In this episode, James Quick and Amy Dutton chat with James Cowling, co-founder of Convex, about designing infrastructure for product engineers. James explains the innovative features of Convex, including its JavaScript-based queries and real-time data subscriptions, and compares it to Firebase. They also discuss the challenges of edge computing, the importance of user state, and the role of AI in modern development.

[00:00:00] - Introduction to the Episode

[00:01:00] - James Cowling’s Background and Convex Overview

• Convex

[00:01:52] - Deep Dive into Convex

[00:05:29] - User State and Application Development

[00:07:05] - Challenges of Edge Computing

[00:09:53] - Automatic Caching and Real-Time Updates

[00:13:22] - AI and Backend Integration

[00:17:01] - Leveraging AI in Applications

[00:21:11] - Convex’s Infrastructure and Technology

[00:25:28] - Comparisons with Other Platforms

[00:30:03] - Server Rendering and Data Storage

[00:33:19] - Physical Challenges in Data Centers

[00:37:04] - Cost Efficiency and Cloud Platforms

[00:40:56] - Final Thoughts on Infrastructure

[00:43:30] - Picks and Plugs Introduction

[00:44:11] - James Cowling’s Picks and Plugs

[00:45:41] - Amy Dutton’s Picks and Plugs

[00:48:28] - James Quick’s Picks and Plugs

In this episode, hosts Amy and Brad discuss the the things they're afraid of missing out on within the dev ecosystem. Then, they discuss how they're using AI to enhance their own productivity with Custom GPTs.

Postman is an API platform for building and using APIs. Postman simplifies each step of the API lifecycle and streamlines collaboration so you can create better APIs—faster.

00:00 Intro

00:38 Sponsor: Postman

1:07 Developer FOMO

• Chantastic interviews Theo: Theo's Unexpected Advice about YouTube
• The Hard Parts of Building an Application, Made Easy with Supabase
• Michael Chan's Talk on Storybook: Tame the Component Multiverse
• React Server Components Now in RedwoodJS
• Episode 173: From Blog Post to VC Funding: The Story of Unkey

22:39 AI Tools and Enhancing Workflows

• Anthropropic's Prompt Guide
• OpenAI Prompt Guide
• Cloudflare Playground for AI Workers

31:51 Slow Productivity

• Episode 68: Developer Productivity, Featuring Brad Garropy
• Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
• Cal Newports Podcast: Deep Questions
• Brad's 2024 Goals

47:09 Picks and Plugs

Amy

• Pick:
  • Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal
  • Deep Dive: Ali Abdaal Interviews Cal Newport
  • Deep Questions: Cal Newport Interviews Ali Abdaal
  • Deep Dive: Ali Abdaal Interviews Jodi Cook, author of Ten Year Career
• Plug: Two Week Build

Brad

• Pick: Apple TV
• Plug: Brad Garropy on YouTube

54:11 Wrap-Up

James Perkins, co-founder of Unkey, talks about turning a potential blog post into a full-fledged business that simplifies API management for developers. Throughout the episode, he explains the core features of Unkey, the importance of VC funding, and the realities of startup life, including balancing workloads and managing a globally distributed team.

Postman is an API platform for building and using APIs. Postman simplifies each step of the API lifecycle and streamlines collaboration so you can create better APIs—faster.

Attend their Upcoming Conference - April 30 - May 1, 2024 in San Francisco. Amy and James will be there in person.

0:00 Intro
0:47 Sponsor: Postman
1:41 Background and Overview of Unkey
3:20 Unkey's Features
3:34 Origin Story of Unkey
10:10 VC Interaction and Scaling Up
16:38 Unkey's Core Features and Technical Setup

• Mintlify for Documentation39:19 Challenges and Rewards of Startup Life

45:34 Future Plans and Scaling

48:16 Picks and Plugs

• James Perkins' Picks and Plugs:
  • RISE Calendar (tool for managing time zones and flexible scheduling)
  • Unkey (API management platform)
• Brad's Picks and Plugs:
  • Pupford treats for puppy training
  • Brad Garropy on YouTube
• Amy's Picks and Plugs:
  • Batteries for Mac App
  • Amy's YouTube Channel