A weekly podcast all about web design and development with a little bit of zest.
Framework Trade-offs: What Laravel Offers JavaScript Developers
Josh Cirre joins us to discuss his transition from the JavaScript ecosystem to Laravel, revealing why PHP frameworks can offer a compelling alternative for full-stack development. We explore the "identity crisis" many frontend developers face when needing robust backend solutions, how Laravel's batteries-included approach compares to piecing together JavaScript services, and the trade-offs between serverless and traditional hosting environments. Josh also shares insights on Laravel's developer experience, front-end integration options, and his thoughts on what JavaScript frameworks could learn from Laravel's approach to abstraction and infrastructure.
The Hosts
James Q Quick
Technical Content Creator
I am a developer, speaker, and teacher with a passion for teaching developers.
I'm a firm believer in work-life balance, the on-going pursuit of personal happiness, and empowering others to take control of their career. My personal philosophy of “Learn Build Teach” has blossomed into a growing community of aspiring and established developers focused on helping each succeed.
Amy Dutton
Lead Maintainer on RedwoodJS Core Team
I love️ teaching designers how to code and developers how to design.
I'm a product designer and full-stack developer. I have over 20 years of web experience, officially making me a granny in Internet years. I live in Nashville, TN, with my husband, 3 adorable kids, and 2 dogs. If I'm not sitting in front of my computer making things, I'm hanging out with family and friends. I love streaming all the things, playing cards, reading, and drinking coffee. Lots of coffee.
Bekah HW
DevEx Lead at Open Sauced
I graduated from the Flatiron School Software Engineering program in May of 2019.
Since then I’ve been a front-end development and Team & Community Building consultant, created the developer community Virtual Coffee, and spent a lot of time educating, listening, and growing with the tech community. I’m currently the Developer Experience Lead at OpenSauced. I dabble in other things like podcasting, speaking at conferences, momming four kids, and occasionally live-streaming.
Brad Garropy
Senior Frontend Developer at Stripe
I like shipping fast and getting deep into the technical details.
I live in Austin, Texas and some folks call me the cowboy coder. While I’m super passionate about building things with code, I like to spend time away from the computer lifting weights, two stepping with my wife, or riding my Onewheel.
Recent Episodes
The Backend Dilemma: Laravel's Strengths in a JavaScript World
April 1, 2025
In this episode, Amy and Brad dive into the ongoing debate between Laravel and full stack JavaScript frameworks. They explore both ecosystems from their unique perspectives. Amy shares her real-world experience building a project in Laravel after working extensively with JavaScript frameworks, highlighting where each approach shines and struggles. From Laravel's backend prowess to the cognitive load of context switching between languages, this episode offers practical insights for developers weighing these technology choices.
Creating Databases as Easily as Notion Pages with Prisma Postgres
March 19, 2025
Ryan is a full stack developer and Senior Developer Advocate at Prisma. He loves building well-crafted software for the web and helping others be successful doing the same.
AI in Web Design: Balancing Speed with Creativity
March 4, 2025
Join us as we talk with Nir Sadeh, Head of Product at Wix Studio, about the platform designed specifically for web professionals. Nir breaks down how Wix Studio differs from the traditional Wix editor by offering advanced capabilities for agencies and freelancers. Learn about their newest feature—AI-powered visual sitemaps and wireframes—that helps designers quickly create site structures and get client approval. We also explore how Wix balances no-code solutions with developer flexibility, their approach to responsive design using AI, and opportunities in the Wix app marketplace. Nir shares valuable insights about product development, user research methods, and his perspective on the impact of AI on the future of web design.
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