One phishy email to an npm maintainer set off a supply-chain scare that could’ve torched the web—yet the real on-chain damage was… cents. In this episode, we break down how a fake npm 2FA reset (from npmjs.help) led to malicious releases of popular packages like chalk and debug, how the payload hijacked browser crypto flows (monkey-patching window.ethereum, fetch, and XHR), why the blast radius stayed small, and what teams did right (shoutout to Aikido & Vercel).We finish with a rapid “Career Corner” on how to follow up after an interview—with copy-ready lines you can use.SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/Stay in Touch:📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!Danny Thompsonhttps://x.com/DThompsonDevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDevwww.DThompsonDev.comLeon Noelhttps://x.com/leonnoelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/https://100devs.org/📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!You’ll learn:- Spotting modern phishing (look-alike TLDs, urgency cues)- What the malware did and why front-end focus limited impact- The minute-by-minute timeline from phish → publish → takedown- Practical defenses: pin versions, lockfiles, audits, password managers, least-privilege tokens- How to write a follow-up email that closesIf this helps, hit 👍 and share with a teammate.Chapters0:00 – The phish that “almost destroyed the internet” (cold open)0:24 – Who clicked: maintainer behind big OSS (chalk, debug)0:44 – Payload in plain English (browser wallet-drainer)1:04 – Actual impact vs. potential blast radius1:20 – Intro + what we’ll cover2:23 – Why this story is everywhere & our plan3:43 – What you’ll know by the end (safety + lessons)4:20 – Act 1: The Email — npmjs.help and urgency tactics6:08 – Phishing 101: quick checks before you click8:25 – Psychology of scams (filtering + anecdotes)12:17 – Act 2: The Payload — monkey-patching fetch/XHR/window.ethereum14:44 – Why front-end focus limited the damage16:41 – How it was caught (Node fetch ReferenceErrors)17:52 – Six–eight hours to fix: containment recap20:04 – Magic links & password managers (practical wins)22:15 – Act 3: The Timeline — 18 packages, what happened when23:39 – Minutes matter: publish → detection → takedown25:12 – Community/GitHub issues light up; npm intervenes26:48 – Root-cause analysis & related accounts28:32 – “System worked” takeaways (+ why that’s good)31:18 – Dev hygiene: pin versions, audits, reduce deps33:10 – Myths debunked (no, every machine wasn’t “fully owned”)35:04 – Shout-outs: Aikido, Vercel, others that responded fast38:22 – Career Corner: following up after interviews (templates)53:22 – Wrap-up & next stepsHelpful links (add your URLs)Aikido write-up / detection notesVercel incident summary + cache purge notesnpm/GitHub advisories for affected packagesPassword manager recommendations / setup guide
Two devs. Same stack. Same years in. One gets three on-sites a week; the other gets ghosted. The difference isn’t talent—it’s process. We audit your job hunt like production: inputs & controls, bottlenecks, scripts that actually get replies, and the one KPI (MC/W) that predicts interviews.
SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
What you’ll learn:
- Build a targeted, local-first company list (even if there’s no open req)
- Warm outreach that prints: one-to-many LinkedIn, comments → DMs, “6-minute call” & 11:02 invites
- Remove bottlenecks: Resume → Recruiter, Phone screen → Behavioral (STAR/CAR), Recruiter → Manager
- The THRIVE framework to turn interrogations into conversations
- Why proof vs promises (and why you shouldn’t sign exclusive recruiter agreements)
- The audit loop: track MC/W, notes, weekly reviews, tiny improvements
- If this helped, drop MC/W in the comments so others find it. 👇
Chapters
00:00 Two devs, same stack—process beats talent
02:13 Act I: Inputs & Control (ideal companies, local-first, research, coffee chat prep)
05:15 Activity vs quality (don’t just click apply)
08:00 Burnout fix: focus on controllables
09:35 Don’t sign exclusive recruiter agreements
10:48 Warm vs cold outreach; break the pattern
14:02 One-to-many on LinkedIn (comments that warm leads)
15:54 DM makeovers that get replies
17:58 Pattern breakers: 6-minute call, 11:02 invite
21:03 Comment → DM handoff without bait-and-switch
22:41 Great question → instant referral story
24:54 Anti-DMs to avoid (“pick your brain?”, resume dump)
27:34 Act II: Bottlenecks in your pipeline
28:44 Resume → Recruiter (lead with outcomes, not fluff)
33:03 Cut jargon the recruiter can’t repeat
34:22 Phone screen → Behavioral (STAR/CAR)
37:28 Recruiter → Manager (narrative + “tell me about yourself”)
40:32 Act III: The Metric—MC/W (meaningful conversations per week)
43:32 Networking beats blind applying
45:10 Act IV: Playbook & Audit (THRIVE recap)
47:26 Practice w/ AI voice role-play (recruiter, EM, meetup)
50:27 Small improvements compound
51:04 Tracking system: spreadsheet, notes, weekly reviews
53:02 Systems vs motivation (James Clear callback)
55:38 Listener Q: “The Chosen One” progress explained
1:02:01 Technical skills ≠ job-getting skills
1:04:13 Wrap
49,000 developers just crowned Full-Stack the #1 software developer role of 2025. We dig into the Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2025) and turn the data into an actionable career roadmap: what to learn, what to ignore, and how AI actually fits into your workflow.
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial Planning
Changing careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
We break down:
- Why Full-Stack leads (and what skills to stack to stay hireable)
- The SQL vs NoSQL reality (Postgres on top) and how to pivot if you’re Mongo-first
- Languages & frameworks that matter in 2025 (JS/TS, React/Next, .NET/Spring)
- Tools to master: Docker (near-universal) + AWS (still the gap)
- IDE reality: VS Code dominance, Cursor surge, where JetBrains fits
- LLMs in practice: GPT usage, Claude’s rise, and smart model-routing
- Agents, “vibe coding,” and where AI saves real time (tests, data, docs)
- Pay & jobs snapshot + a blunt Q&A: CSS fundamentals vs Tailwind
Chapters
00:00 Cold open — the #1 role reveal
00:36 Why this survey still matters (and its biases)
01:55 Intros + Commit Your Code plug
03:14 Who answered: 49k respondents, pros, age, country
07:03 How devs learn in 2025: docs, AI tools, videos, bootcamps
11:07 The reveal: Full-Stack is #1
12:42 What that means for careers (front-end-only is shrinking)
14:28 Languages: JS/TS, Python, C#/Java — what to prioritize
17:29 Sponsor — Level Up Financial Planning (levelupfinancialplanning.com)
18:34 Databases: SQL dominance (Postgres first) + Mongo in context
20:27 Cloud & dev tools: Docker as default, the AWS gap
21:41 Web frameworks: React/Next, jQuery still huge, .NET & Spring
23:11 IDEs: VS Code, Cursor surge, JetBrains, Vim/Neovim
24:42 LLMs in practice: GPT vs Claude + model routing
29:00 Team tools: GitHub/Jira/Miro + new Git alternatives
30:24 OS choices: Windows vs macOS, WSL split
31:16 Admired vs used: Rust/Elixir, Supabase, reality check
37:02 AI adoption & where it helps most (search, tests, data, docs)
41:41 Accuracy, complex tasks, and human-in-the-loop
44:20 Dealing with “almost right” outputs (mindset shift)
46:40 Agents & “vibe coding” + the Goose demo story
50:32 Jobs, remote, US pay snapshot
51:34 Q&A: CSS fundamentals → then Tailwind
55:12 Outro
On this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel unpack the biggest programming myths that confuse developers at every level. From “AI will take all dev jobs” to “DRY at all costs,” they separate hype from reality and share hard-won lessons from real teams in production.You will hear why paper Big-O is not the whole story, how cache behavior and data size impact real performance, and why map/reduce vs for loops is a wash on modern engines. We get into testing culture too: why E2E does not replace unit tests, how to use AI for test scaffolding without losing your engineering brain, and what actually improves product reliability. Danny also tackles the myths that Java is slow and GC is always bad, and both hosts talk about the cost curve where cloud is not cheaper than on-prem.The conversation closes with an “Ask Danny and Leon” mailbag on what really separates junior, mid, and senior engineers: independence, guardrails, impact, and the quality of questions you ask.If this helped, drop a comment with a myth you want us to tackle next, and subscribe for more practical, no-fluff engineering talk.Topics include:AI as a productivity tool vs one-click magicBig-O vs real-world performance and memory behaviorjQuery, Deno, Bun, and the hype cycleJavaScript the language vs browser APIsmap/reduce vs for loops on modern enginesUnit tests, integration tests, E2E, and using AI wiselyJava performance and garbage collection tuningDRY vs duplication and over-abstractionAccessibility as a defaultCloud costs vs on-prem at scaleCareer ladder: junior, mid, senior traitsHosts: Danny Thompson (Director of Technology, This Dot Labs; Commit Your Code Conference) and Leon Noel (Managing Director of Engineering, Resilient Coders; instructor at 100Devs)Chapters00:00 Intro and why myths still persist00:58 Host intros and setup for “Gem City” episode02:00 Myth 1: “AI is taking all dev jobs”03:33 When AI image gen goes sideways and why it is a tool, not a replacement06:03 Leon’s motion-blur trick for more believable AI images07:08 Myth 2: Big-O vs real performance in the wild09:52 Cache misses, allocation, data size, and why paper math can mislead11:30 Myth 3: “jQuery is dead” and the reality in legacy estates12:23 Deno and Bun hype vs actual employer adoption13:32 Why jQuery still ships and what we lost chasing complexity15:30 JavaScript the language vs DOM and host environment APIs16:58 Myth 4: “map/reduce are slower than for loops” on modern engines18:11 Myth 5: “E2E replaces unit tests”20:57 When testing cultures go wrong and how to course-correct22:46 Using AI for tests without losing critical thinking25:03 The 80-20 way to use AI on tickets and test suites27:01 Danny gets baited, Leon laughs28:01 Myth 6: “Java is slow” and “GC is always bad”30:30 Region and concurrent collectors, and why allocation patterns matter31:02 Engine differences and mental models across stacks31:58 Myth 7: “Everything must be DRY” vs useful duplication33:01 Strong opinions held weekly and leaving dogma behind34:22 How dev opinions evolve with experience34:52 Accessibility as a default, not a later task36:29 Myth 8: “Cloud is always cheaper than on-prem”37:17 Real-world cost surprises and pulling workloads back38:30 Hype cycles, Jamstack memories, and maintenance pain41:56 On-prem done right and budget realities43:49 Mailbag: junior vs mid vs senior, company variance45:25 Danny’s framework for levels: guardrails, impact, and ownership51:10 The power of high-quality questions at senior and staff levels52:10 Leveling up from mid: own initiatives and become the firefighter53:31 Wrap-up and sign-off
6,000 Applications. 0 Jobs. What Went Wrong?
In this episode, Danny & Leon break down the recent New York Times article about the collapse of $165,000 tech jobs — and why so many new computer science graduates are struggling to find work.
This one gets personal. We dig into salary expectations, the rise of AI coding tools, offshoring, and the real reasons grads are stuck. Plus, we share how bad advice keeps job seekers trapped, and why networking + projects matter more than ever.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode is heavier than usual. We felt deeply for the people featured in this article — so much so that we reached out to one of them, Zach, who applied to nearly 6,000 jobs, and spent 90 minutes helping him reframe his job search strategy. Our goal isn’t to mock, but to help anyone who feels stuck right now.
If you’re in the middle of the job hunt, or just want to understand what’s happening in tech careers in 2025 — this is a must-listen.
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Disclaimer & why this episode is different
03:19 – Why we reacted to the NYT article live
05:25 – Setting the stage: “Goodbye $165K tech jobs”
06:59 – The salary inflation problem
08:03 – Networking: why tech is no longer a free pass
10:10 – Purdue grad struggles despite strong background
15:23 – The promise (and failure) of the CS degree
18:18 – The “learn to code = six figures” myth
20:22 – FANG vs. reality: most jobs aren’t like that
22:01 – Is AI really taking developer jobs? (spoiler: no)
23:53 – Offshoring is the real threat
25:39 – Headcount growth vs. layoff panic
26:32 – Unemployment rates: myth vs. reality
29:20 – The hidden flaw in applying to 6,000 jobs
32:21 – “Clickers” & why mass-applying doesn’t work
34:02 – Bootcamps & the cycle of bad advice
35:38 – Ghosting, coding assessments & job search burnout
39:02 – Zach’s story: 5,762 applications, 0 jobs
41:01 – Why customizing your resume matters
43:08 – The wrong vs. right way to job hunt
46:13 – Reddit resumes & bad job hunt advice
47:23 – Misreporting AI tools (CodeRabbit example)
49:24 – The AI doom loop in job search
52:12 – Government jobs, hiring freezes & policy shifts
53:00 – The Purdue grad pivots to tech sales
55:03 – Why the article fails its own subjects
57:22 – Offshoring vs. AI (the real culprit)
58:00 – What job seekers should be doing now
59:32 – Listener Q&A: networking while still learning
01:03:46 – The power of small, intentional networking
01:06:11 – Balancing a non-tech job & coding journey
01:09:49 – Final advice & episode wrap-up
In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Leon Noel and Danny Thompson dive deep into the wild, twist-filled journey of Figma, from a college side project that almost became a meme generator to a $58 billion IPO.We break Figma’s story into five acts, uncovering the pivotal moments, technical breakthroughs, and business decisions that made it one of the most beloved design tools in the world. From WebGL wizardry to multiplayer design magic, early skepticism to industry adoption by giants like Uber and Notion, we explore how Dylan Field and Evan Wallace built a browser-based platform that changed design forever.NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/Stay in Touch:📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial PlanningChanging careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/Danny Thompsonhttps://x.com/DThompsonDevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDevwww.DThompsonDev.comLeon Noelhttps://x.com/leonnoelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/https://100devs.org/📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!You’ll hear about:- The origin story and near-misses (drones, memes, and more)- Technical innovations with WebGL, WebAssembly, and real-time collaboration- The leadership and hiring lessons learned the hard way- Figma’s breakout moments during Adobe Fireworks’ demise and the pandemic- The $20 billion Adobe acquisition that never happened — and the $1 billion breakup fee- How Figma stayed true to its vision and went public with massive momentumWhether you’re a designer, developer, startup founder, or just curious about how tech products scale from scrappy beginnings to global dominance, this is a masterclass in perseverance, timing, and execution.🎧 Listen in, drop a like, and let us know in the comments if you use Figma!Chapters00:00 – Intro & Setting the Stage01:14 – Figma in Five Acts02:54 – Act 1: The Idea Maze – Drones, Memes, and Crossroads06:13 – The Best Meme Generator Nobody Needed08:56 – WebGL Breakthroughs and Browser-Based Design12:29 – The Power of GPU Rendering & WebAssembly15:53 – Key Performance Tricks – Batch & Delta Rendering17:57 – Building a Custom Text Engine & Multiplayer Vision27:00 – The Adobe Fireworks Discontinuation Moment29:12 – Naming the Product – Why “Figma” Stayed31:13 – Act 2: Building and Struggling with Perseverance33:40 – Early Management Struggles and Leadership Pivot36:33 – Choosing Urgency Over Perfection37:14 – Early Launch Without Multiplayer39:18 – Harsh Early Feedback and User Skepticism40:59 – Securing New Funding & Preparing for Multiplayer41:23 – Act 3: Unlocking Multiplayer Design42:41 – Design Parties and Winning Over Skeptics44:27 – Big-Name Adoption: Uber, Notion, and Market Validation46:44 – Series B & C Fundraising Momentum46:50 – Act 4: Scale and Impact47:04 – Engineers Handling Support for Deep Empathy48:22 – Browser-Based Updates and Rapid Iteration49:43 – Monetization Debate & Investor Pushback51:44 – Act 5: The Pandemic Changes Everything52:57 – Figma’s Remote Collaboration Advantage54:37 – The Launch of FigJam55:39 – Capitalizing on Two Key Market Moments56:39 – Adobe’s $20B Acquisition Attempt58:08 – Regulatory Block & $1B Breakup Fee59:31 – Secondary Funding and IPO Readiness1:00:41 – Dylan Field’s Final Lessons & Closing Thoughts1:02:02 – Outro
If you're learning JavaScript in 2025, **this is the definitive roadmap** you didn’t know you needed. Whether you're just opening your first `.js` file or you’ve been dabbling and finally want to get serious, this episode of *The Programming Podcast* with Danny Thompson and Leon Noel is a *masterclass in what actually matters*.
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial Planning
Changing careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
We break down:
* ✅ What to learn (and **why** each concept matters)
* ✅ How to structure your learning path without getting overwhelmed
* ✅ The **hard truths** about JavaScript in the real world
* ✅ Mistakes that beginners make (and how to avoid them)
* ✅ How to go from *tutorial nightmares* to building projects that actually get you hired
“You don’t need 50 tutorials, you need 20 projects that work your brain in the right way.”
We cover everything from fundamentals (variables, loops, functions) to advanced topics like async/await, the event loop, testing, and working with frameworks like React and backend tools like Node.js. We don’t just tell you *what* to learn — we tell you *how to think like a developer*.
Whether you're headed toward a front-end career, full stack mastery, or just want to build real apps, this roadmap will serve you today and 10 years from now. No fluff. No hype. Just honest, actionable advice from two developers who have taught thousands of devs to land six-figure jobs.
Leave a comment with the word (gotta watch to the end) if you made it to the end. We want to shout out the real ones.
🔔 Subscribe for more episodes, and drop a like if you got value, it costs nothing but tells us to keep going.
Chapters
00:00 – Why This Roadmap Had to Be Made
03:15 – The Only Reason to Learn JavaScript in 2025
06:30 – What Companies Actually Use JavaScript For
10:00 – The Big 4: Variables, Loops, Conditionals, Functions
17:00 – Arrays, Objects, and the Must-Know Methods (Map, Filter, Reduce)
23:30 – Practice Over Theory: Codewars, Repetition & Your First 20 Projects
29:00 – Async/Await, APIs, and What the Event Loop Actually Does
35:00 – DOM Manipulation vs. JavaScript: What’s Really Going On
38:30 – When to Learn React, Node, and TypeScript
44:00 – Why Testing (Especially Unit Testing) Makes You Stand Out
51:00 – Git, GitHub, and Getting Comfortable with Deployment
56:00 – Stop Being Scared of Errors — Learn to Debug Like a Dev
01:00:00 – Building the Mindset to Learn Forever
01:05:00 – Final Thoughts + Community Q&A Prompt
Struggling to land software engineering interviews—or worse, landing them but not getting the callback? In this game-changing episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel break down the THRIVE framework—a strategy designed to help you crush behavioral interviews and stand out as a top-tier candidate.Danny reveals his THRIVE acronym:Targeted ResearchHonest NarrativesResults FocusInteractive EngagementValidation of AlignmentElevate Impact & Extend the DialogueThey walk through real-world examples, mock interview experiences, storytelling mistakes, and practical ways to improve your resume, LinkedIn, one-on-ones, and technical communication.You'll learn how to:Own the “Tell Me About Yourself” questionUse STAR/CAR frameworks to articulate your impactRead between the lines for team pain pointsTurn interviews into conversations, not interrogationsFollow up like a pro and leave a lasting impressionIf you're tired of sending resumes into the void or bombing interviews despite knowing your stuff—this is the episode you bookmark. Whether you’re a junior dev, mid-level engineer, or transitioning into tech, this episode is packed with actionable strategies that can change your job hunt trajectory.🧠 Bonus: We also answer a question on how to break into global remote jobs as a junior developer.🎙️ Subscribe for more developer career advice, technical breakdowns, and real talk from Leon and Danny.📍 Chapters / Timestamps0:00 - Intro: Why You're Not Getting Interview Callbacks1:16 - Real Stories from Struggling Devs2:14 - Why Behavioral Interviews Matter More Than You Think4:55 - Introducing the THRIVE Framework5:17 - T = Targeted Research: Dig Deeper into the Company13:03 - H = Honest Narratives: Tell Stories with Purpose24:00 - Using STAR and CAR Frameworks for Impact28:07 - R = Results Focus: Show Business Impact with Metrics32:26 - The Developer Log: Document Your Wins Weekly35:00 - Use 1:1s to Get Promoted, Not Just Managed36:59 - I = Interactive Engagement: Make It a Conversation43:04 - Practice Interviewing Like Sales Conversations45:03 - Why Sales & Communication Skills Matter in Tech46:11 - V = Validation of Alignment: Are You the Fit They Need?48:22 - Advocating for Yourself in Interviews52:08 - E = Elevate Impact & Extend the Dialogue54:00 - What to Say When They Ask: “Do You Have Any Questions?”56:45 - Bookending Interviews to Leave a Strong Final Impression1:01:27 - Effort-to-Reward Ratios in Job Hunting1:04:01 - Ask Danny & Leon: Can You Land a Global Remote Job?1:10:14 - Final Thoughts & Outro: Play the Game, Don’t Just Watch
Join hosts Danny Thompson (Director of Technology at This Dot Labs) and Leon Noel (Managing Director of Engineering at Resilient Coders) on The Programming Podcast as they dive into the AI-powered tools transforming their daily workflows—everything from productivity boosters and prompt engineering to hands-free coding and customizable models. They reflect on why "strong opinions held weakly" is a winning mindset, the integration of tools like Whisper Flow, Superhuman, Claude Code, Cursor, Warp, and more, each tailored to their distinct working styles and unique needs. Stay tuned as they unpack how AI is not here to replace developers, but to accelerate them, and demystify which tools offer real ROI versus mere hype. Plus, hear insightful advice on re-entering front-end development, guided by real-world experience from the Dallas tech landscape. Whether you’re an entry-level coder or a seasoned engineer, you’ll walk away ready to rethink your toolbox and workflow in today’s AI-infused environment.⏱️ Chapters & TimestampsTime Segment0:00 Intro: expectations & mindset of “strong opinions held weekly”0:51 Hosts’ intros: Danny & Leon—what they do3:34 Why healthy debate matters—on the podcast and in teams4:27 AI adoption: evolve when evidence shows a better way5:21 Overview: today’s topic — their AI stacks6:08 Leon: AI saving him from legacy code headaches7:39 Tools Leon uses: Whisper Flow, prompts, local LLMs10:06 Leon’s AI-enhanced code stack: Canva, Remove BG, Cursor12:54 Danny: voice-to-text workflows, prompt strategy14:00 AI for communication tone-checking18:18 Superhuman: email automation and sponsorship workflow21:51 Concerns & control: bring-your-own AI models at work24:00 Danny’s model breakdown: strengths of GPT, Anthropic30:58 Claude Code: top performer for coding31:59 DIY dev experience: VS Code + Root Code extension34:45 Copilot resurgence: Microsoft’s comeback36:26 Cursor Web wins: background agents & ADHD workflow40:27 Warp terminal: infrastructure that keeps tasks running43:45 How they evaluate AI tools—time savings, not perfection46:56 Context & prompt engineering: build better templates first48:51 Q&A: returning to front-end—React + Next.js advice50:31 Market demand: full-stack vs. front-end only roles51:50 Learn by doing: tutorials + personal projects52:40 Outro & farewell🔗 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Whisper FlowSuperhuman (via Grammarly)Claude Code (Anthropic)Cursor & Cursor WebRoot Code extension (VS Code)GitHub CopilotWarp terminal & AI agentsPrompt templates and AI Dev Task repo👍 If you found this discussion helpful:Hit LikeSubscribe for weekly episodesDrop your thoughts or questions in the commentsFollow us on [Twitter X] for updates & bonus content🎧 Available on: Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Google Podcasts • YouTube
In this special three-act deep dive of The Programming Podcast, hosts Danny Thompson (Director of Technology at This Dot Labs) and Leon Noel (Managing Director of Engineering at Resilient Coders) unpack the roller-coaster saga of Windsurf’s attempted acquisition.- Act I covers the OpenAI offer, a jaw-dropping $3 billion deal that promised to supercharge OpenAI’s IDE ambitions, only to be derailed by Microsoft’s pre-existing IP clause granting co-ownership of any new code.- Act II explores Google’s strategic “halo hire”, where Verun Moan sidestepped a full buyout in favor of a $2.4 billion non-exclusive licensing deal that bolsters Gemini without triggering antitrust alarms. - Finally, in Act III, we analyze Cognition.ai’s employee-first acquisition, where key Windsurf engineers joined the Devon team under an ownership-stake model, keeping Windsurf alive and profitable.Stick around for our “Ask Danny & Leon” segment, where we lay out an actionable AI roadmap from advanced prompting techniques and RAG/vector database strategies to core programming principles to help you stay relevant in today’s AI-driven dev landscape.Stay in Touch:📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!Danny Thompsonhttps://x.com/DThompsonDevhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDevwww.DThompsonDev.comLeon Noelhttps://x.com/leonnoelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/https://100devs.org/📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!📖 Chapters / Timestamps0:00 Intro & Three-Act Structure Overview 1:04 Act I Meet Windsurf (What & Why It Matters) 3:47 OpenAI’s \$3 B Acquisition Talks & Market Context 6:01 Windsurf’s \$100 M ARR & IDE Wars Dynamics 8:38 Microsoft’s Hidden IP Co-Ownership Clause Explained 11:40 Deal Collapse: 48 Hours to Ruin 12:05 Act II Google’s “Halo Hire” Strategy 13:27 Licensing vs. Acquisition: Financials & Antitrust 19:03 Google’s Non-Exclusive License & Gemini Integration 23:04 Impact on Enterprise Adoption & Customer Base 24:09 Act III Cognition.ai Acquires Key Talent 26:00 “Aqua Hire” vs. Full Buyout: Talent Over IP 29:03 Employee-First Ownership Model & Vesting 30:52 Meta & the Broader AI Talent Arms Race 33:43 What This Means for AI Tooling Market 36:52 “Ask Danny & Leon” Building Your AI Roadmap 44:03 Deep Dive: Prompting, RAG, Caching & Pre-Fetching 49:08 Core Dev Principles for Effective AI Use 53:12 Sneak Peek: *Practical Developer’s Guide to AI* 54:01 Outro, Viewer Giveaway & Next Episode Teaser
Is it WRONG to work at 4 different tech companies at the exact same time!? This is a very spicy episode, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel dive into the viral story of Soham Parekh—the engineer who somehow landed four tech jobs at the same time., multiple times. We unpack:
Ethics & Overemployment: Is it right or wrong to juggle multiple full-time roles?
Viral Playbook: How Soham’s informal outreach email and Harvard-style resume “gamed” early-stage startups.
Interview as a Game: Why knowing the rules—and playing them—is your biggest advantage.
Networking Secrets: Low-noise, high-signal tactics that beat out 60,000 applicants.
Audience Q&A: Your burning questions on representing yourself vs. outright lying in interviews.
💡 Want more insider tips? Hit Subscribe, smash that Like button, and drop your questions in the comments below!
00:00 Intro & Episode Overview
02:27 Meet Your Hosts: Danny & Leon
04:04 Who Is Soham Par?
05:07 Viral Mixpanel Tweet Breakdown
09:36 Anatomy of the Outreach Email
13:40 Why Early-Stage Startups?
17:05 Can You Really Juggle Four Tech Jobs?
19:28 The Interview Process as a Game
23:50 Deep Dive: Soham’s Resume
29:11 Power of Referrals vs. 60,000 Applicants
32:09 Low-Noise, High-Signal Networking
35:04 Authenticity & Human Connection
46:26 Leading Cohort Teams: Tips & Tactics
55:34 Ask Danny & Leon: Your Questions
56:05 Q&A: Representing Yourself vs. Lying
59:48 Q&A: Humble Bragging & Self-Promotion
1:00:42 Outro & Closing Remarks
In this episode, Danny and Leon are joined by James Quick, Head of Developer Experience at BigCommerce, to unpack all the major announcements from Vercel Ship 2025. We cover:
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial Planning
Changing careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
- The new AI Gateway and what “no vendor lock-in” really means
- Active CPU pricing and how it can save you real money at scale
- Rolling Releases vs. A/B testing for safer, incremental deployments
- Bot ID: Vercel’s AI-powered bot protection for logins, checkouts, and expensive LLM endpoints
- Micro-frontends and how they fit into your Next.js apps
- Sandboxes for isolated testing of AI agents and prototypes
- Plus, stick around for our Ask Danny & Leon Q&A on building a stand-out portfolio and getting your first software role
👍 If you enjoyed this deep dive, hit Like, Subscribe, and ring the 🔔 to never miss an episode!
💬 Drop your questions for the next Ask segment in the comments.
🌐 Follow us on Twitter: @DThompsonDev | @LeonNoel
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & Host Introductions
01:42 – Overview of Vercel Ship 2025
07:08 – AI Gateway: One Endpoint for Every Model
10:22 – Active CPU Pricing: Pay Only for What You Use
14:46 – Rolling Releases: Safer, Incremental Deployments
20:52 – Rolling Releases vs. A/B Testing Explained
24:47 – Bot ID: Invisible AI-Powered Bot Protection
30:03 – Sponsor Break: Level Up Financial Planning
33:07 – UX & Partnership: Why Vercel’s Strategy Matters
36:05 – Sandboxes: Isolated AI & Code Testing
40:03 – The Shift to AI Cloud & Future Workflows
44:47 – Ask Danny & Leon: Portfolio, LinkedIn & Landing Jobs
53:30 – Wrap-Up & What’s Next
Enjoy the show!
In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel dive deep into three key topics that every developer should know right now:
Vercel’s Fluid Compute — What it is, why it matters, and how a single toggle can slash your cloud costs.
JavaScript .map() explained — Not just for beginners! Real-world enterprise use cases and how it protects your original data.
New CSS features — Danny brings in a fresh concept that blew his mind over the weekend.
They also share powerful insights on how to build momentum after a tech conference, including actionable tips to turn casual conversations into long-term relationships.
Finally, Danny shares his AI prompting technique that radically improves the quality of responses from ChatGPT and other tools — and you’ll want to steal this trick.
💡 Whether you're junior or senior, working on side projects or leading enterprise teams, this episode packs in practical advice, strategy, and laughs.
👇 Chapters below — don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review (or hit dislike twice 😉)!
⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters:
0:00 – Intro and janky apps vs. enterprise hacks
1:00 – Podcast kickoff & thank you for 219 5-star reviews
2:30 – Vercel Fluid Compute: Why this one toggle changes everything
4:45 – Multi-threading explained with real examples
7:00 – Impact on React apps, cost savings, and AI workloads
10:00 – Enterprise-scale architecture shifts
11:00 – JavaScript .map() – Real-world usage breakdown
13:40 – Map vs. original data: what juniors often miss
15:00 – Data protection and use cases with sensitive info
16:50 – Why .map() is like let for arrays
17:30 – React, enterprise component architecture, and separation of concerns
19:00 – CSS concept teaser (covered later or in next episode)
37:00 – How to improve your AI prompts dramatically
38:10 – Danny’s exact prompt to get better ChatGPT responses
39:30 – Ask Danny & Leon: How to keep momentum after a tech conference
41:00 – Leon’s tips: Thank-yous, Twitter lists, and coffee chats
42:00 – Danny’s pre-conference strategy and post-event follow-up
44:00 – Junior vs. senior approaches to networking
46:00 – Funny origin story: How this podcast started from a conference joke
47:00 – Building genuine relationships with thoughtful follow-ups
49:00 – Outro – Thanks for tuning in!
Struggling to learn JavaScript in 2025? You're not alone—and it's not your fault. In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Leon Noel and Danny Thompson break down the real strategies for mastering JavaScript (and TypeScript) in today’s dev landscape. From avoiding tutorial hell to embracing project-based learning, we cover everything you need to finally make progress.
Whether you're just starting out or restarting your coding journey, this episode is packed with hard truths, practical tools, and motivational gems to keep you going—even when it gets tough.
We talk about:
Learning strategies that actually work
Why visual wins matter
When to start learning TypeScript
Why floats still get taught?!
How to avoid false expectations (aka thinking you’re job-ready after one birdhouse)
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!
💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial Planning
Changing careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
⏱️ Chapters:
0:00 – Intro: Two kinds of projects
0:50 – Learning how to learn: Dr. Barbara Oakley
4:15 – Active recall & spaced repetition
7:30 – Building through pain (the right kind)
10:00 – Why JavaScript feels hard
12:00 – JavaScript vs HTML/CSS: Mental shift
13:10 – Should you start with TypeScript in 2025?
16:00 – Project-based learning: The underrated MVP
18:30 – Learning through fumbling: Leon’s take on floats
21:00 – The ES6/legacy debate: Var vs Let/Const
25:00 – Principles over implementation in the AI age
28:00 – Starting with early wins and momentum
31:00 – Why visual feedback is addictive for beginners
34:00 – Learning from different teachers
36:00 – Debunking "learning styles"?
40:00 – Why some formats (like video) just don’t work for everyone
42:30 – Must-know JavaScript resources in 2025
47:00 – FreeCodeCamp, HeroDev, The Odin Project, Full Stack Open
50:00 – Freelancing and the 100-Hour Project
52:30 – Aligning effort with expectations
54:00 – Birdhouses and burnout: Understanding trade-offs
57:30 – Build your learning identity
59:00 – Ask Danny & Leon: Should I travel 3 hours for a first-round interview?
1:05:00 – How to ask for help (and not sound rude)
In this episode, Danny and Leon dive into their firsthand takeaways from the AI Engineer World’s Fair in San Francisco. They share what it felt like to be among the brightest minds shaping the future of AI, why “tiny teams” are the hottest trend right now, and how rapid prototyping tools are changing the game. You’ll hear real-world use cases for AI agents (from meal ordering to personal finance audits), a deep discussion of Model Context Protocol (MCP) and the push for industry standards, plus a glimpse at conversational AI’s next frontier—attaching your bots to phone lines and AR glasses. They also preview the upcoming Commit Your Code conference and cap it off with a listener Q&A on resume and ATS strategies.
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!
💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial Planning
Changing careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Chapters
0:00 Welcome & AI Engineer World’s Fair Overview
4:50 Insights from Tracy Lee & Conference Atmosphere
7:00 “Tiny Teams” & Building Million-Dollar Startups
11:50 AI Agents in Action: Personalized Meal Planning & Finance Tracking
15:54 AI as a Productivity Multiplier, Not a Headcount Cutter
20:02 Model Context Protocol (MCP) & the Need for Standards
22:55 Advancements in Retrieval, Augmentation & Agentic Flows
26:43 This Dot Labs’ New AI Service Offering
30:42 Conversational AI Meets Telephony: Easy Phone Integration
34:50 AR Glasses, Voice AI & the Future of Human–Machine Interaction
35:58 Evaluating Prompts & Information Quality: Why It Matters
37:45 Preview: Commit Your Code Conference Growth & What’s Next
38:08 Listener Q&A: Ask Danny & Leon Segment
42:00 Resume Rescue: ATS Tips & Bullet-Point Best Practices
45:03 Closing Thoughts & Next Episode Teaser
Is HTML, CSS, and JavaScript still enough to land a job in 2025 — especially with AI reshaping everything? Danny and Leon go all in on this question with unfiltered, experience-backed advice that every aspiring developer needs to hear.🔥 Topics we dive into:The real expectations for entry-level devs in today’s marketWhy listing HTML on your resume might actually hurt youHow to develop confidence through "evidence"Why AI tools aren’t the shortcut you think they areWhat actually sets you apart from the competitionAnd why taste, design, and judgment are becoming the new moatWhether you're just starting out or trying to level up, this is the episode that clears the fog and gives you direction.👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you found value!00:00 - The Job Market Is a Fight — Are You Ready?01:20 - The Cost of Wasting Resume Real Estate02:00 - What Employers Assume You Know03:45 - Danny and Leon Introduce the Show05:00 - The Big Question: Is HTML/CSS/JS Still Enough in 2025?06:30 - Leon’s Take: “Yes, but...”08:20 - Danny’s Take: “No, and here’s why...”10:00 - Why Most People Asking This Question Are Stuck in JS11:00 - The Decline of Frontend-Only Roles12:20 - Fullstack Is the New Baseline13:30 - What Grads from 100Devs & Resilient Coders Are Actually Learning14:15 - HTML/CSS on Resumes? It’s a Red Flag16:00 - Focus on Achievements, Not Basics17:30 - Why TypeScript and Deeper Skills Matter More Than Ever19:00 - If You’re Missing Resume Wins… Go Make Them20:00 - Why We're Blunt: It's About Getting You Hired21:00 - AI Tools Won’t Replace Hard Work22:30 - Designers & Frontend Devs Are About to Thrive Again24:00 - Taste and Judgment Will Be the Competitive Edge25:00 - Software’s Moat Is Still There — Use It to Your Advantage26:45 - Ask Danny & Leon: “How Do I Fit In as a 19-Year-Old?”28:00 - Confidence Comes from Evidence29:40 - Stop Applying for Internships if You're Not in College31:00 - New Blood and Enthusiasm Are Valuable in Tech32:00 - Final Words: Be Unapologetically Hungry
In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Leon Noel and Danny Thompson dive deep into how to get the most out of tech conferences — including unique strategies used at Commit Your Code, what it really takes to build a network from scratch, and how AI is completely changing the developer landscape.
From portable mini golf to prompt cards that kickstart conversations, Danny unveils how CYC is engineered to spark real connections — not just QR-code scans. Then, the duo unpacks Google I/O 2025, including wild use cases for AI-generated video, Android XR glasses, and what companies are really doing with AI budgets (spoiler: it’s not layoffs).
Whether you're a developer looking to network better, a freelancer trying to close more deals, or just someone curious about how AI is disrupting everything — this episode is for you.
🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!
💡 Sponsor: Level Up Financial Planning
Changing careers or increasing your income? Get financial clarity with Level Up Financial Planning—helping early and mid-career tech professionals secure their financial future. Visit LevelUpFinancialPlanning.com for a free consultation!
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Chapters:
00:00 - Strategy for Building Real Connections at Conferences
01:45 - Introducing Commit Your Code & This Year’s Upgrades
03:10 - Mini Golf as a Networking Tool? Here’s Why
04:30 - Free Professional Headshots & The Morning Connect
05:25 - Prompt Cards & the “Start in the Middle” Philosophy
06:15 - The 5-Minute Pass System for Intros
07:50 - How Employers Are Involved at CYC
09:40 - Leon’s Early Networking Strategy: Never Eat Alone
11:00 - The Power of Volunteering at Conferences
13:00 - Shifting the Focus from Collecting Contacts to Creating Relationships
14:15 - “Read the Room” & Breathers During Conversations
15:30 - Making Conferences Less Awkward and More Genuine
16:55 - Transitioning from Online to In-Person Relationships
18:00 - From CYC to Google I/O: Huge Shifts in Tech
20:10 - AI-Generated Video and the Wild Future of Media
21:55 - AI Search and the Changing Behavior Around Google
23:30 - Real-Time Translation with Android XR Glasses
25:05 - Will Smart Glasses Finally Go Mainstream?
27:00 - Google’s Ecosystem Advantage in AI Integration
29:00 - Why Google Glass Was Too Early
30:50 - Stripe Sessions & Corporate AI Investments
32:30 - AI as a Productivity Tool, Not a Layoff Excuse
34:15 - Freelance Client Discovery: Ask the Right Questions
36:00 - What Makes a $30K+ Project Work
37:40 - From $1.8K Projects to $275K+ Consulting Deals
39:10 - Auditing AI-Generated Code Responsibly
40:15 - Why Now Is the Time to Learn AI Tools as a Developer
42:00 - Final Thoughts: Real Problems great than Shiny Tech
43:00 - Ask Danny & Leon: Questions to Ask Freelance Clients
In this power-packed episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson (Director of Technology at This Dot Labs) and Leon Noel (Managing Director of Engineering at Resilient Coders) break down everything you need to know to get your first job in tech.
We go deep on:
- Recruiter secrets
- Nailing behavioral interviews
- Technical interview mindset
- Salary negotiation mistakes
- Job hunt strategy
- Real stories from our own journeys
Whether you're just getting started or stuck mid-hunt, this episode is your ultimate job search survival guide—with no fluff, just the actionable truth.
We also share what it's like building free communities like 100Devs and Commit Your Code, why most people aren't prepared for their interviews, and how vibes (yes, vibes!) play a bigger role in hiring than you think.
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
🎙️ Subscribe for more real talk about tech, careers, and making it in software.
⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 – Intro: Why We’re Still Not Monetized
01:03 – Do NOT Sign Exclusive Recruiter Agreements
02:17 – Why Some Get Jobs Fast (And Most Don’t)
03:36 – Reflections on the Biggest Guest Episode Ever
05:00 – What Recruiters Really Do & Why They Can’t Mentor You
09:48 – How to Prepare for Interview #1
12:00 – What “Being One of the Two” Really Takes
14:45 – Honest Audit: Are You Actually Job Ready?
17:00 – How to Strategize Your Resume & LinkedIn for Interviews
21:00 – Behavioral Interview Tips That Actually Work
23:00 – The Power of “Tell Me About Yourself”
26:00 – Why You Must Research Companies Before Interviewing
28:00 – Turning Interviews into Conversations
30:00 – Asking the Right Questions (and the Wrong Ones)
34:00 – How to Practice Behavioral Interview Questions
36:00 – The Ball Rolling: Following Up the Smart Way
38:00 – Momentum is Everything (Don’t Overinvest in One Job)
40:00 – The Sales Mentality Behind a Successful Job Hunt
42:00 – Technical Interviews: Think Out Loud or Fail Silently
45:00 – The Real Point of the “Soft Tech / Half-Behavioral” Round
48:00 – Storytime: Danny’s YouTube Startup Interview
51:00 – Salary Negotiation on Your First Job
54:00 – Why Your 3rd Job Will Always Outpay Your First
58:00 – The Six-Figure First Job Trap (And Why It’s Misguided)
1:01:00 – Optimize for the Long Game, Not the Big Number
1:04:00 – Listener Question: Finding Your Why & Your Path
1:07:00 – Time Management & Tech as a Launchpad
1:10:00 – Why You’re Struggling with JavaScript Right Now
1:13:00 – Building Something Real While Still Learning
1:15:00 – Never Overpromise to Clients
1:17:00 – Why Motivation Won’t Save You—Discipline Will
1:18:20 – Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts
In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel are joined by special guest Santiago, a machine learning engineer and teacher of the Machine Learning School cohort, for one of the most actionable and grounded AI discussions in tech today.
We cut through the hype and dive deep into:
- How AI is (and isn’t) replacing developers
- Using AI as a co-pilot vs letting AI drive
- Vector databases, embeddings, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Model Context Protocol (MCP), agent-based systems, and why no one agrees on what an agent is
- The underhyped power of edge ML and TinyML
- Real-world agent use cases (like automating DocuSign workflows)
- Getting started with AI as a developer today — beyond building chatbots
Follow our Guest Co-host:
https://x.com/svpino
https://www.ml.school/
https://www.youtube.com/@UCgLxmJ8xER7Y7sywMN5SfWg
This episode is loaded with insights for junior devs, industry veterans, and anyone curious about building real AI-enhanced applications.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more developer-first conversations!
⏱️ Timestamps & Chapters:
0:00 – Will AI Replace Software Developers?
0:45 – Embracing AI as a Developer Tool
2:00 – Meet the Hosts and Guest (Danny, Leon, Santiago)
3:20 – Leon’s AI Skepticism Journey
4:30 – Why “AI Won’t Replace You, But Someone Using It Might”
6:30 – Becoming a Solo Builder at Scale with AI
8:15 – Real Examples of Using AI to Get More Done
9:45 – AI and the Power of Prototyping
11:00 – AI Co-pilot vs. You Co-piloting AI
13:00 – Future of Tools Built for AI (MCP, A2A)
14:40 – Shifting Between Developer Modes with AI
17:00 – Intro to Vector Databases & Embeddings
20:45 – What is Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)?
23:00 – Large Context Windows vs RAG: Is RAG Still Relevant?
25:30 – Indexing Speed & Clustering Explained with Spice Rack Analogy
27:50 – Why Grounding Matters (Reducing Hallucinations in LLMs)
31:00 – The Importance of the Ingestion Layer
32:10 – Other Crucial AI Trends: MCP, Agent-to-Agent
33:00 – Defining AI Agents (Why No One Agrees)
35:00 – The Browser Wars of Agent Definitions
36:30 – Overhyped vs Underrepresented AI Concepts
38:00 – Specialized Tools for AI Builders
39:45 – Agents Will Be the Next Microservices
41:00 – Real-World Example: AI + DocuSign + Slack + Asana Integration
43:00 – Underhyped: TinyML and AI on Edge Devices
45:00 – Apple’s Adapter Strategy with LoRA Models
47:00 – Companies Aren’t Ready to Train Custom Models Yet
48:30 – Santiago’s Current AI Stack: Cursor, Windsurf, Tracer, and More
50:30 – Specialized Tools for GitHub Issues, Jupyter Notebooks
52:20 – Fine-Tuning Tools & Lightweight Model Training (DPO, RLHF)
54:00 – Ask Danny, Leon & Santiago: How to Get Started in AI
55:00 – First Project Ideas: RAG with YouTube, Building MCP Servers
58:00 – Easy Agent Idea: Email Filter for Promotions
59:00 – Leon’s Learning Stack: FastAI, MCP Docs, Replicate
1:00:00 – Danny’s Favorite Beginner Project: Alt Text Generator
1:00:25 – Wrap-Up and Goodbye
"It's Not Just You!" This is one of our most powerful episodes yet.
🔥 Real advice. Real experience. Real value. Hit that like & subscribe button to support more episodes like this!
Follow our guest cohosts!
Jeremy Parker:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrobinparker/
Pariss Chandler:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pariss-chandler/
Black Tech Pipeline: https://blacktechpipeline.com/
Leah Thompson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahtcodes
https://x.com/leahtcodes
https://twitch.tv/leahtcodes/
Yoo Jin (Yoon) Bae:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/bae-yoojin/
Zac Wilson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachery-wilson-792bb01b5/
https://seedgeni.us
NEW SITE https://www.programmingpodcast.com/
Stay in Touch:
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
Danny Thompson
https://x.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.linkedin.com/in/DThompsonDev
www.DThompsonDev.com
Leon Noel
https://x.com/leonnoel
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonnoel/
https://100devs.org/
📧 Have ideas or questions for the show? Or are you a business that wants to talk business?
Email us at dannyandleonspodcast@gmail.com!
In this episode of The Programming Podcast, Danny Thompson and Leon Noel are joined by an all-star panel of developers who broke into tech from completely non-traditional paths. From wax specialists and restaurant managers to teachers and project managers, this group didn’t just survive—they thrived.
We get raw, real, and ridiculously honest:
The lowest moments in their journey
Why failing interviews was the best thing that ever happened
How to navigate the AI wave without getting left behind
The truth about DevRel, layoffs, and today’s job market
How networking, community, and building in public changed everything
If you're learning to code, changing careers, or struggling to break into tech—this episode is for you. You'll walk away with not just hope, but a blueprint.
🔥 Subscribe to The Programming Podcast for more real talk like this.
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.
⏱️ YouTube Chapters
0:00 The Truth About Breaking into Tech
1:14 Meet the Co-Hosts & Guests
3:21 How Everyone Got Into Tech
13:14 “Rock Bottom” Moments That Changed Everything
25:01 What They Wish They Learned Earlier (Hint: Testing & Fundamentals)
30:46 How AI Is Changing Tech Careers (And What to Do About It)
32:23 Smart Ways to Upskill with AI
39:17 Mental Health, Burnout, and Bad Weeks in Tech
45:47 How to Actually Break Into Tech in 2025
48:53 The Power of Networking & Building in Public
51:05 Unexpected Job Wins Through Community
54:00 Real Talk: The Market Has Changed (And Won’t Go Back)
58:45 Are You Ready for the New Reality of Tech Hiring?
1:04:00 “You Just Bombed Your Interview”—What We’d Say on the Bus
1:11:55 Final Stories, Motivation, and Getting That Bread
