Travel Log w/ Nuxt, Vue, Better Auth, Drizzle, Tailwind, DaisyUI, MapLibre
19:43 Suggestion for CSS battles: Removing white space and new lines after the time limit?
23:06 What is Scott’s recording setup?
Aputure Light Dome
Aputure Amaran 150c
Sony FX3
Electro-Voice RE20
27:46 Snake case vs camel caseEye Tracking Study on camelCase and under_score Identifier Styles
31:16 Have you ever had impostor syndrome?
34:56 Is a degree worth it for computer science or machine learning?
38:41 Should I use a reverse proxy server?Ep 798: Self Hosting: Reverse Proxy Servers
42:03 Where to start when updating your webdev skillset
50:11 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott:Cardboard Cutter
Wes:Kitchen Scissors
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel
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58:24
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58:24
915: $200mo Background Agents, CLI Tooling and “Max Mode”
AI coding agents are getting wild. Scott and Wes break down the latest tools that run in the background, write code across multiple steps, and charge you $200 a month to do it. From CLI-based primitives to full-on copilots, this episode covers the next wave of dev tools and what it takes to use them effectively.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
03:13 Background Agents.
04:26 Appropriate tasks for background agents.
12:46 CLI tooling.
14:17 Claude Code Pricing.
18:20 Approaches to get the most from these tools.
19:56 PRD Documents.
Atlasian What’s a PRD Document.
20:50 Claude Taskmaster.
Langflow.
25:29 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs.
Sick Picks
Scott: RingConn.
Wes: Dell Projector
Shameless Plugs
Scott: Syntax on YouTube.
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.
New Zealand