JSJ 403: Why Developers Need Social Skills with Mani Vaya

AI is writing more of our code than ever before—but should we actually trust it? In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sat down with Itamar Friedman from Codo (formerly Quoto) to dig into one of the biggest questions developers are wrestling with right now: What happens when AI is generating code, reviewing code, and shaping how we ship software?We explore where AI fits into modern code review, whether developers should be worried about job security, and how human responsibility still plays a critical role—even in an AI-powered workflow. From guardrails and quality standards to the future of agent-driven development, this conversation goes beyond hype and gets into what’s actually working today (and what still needs a human in the loop).AI isn’t replacing developers—it’s changing how we build, review, and take ownership of software. If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to rate, follow, share, and review JavaScript Jabber. It really helps the show, and it helps more developers join the conversation. Thanks for listening—and we’ll see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

24 Dec 46min

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, Steve Edwards and I kick things off by catching up on life — from winter weather and marathon training to health journeys, CrossFit, and some behind-the-scenes personal stories that shaped how we think about wellness and longevity. After warming up, we shift our focus to the state of the tech job market, something both of us have been watching closely and experiencing firsthand.We dive into the challenges developers are facing today — especially juniors — and compare our hiring and job-hunting experiences, the impact of AI on resumes and screening, the slowdown in bootcamps, and why the industry feels different than it did even a few years ago. We also unpack economics, incentives, and business realities affecting hiring, plus what developers should be doing right now to stand out.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

10 Dec 1h 4min

In this episode, I sit down with developer and speaker Sagi Carmel to dive deep into Astro, why it’s gaining so much traction, and how it compares to frameworks like Next.js, Nuxt, Remix, and SvelteKit. We explore what makes Astro uniquely powerful — from its server-first approach and island architecture to its simplicity, speed, and ability to integrate with any front-end framework you want.Sagi also walks me through real-world use cases, including how he built Israel’s official Census website with Astro, why scoped CSS and server components simplify the development experience, and how tools like HTMX and view transitions make web UX buttery smooth. If you’ve been curious about Astro, this conversation is a terrific deep dive into both its fundamentals and its advanced capabilities.🔗 Links & ResourcesAstro Documentation: https://astro.buildHTMX: https://htmx.orgLooker (Google Cloud): https://cloud.google.com/lookerBigQuery: https://cloud.google.com/bigquerySagi Carmel on YouTube: @SagiCarmelSagi Carmel on LinkedIn: Search “Sagi Carmel”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

23 Nov 1h 3min

It feels great to finally be back on the mic after a stretch of travel, work, and general chaos, and in this episode we’re diving into a topic that’s been coming up more and more in everyday developer conversations: how to actually use AI in your JavaScript development workflow. This isn’t about adding AI features to your app — it’s about using LLMs and AI-powered tools as part of your day-to-day coding practice.We talk through the tools we each rely on, how they’ve changed the way we write code, where they fall short, and where they can save hours of work. We also dig into the real differences between “AI-assisted coding” and “vibe coding,” the unexpected pitfalls of having AI write your tests, and the growing concerns juniors are facing in a job market that looks very different than it did just a few years ago. If you’re trying to figure out how to work with AI without losing your sanity (or your code quality), this one’s worth a listen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

14 Nov 1h 15min

Hey everyone—it’s Steve Edwards here, and in this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I’m joined by returning guest Feross Aboukhadijeh, founder of Socket.dev, for a deep dive into the dark and fascinating world of open source supply chain security. From phishing campaigns targeting top NPM maintainers to the now-infamous Chalk library compromise, we unpack the latest wave of JavaScript package attacks and what developers can learn from them.Feross explains how some hackers are even using AI tools like Claude and Gemini as part of their payloads—and how defenders like Socket are fighting back with AI-powered analysis of their own. We also dive into GitHub Actions vulnerabilities, the role of two-factor authentication, and the growing need for “phishing-resistant 2FA.” Whether you’re an open source maintainer or just someone who runs npm install a little too often, this episode will open your eyes to how much happens behind the scenes to keep your code safe.🔗 Links & ResourcesSocket.dev – Protect your open source dependenciesFeross Aboukhadijeh on X (Twitter)GitHub Actions Security Best PracticesTruffleHog Blog – On secrets exposure in Git reposBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

1 Nov 1h

In this solo-hosted episode, I (Steve Edwards) dive deep into the world of modern monorepos with special guest Anton Stoychev from Yotpo. Anton shares his journey from the early days of PHP and IE6 nightmares to his current work in front-end infrastructure, performance optimization, and developer tooling.We talk about the challenges of managing dependencies, upgrading tools without breaking your codebase, and the evolution of developer experience across teams and companies. Anton also introduces Breakproof, Yotpo’s open-source monorepo template designed to make dependency management and tool upgrades painless—even when working with multiple Node.js versions, runtimes like Bun and Deno, and complex CI environments.If you’ve ever struggled with upgrading Jest, ESLint, or TypeScript in a large monorepo, or you’re curious how to isolate dependencies to keep your codebase maintainable over time, this episode is a must-listen.🔗 Links & Resources🔧 Breakproof on GitHub: breakproof.dev🧠 Yotpo LTD on GitHub: Yotpo Breakproof Base Monorepo💬 Follow Anton Stoychev: stoychev.dev on BlueSkyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

24 Okt 1h 13min

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sit down with AWS’s Clare Liguori and Erik Hanchett to talk about Kiro, a brand-new AI-powered IDE that’s reimagining the way developers build software. We dive into how Kiro takes “AI-assisted coding” to a new level through spec-driven development — a process that focuses on defining requirements and collaborating with AI to break projects into clear, manageable tasks.We unpack what sets Kiro apart from tools like Cursor and Copilot, explore its supervised vs. autopilot coding modes, and even talk about how it handles UI design, planning, and complex legacy codebases. Clare and Erik share behind-the-scenes insights on how Kiro was built using Kiro itself, what’s coming next for the platform, and how developers can join the early-access community to help shape its future.🔗 Links & Resources:🌐 Kiro Official Site🧠 AWS Developer Advocate TeamBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

9 Okt 43min

In this episode of JavaScript Jabber, I sit down with Dan Shapir and our special guest, Yoni Goldberg, to dive deep into the ever-evolving world of JavaScript testing. Yoni, a consultant who’s worked with over 40 organizations to refine developer workflows, shares valuable lessons learned from helping teams design efficient and reliable tests.We explore emerging trends in testing, including the rise of browser-based test runners, the shift from unit testing toward more integration and component testing, and how modern frameworks like Playwright, Vite Test Browser Mode, and Storybook are changing the way developers think about confidence in their code. We also tackle the role of AI in writing and maintaining tests, the pros and cons of mocking vs. real backends, and why contract testing is becoming essential in 2025.If you’ve ever struggled with flaky end-to-end tests, wondered how to balance speed with confidence, or wanted a clear breakdown of modern testing tools, this conversation will give you practical insights and fresh perspectives to take back to your projects.Links & ResourcesYoni Goldberg’s GitHubGoldbergYoni.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/javascript-jabber--6102064/support.

29 Sep 1h 6min