Simon Grimm explores the future of React Native, focusing on animations, game development, performance improvements, and new ecosystem tools.

Key highlights:

• Reanimated 4 release: features and roadmap.
• Precompiled React Native for iOS arriving in 0.81.
• Expo Router gains native tabs support.
• Building 2D games with Matter.js + Skia.
• UX enhancements like Glass Buttons in Expo UI and extended keyboard controls.
• New Expo community examples: AWS S3 uploads, GraphQL integration.
• Krystof Woldrich joins Expo’s team.
• Major rewrite of Nitro Image for faster media loading.
• Discussion on Claude Code and its evolving AI role in development.

The hosts Chris Coyier and Dave Rupert welcome Tim Farnam, creator of Hot Page, an editing-first tool designed to empower users to learn web development and reduce dependency on large platforms. The discussion delves into Farnam’s journey from traditional print and web news to launching a tech-forward creative tool.

Tim walks through how Hot Page works—including its intuitive page editing interface, use of utility classes over inline styles, and handling of JavaScript + style changes in real time. While not a heavy CMS, it supports repeating elements and page prototypes, delivering a streamlined authoring experience with intention and agility.

The hosts also explore broader topics like design philosophies (e.g., web components, visual styling), how changes are persisted, and their beta release plans. Live editing, aligned with user flow and a code-first mindset, underlines how Hot Page aims to simplify content creation without sacrificing developer control.

Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski share actionable techniques for maximizing productivity with AI-powered coding tools—including Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, and Windsurf. They begin by advising developers to scaffold applications manually to maintain context and recharge ownership over generated code.

The hosts cover advanced prompt crafting: being clear, breaking down tasks, adding <XML> or <tags> to define context more precisely, and building reusable rule sets (e.g., Cursor rules or Copilot rules). They also explain how to automate rule generation from existing codebases and store rules in llm.txt files for consistency across projects.

Further insights include methods to maintain AI chat quality over time: tagging relevant files/functions, feeding execution or error logs back into AI, and avoiding overly long chat sessions by starting fresh threads for new features. These practices help remedy AI drift and improve feedback loops.

In this potluck-style episode, hosts Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski address a range of developer topics:

• requestAnimationFrame: They discuss its appropriate usage for smooth animations and UI updates.
• Code Reviews: The hosts share strategies for conducting effective code reviews, especially in larger teams.
• CSS attr() Function: They explore practical use cases for the CSS attr() function.
• Pre-commit Hooks: The episode covers essential pre-commit checks and their implementation.
• Front-End Development: They debate the increasing pressure for front-end developers to become full-stack.
• Legacy Codebases: The hosts offer advice on managing poorly built codebases with active users.
• GitHub Copilot: They discuss which Copilot features to disable when learning new technologies.
• Email Pre-population: The episode touches on techniques for pre-populating email content using the mailto protocol.
• Browser Preview in VS Code: They provide insights into navigating browser previews within VS Code.
• AI's Impact on Browsing: The hosts speculate on the future of web browsing and the influence of AI.

In this episode, hosts Chris Coyier and Dave Rupert tackle a mix of tooling, browser quirks, and product ambitions. Among the highlights:

• Context in the Dev Console: They explore JavaScript’s unpredictable behavior in console repl-ins vs. script scope and share tips for reliably debugging in browser environments.

• New CodePen Editor: Dave discusses how the redesigned CodePen editor now handles npm package imports, and they debate whether CodePen should automatically “fix” missing imports for users.

• Shopping for a New Browser: Chris recounts testing alternatives to Arc (looking at Orion, SigmaOS, etc.) and shares what matters in modern browser choices.

• Inspiration‑Driven Engineering: They examine how creative motivation and internal design freedom influence engineering workflows—and how that plays out in open-source and startup contexts.

Also mentioned: humidity updates, last-mile internet bottlenecks, and side discussions about Safari battery life, Nuxt, Chrome Canary, and sponsor mention for the Design Tokens Course.

In this episode, Scott and Wes provide a comprehensive guide for developers—especially those new to or skeptical about AI—on how to effectively code with and for AI. They delve into various tools and techniques, including:

• Ghost Text: A feature that allows for real-time text editing in IDEs.
• CLI Agents: Tools like Claude Code, Open Code, and Gemini that facilitate AI interactions via the command line.
• MCP Servers: Servers that enable AI models to access external tools and data.
• GUI Apps: Applications such as v0, Bolt.new, Lovable, and Windsurf that integrate AI functionalities.
• Building with AI: Techniques for creating AI-powered applications, covering topics like prompting, embeddings, and multi-model workflows.
• npm Libraries: Resources like the OpenAI SDK, Langchain, and TensorFlow.js that assist in AI development.

The episode aims to demystify AI development and provide practical insights for integrating AI into coding practices.

Wes and Scott dive into the Model Context Protocol (MCP)—a lightweight, standardized way to expose external tools (like currency converters or file access) to AI systems. They discuss:

• Core components: what MCP is and why it's valuable for AI tool integration.
• Building an MCP server: covering authentication, transport strategies (e.g. standard I/O and Server-Sent Events), and real-time communication.
• Tooling ecosystems: including the MCP Inspector, reusable prompt patterns, and the difference between MCP servers and traditional “tool calling.”
• Use cases: from local vs. remote servers to applying MCP in IDEs and chats, with mentions of libraries like mcp-server-cloudflare and use-mcp.

They wrap the chat by exploring practical MCP providers and tossing in their “sick picks”—Wes recommends Mario KWorld,orld and Scott suggests the anyloop kids’ smartwatch.

In the latest episode, hosts Chris Coyier and Dave Rupert dive into the perennial debate of whether to "wing it" or script video content. They weigh the spontaneity and authenticity of live demos against the polished safety net of edited recordings. The conversation then shifts to streaming setups, comparing tools like Ecamm Live, OBS, and Streamlabs, with insights into ease-of-use and flexibility for creators. Mid-show, they explore new CSS animation composition techniques before closing with thoughtful considerations on anchor positioning in web development.

Throughout the hour‑long episode, listeners get a blend of practical tips and personal opinions—from camera gear like the Canon Mark IV and Sony ZV‑1 to UI decisions for smoother workflows. Chris and Dave deliver a well‑balanced conversation that resonates with both content creators and front‑end developers, emphasizing that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution—only trade-offs.

In this episode, Wes and Scott  take a deep dive into modern web authentication, focusing on the emerging solution Better Auth. They discuss the pitfalls of rolling your own auth systems and explore how Better Auth streamlines secure login by offering built-in plugins, modern features, and a developer-friendly experience that avoids tedious custom setups. The episode walks through specific capabilities of Better Auth:

• A versatile CLI, email support, token hooks, and CAPTCHA integration.
• Robust database connectors and an extensive plugin ecosystem.
• Handy admin UI features and thorough documentation to support integration and customization.

In this episode of Rocket Ship, Simon Grimm delves into the latest developments in the React Native ecosystem, highlighting Unistyles 3.0's powerful styling updates and the introduction of SwiftUI-style filter components. He discusses the integration of Redux DevTools with React Native, the addition of CSS-style animations, and the release of a new Stack component for clean, type-safe flex layouts. The episode also covers updates to the Cursors and UIView Tool for deeper iOS debugging, as well as the reimagined Modals by Hirbod. Simon shares insights into SWM's new React Native RAG package for AI and native integration, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the latest tools and enhancements in the React Native development space.

Beyond technical updates, the episode explores trending topics in the tech community, including the growing hype around Nitro Modules, the future of Strict DOM, and a critical discussion on the Expo framework. Simon also reflects on his personal journey, sharing the release of his Amazon clone app and his upcoming plans for the Essentials project. Listeners can expect a blend of technical insights, community news, and personal anecdotes, making this episode a valuable resource for React Native developers and enthusiasts.