In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Andreas Panopoulos — Staff Software Engineer at Hack the Box and co-organizer of Vue.js Athens — joins Dan to share his journey from building jQuery landing pages to leading frontend teams powered by Vue.Andreas walks us through the evolution of Vue.js, from version 2 to 3, and how features like the Composition API and TypeScript support transformed developer experience. He shares what it was like to rewrite Hack the Box’s Academy platform on Nuxt 3, why Vue scales for millions of users, and what performance practices every frontend team should keep in mind.We also dive into the human side of engineering: why understanding the basics of JavaScript is essential even when using frameworks, how public speaking and community organizing can accelerate growth, and why keeping things simple often beats overengineering.Along the way, Andreas reflects on lessons learned from his early career, his transition to staff engineer, and the role of community in shaping modern engineering culture.🎯 Whether you’re a Vue enthusiast, frontend engineer, or developer community organizer, this episode is packed with practical insights and stories from the trenches.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Andreas Panopoulos02:56 Andreas's Journey into Programming09:52 Transitioning to Frontend Development17:52 Current Role at Hack the Box21:41 Vue 2 vs Vue 3: A Developer's Perspective26:13 Lessons Learned from Early Career30:21 Transition to Staff Engineer34:46 Project Updates and Future Plans35:54 Understanding Hack the Box38:25 Security Practices in Development39:47 Performance and User Experience42:03 Vue's Popularity in Athens46:12 Business Logic and Frameworks47:27 Challenges in Finding Speakers52:26 Public Speaking Experiences56:34 Relaxation and Personal Interests58:00 Book RecommendationsFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#vuejs #vue3 #nuxt #frontenddevelopment #javascript #hackthebox #softwareengineering #webdevelopment #engineeringculture #señorsatscaleDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. Are you using Vue at scale in your team? Share your experience below 👇

In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Faris Aziz — Staff Front-End Engineer at Small PDF, international speaker, and co-founder of ZurichJS — joins Dan to talk about scaling both frontend architecture and engineering culture.Faris shares his unconventional journey from CrossFit trainer to software engineer, and how personal projects became his gateway into tech. He opens up about the realities of working on applications serving 30 million+ users, why BFF architecture is such a powerful pattern for managing data between front-end and back-end, and the hidden pitfalls of performance when building with React and Next.js.We also dig into the human side of architecture: how observability, error management, and developer experience shape reliable systems; why ownership and accountability drive better outcomes than process checklists; and how stress can be reframed when you work in a culture of trust.And beyond code, Faris reflects on community: what it takes to co-found a thriving JavaScript meetup in Zurich, why meetups are “mini start-ups,” and how community building fuels personal and professional growth.🎯 Whether you’re a frontend engineer, engineering manager, or developer community organizer, this episode is packed with architectural insights and real-world lessons from the trenches.---Chapters00:00 Introduction to Faris Aziz and His Journey05:46 From Fitness to Coding: The Bootcamp Experience08:33 Building Personal Projects and Learning by Doing11:28 The Impact of Global Work Culture on Engineering14:24 Co-founding ZurichJS: Building Community in Tech19:57 Technical Insights: React vs. Next.js at Scale25:38 Scaling Challenges in Data Representation31:35 Understanding the BFF Architecture40:44 Authentication and Security in BFFs43:30 Comparing BFF with GraphQL and TRPC49:09 Innovative UI Approaches in Application Development51:27 A Day in the Life of a Staff Engineer52:13 Strategic Engineering at Scale55:46 Managing Stress and Engineering Culture01:01:06 Finding Balance in High-Stakes Environments01:05:37 Book Recommendations and Personal Insights---Follow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#frontend #nextjs #bffarchitecture #javascript #react #softwaredevelopment #engineeringculture #techevents #zurichjs #webdevelopment #señorsatscaleDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. Have you ever built — or struggled with — frontend architecture at scale? Share your experience below 👇

In this episode of Señors @ Scale, Aris — founder of CityJS and longtime community builder — joins Dan to talk about the journey from small local meetups to organizing one of the fastest-growing global JavaScript conferences.Aris shares his unlikely path into programming, starting as a basketball-loving student in Greece with no computer at home, to innovating on the job with early Java projects, and eventually embracing frontend frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue. Along the way, he reflects on the competitive yet collaborative nature of programming, the evolution of the frontend ecosystem, and why choosing the “best” framework often depends less on hype and more on context.We dig into the heart of community building: why meetups matter beyond the pizza, how to create opportunities for first-time speakers, and the hidden challenges of finding sponsors and keeping attendees engaged. Aris also opens up about the leap from organizing monthly gatherings to running large-scale international conferences, and why he believes conferences should be treated as professional training — not optional perks.🎯 Whether you’re a frontend developer, a meetup organizer, or simply curious about what it takes to build thriving developer communities, this conversation offers a rare inside look at the messy, human, and rewarding world of tech events.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Name Origins04:14 Aris's Journey into Programming06:56 First Job and Early Experiences09:32 Transition to Frontend Development12:23 Framework Preferences and Ecosystem14:56 Meetups and Community Building17:44 The Importance of Networking20:11 Organizing Meetups and Conferences22:54 Creating Opportunities for New Speakers25:41 Challenges in Meetup Attendance27:32 Sponsorship Strategies for Meetups34:28 Transitioning from Meetups to Conferences39:37 The Value of Conferences for ProfessionalsFollow & Subscribe:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/senorsatscale/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neciudev🎙 Podcast URL: https://neciudan.dev/senors-at-scale📬 Newsletter: https://neciudan.dev/subscribe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neciudan💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/se%C3%B1ors-scale/#javascript #conferences #developercommunity #frontend #meetups #cityjs #softwareengineering #techevents #communitybuilding #señorsatscale #webdevelopmentDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more engineering stories from the front lines. Have you ever spoken — or wanted to speak — at a tech meetup or conference? Share your experience below 👇