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Ido Evergreen
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Backend Engineering Isn't Dying. It's Evolving || Solomon Eseme
July 28, 2026 · 57:54
THE CONVERSATIONS
A little curiosity goes a long way.
57:54July 28, 2026
Backend Engineering Isn't Dying. It's Evolving || Solomon Eseme
In this episode of Talks with Ido Evergreen, I'm joined by @solomoneseme Solomon Eseme, Senior Backend Engineer and educator, to unpack the realities of backend engineering in the age of AI. We discuss: What backend engineers actually do beyond building APIs Backend as a Service vs traditional backend architecture AI's impact on backend engineering System design and scalability Vendor lock-in and long-term architectural decisions How junior developers should learn backend today The skills AI can't replace Advice for developers building a long-term career Checkout Mastering backend: https://masteringbackend.com/ 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with engineers, founders, and product builders shaping the future of technology. #BackendEngineering #SoftwareEngineering #AI #SystemDesign #Developer #Programming #Podcast #TechPodcast #SolomonEseme #IdoEvergreen
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56:33December 25, 2025
Tanstack AI - Alem Tuzlak
TanStack AI is one of the most talked-about AI SDKs right now, and it’s still in alpha. In this episode, I’m joined by Alem Tuzlak, core maintainer at TanStack and lead on TanStack AI and TanStack DevTools, to break down what TanStack AI actually is, why it was built, and where it’s headed. Follow Alem's on X : https://x.com/AlemTuzlak 00:00 -- Introduction 02:00 – Alem’s background & open-source journey 03:00 – What daily life as an open-source maintainer looks like 07:15 – Why TanStack AI was created 09:50 – How TanStack AI differs from other AI SDKs 13:00 – Type safety, APIs, and DX philosophy 16:30 – Framework-agnostic design explained 19:30 – Learning curve of building AI apps 22:00 – Tool calling and real-world AI workflows 27:30 – Handling new model releases and TypeScript updates 31:15 – Common mistakes developers make with AI 33:10 – How TanStack AI fits into the TanStack roadmap 37:00 – Alpha launch feedback and GitHub growth 39:30 – Hardest parts of maintaining TanStack AI 43:20 – How to contribute to TanStack AI 47:50 – AI tools Alem actually uses 49:00 – Final thoughts and what’s coming next
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57:11December 16, 2025
Software Testing 101 - Artem Zakharchenko
In this new episode, Artem Zakharchenko @kettanaito creator of Mock Service Worker (MSW) and a Testing Instructor at Epic Web join me to break down why testing is the most valuable skill a developer can master. Artem argues that testing is an inseparable part of development, not a chore, and explains how to build trust in your code by writing effective tests. He tackles common developer frustrations, from the fear of over-testing to the headache of flaky tests, and offers his best-kept secrets for maintaining a high-quality test suite using modern tools like Playwright and Vitest. If you're starting your testing journey, dealing with brittle end-to-end tests, or simply looking to elevate your code quality, this conversation is essential viewing! Connect & Resources: Artem's Website: kettanaito.com Artem on X (Twitter): https://x.com/kettanaito?lang=en Artem's Workshops & Articles (Epic Web): EpicWeb.dev/contributors/artem-zakharchenko Timestamp 00:00 Introduction to Testing and Background 03:16 Understanding Software Testing 06:37 Common Misconceptions About Testing 09:40 The Concept of Over-Testing 13:30 Examples of Useless Tests 17:41 Focusing on Business Logic 22:22 The Role of Tools in Testing 24:25 Challenges for New Testers 26:47 Dealing with Flaky Tests 30:00 Understanding Test Driven Development (TDD) 30:55 The Nature of Software Development 33:12 Understanding Test-Driven Development (TDD) 35:46 Testing Before Shipping: Finding the Balance 38:08 Personal Testing Processes and Best Practices 41:07 Naming and Organizing Tests 45:09 Common Mistakes in Testing 47:07 The Future of Testing with AI 51:04 Advice for New Developers on Testing 52:15 Collecting Metrics on Test Coverage 54:15 Upcoming Workshops on Testing
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34:25December 9, 2025
Vibe Coding , MCP and AI Agents - Rizel Scarlett
In this conversation, Rizel Scarlett joins me and dives into how AI is reshaping the way developers work. Rizel walks through what Goose actually is, why MCP matters, and how agents move beyond autocomplete into real autonomy. We get into practical workflows, how to keep agents from hallucinating, what tasks you should hand off vs keep for yourself, and why the Chrome DevTools MCP server changes the game. If you’ve been curious about agentic workflows, vibe-coding, or the future of engineering productivity, this episode lays it out in a way that actually makes sense. Timestamp: 00:00 — introduction 02:45 — What exactly is Goose? 05:10 — How does Goose differ from a normal LLM? 07:58 — Can AI help developers solve harder problems? 09:40 — When should you trust an agent vs doing it yourself? 11:12 — What does a healthy AI-powered workflow look like? 14:40 — What are MCPs and why do they matter? 17:30 — How does the Chrome DevTools MCP server help engineers? 19:55 — What does “vibe coding” actually mean? 23:30 — How do you avoid hallucinations from agents? 25:20 — What are the best ways to use AI in development today? 27:05 — Which tools or workflows are worth learning now? 29:10 — Where is AI tooling heading next?
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43:26November 22, 2025
Uniwind, Unistyles - Jacek Pudysz
In this episode, Jacek Pudysz author of Unistyles and Uniwind breaks it down with real clarity. We get into why styling feels scattered, what Uniwind and Unistyles are actually doing under the hood, and how performance and consistency shape the future of building for mobile. If you work with React Native, or you’ve ever fought with styling on a big codebase, this conversation will make you rethink the whole workflow. Simple, honest, and packed with insights that come from building the tools themselves. Doc: https://uniwind.dev/ https://www.unistyl.es/ *Timeline* *00:00* Intro *00:25* Jacek’s background and how Uniwind started *03:10* The problem with current React Native styling *06:45* Why Uniwind exists and what it fixes *10:20* How Unistyle fits into the bigger picture *14:05* The shift toward web-like styling in React Native *18:30* Performance talk and real bottlenecks *23:15* How Uniwind compiles styles and stays fast *27:40* Cross-platform styling and future possibilities *32:10* The JellyCats example and backend integration *36:00* How the RN ecosystem might change in the next few years *39:45* Practical advice for teams working at scale *42:20* What’s next for Uniwind and Unistyle *45:00* Closing thoughts
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44:08November 9, 2025
React Native, Nativewind - Dan Stepanov
In this episode, I chat with Dan Stepanov, the maintainer behind NativeWind and NativeWind UI. We dive deep into the world of React Native, covering: What React Native really is and how it works across iOS, Android, and the web The evolution of Create Expo Stack and its impact on developer tooling The philosophy behind NativeWind and NativeWind UI, and why they matter for styling and native-feel experiences Challenges and trade-offs in React Native, including platform-specific development and tooling limitations Insights into React Native web and React Strict DOM Tips for developers on when to use React Native and how to approach learning the ecosystem Sneak peek into Dan’s upcoming projects like Plugin Pro, aimed at simplifying native configurations in React Native 🔗 Resources Mentioned: NativeWind: https://www.nativewind.dev Expo: https://expo.dev Create Expo Stack / RN.new Timestamp 0:00 – Intro: React Native’s identity and direction 2:30 – Misconceptions about React Native vs Web 5:15 – React Native Web: strengths and trade-offs 8:40 – Create Expo Stack: evolution and maintenance 12:10 – Native Wind & Native Wind UI: styling with Tailwind 16:25 – When not to use React Native 20:00 – Plugin Pro: automating native project tasks 27:30 – Styling ecosystem trends 32:10 – Future of React Native tooling 37:00 – Advice for new devs 42:00 – Outro Don’t forget to subscribe for more discussions with developers building the future of web and mobile! #ReactNative #NativeWind #MobileDevelopment #Expo #DeveloperTools #FrontendDevelopment #TailwindCSS #ReactNativeUI #ProgrammingPodcast
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YOUR HOST, IDO EVERGREEN
A developer.
An educator.
Always curious.
I sit down with developers and creators to understand the ideas, decisions, and people behind the tools we use. Come for the technology. Stay for the conversation.
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