Episodes

Latest Episode
To AI Assist or not to AI Assist?

To AI Assist or not to AI Assist?

Episode 55 · · 43:28

CJ and Colin chat about AI tools and coding environments. Pros and cons, daily workflows, and challenges of various AI-driven coding tools like VS Code, Cursor, and Copilot.We also t...

Personal Knowledge Management (Second Brain)

Personal Knowledge Management (Second Brain)

Episode 54 · · 40:02

In this episode, you'll learn about the PARA Method for organizing your notes and tasks, emphasizing the importance of balancing craftsmanship with delivering real customer value. Di...

Our Daily Drivers: Hardware and Software Edition

Our Daily Drivers: Hardware and Software Edition

Episode 53 · · 36:42

In this episode, Colin and CJ discuss their audio and video setups, ideal microphones, cameras, and software for content creation. They dive into the specifics of the equipment they ...

Rails 20th Anniversary, Writing Culture

Rails 20th Anniversary, Writing Culture

Episode 52 · · 42:27

In this episode, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ruby on Rails, reflecting on its impact and vibrant community. We share Rails origin stories from the late 2000s and early 2010s...

DevRelCon, Red Eyes, and Enums

DevRelCon, Red Eyes, and Enums

Episode 51 · · 44:01

We discuss visiting NYC, DevRelCon, red-eye flights, and why enums are terrible.Some of the bits and bobs mentioned in this episode:- DevRelCon - Chef's Table (S2E1 Grant Achatz) / A...

Two Years of Build & Learn

Two Years of Build & Learn

Episode 50 · · 43:36

We're celebrating our 50th episode and two years of podcasting. In this milestone episode, we reflect on what has kept us consistent, our laid-back approach to podcasting, and give a...

Enum Types, Coworking Software, and more Atomic Habits

Enum Types, Coworking Software, and more Atomic Habits

Episode 49 · · 41:34

Producer's note: This episode should have gone out as episode 48 ahead of Webhooks! This is our missing episode. Join us next episode for episode 50!Colin has a fitness update: worki...

Webhooks!

Webhooks!

Episode 48 · · 39:29

In this episode, you'll learn about webhooks and how they enable event-driven integrations. We cover webhooks, how they work, and best practices for providers and consumers.Topics:- ...

Summer Fit Check, Cron Schedulers, and Sample Apps

Summer Fit Check, Cron Schedulers, and Sample Apps

Episode 47 · · 44:52

CJ and Colin with the summer updates and fitness check-in. We dive into cron jobs, scheduling those jobs with various tools and services and best practices for when/how to cron.- Sum...

Monoliths, GraphQL, Next.js, and DevRel Insights

Monoliths, GraphQL, Next.js, and DevRel Insights

Episode 46 · · 38:47

Colin and CJ explore the ongoing debate between monolithic architectures versus API-driven frontends, touching on the pros and cons of GraphQL and REST. The conversation also covers ...

Last RailsConf, Gameboy Nostalgia, and Platform Risk

Last RailsConf, Gameboy Nostalgia, and Platform Risk

Episode 45 · · 47:19

This week, CJ and Colin talk about content clickbait, Gameboy nostalgia, and the in-vogue topic of AI/LLMs. CJ dives into some cautionary tales around more API integrations and his s...

Slow Productivity, Write The Docs

Slow Productivity, Write The Docs

Episode 44 · · 40:23

In this episode, you'll hear about the Write the Docs conference in Portland, a must-attend for anyone in the tech writing community. CJ and Colin chatted about the unique, community...

APIs, Acquisitions, and Event Emitters

APIs, Acquisitions, and Event Emitters

Episode 43 · · 40:57

This week, we discuss building companies on top of API integrations and recent acquisitions that we've been following closely and dig into some tech we're both using in our daily wor...

GDC, Buckets, and more calendars

GDC, Buckets, and more calendars

Episode 42 · · 42:08

In this episode, Colin shares insights from the Game Developers Conference (GDC) on cutting-edge technologies like motion capture and AI-powered game creation. We'll chat candidly ab...

Digital homesteading, Discord SDKs and more house stuff

Digital homesteading, Discord SDKs and more house stuff

Episode 41 · · 50:36

In this episode, we talk about that subscription fatigue that is coming for us all. CJ has been working on some homesteading projects, including maple syrup harvesting and an AI bird...

Campfire Code Read

Campfire Code Read

Episode 40 · · 36:39

In this episode, we'll dive into the codebase of Campfire, a product released by the 37signals (now Basecamp) team. Sharing our initial impressions of the codebase hitting some of th...

Creating vs Consuming, Consistency & Fitness

Creating vs Consuming, Consistency & Fitness

Episode 39 · · 46:43

This week, Colin and CJ discuss how differently we can feel when we get caught in the mindless doomscrolling traps of consuming content rather than creating things, interacting with ...

Performance review season, OpenAPI, Twilio, and calendar app

Performance review season, OpenAPI, Twilio, and calendar app

Episode 38 · · 38:13

In this episode of Build and Learn you'll hear CJ and Colin discuss the following:CJ's weekend project of installing new kitchen cabinets. They share the DIY process of customizing a...

Our Daily Drivers: The Tools We Use

Our Daily Drivers: The Tools We Use

Episode 37 · · 43:24

2024! This week, we're sharing the various tools we use day-to-day in our work and side projects. Let us know if you have any favorites on Twitter @buildandlearn_BuildingCJ: working ...

Co-Founders, Layoffs, Ruby Memory, Docs Product

Co-Founders, Layoffs, Ruby Memory, Docs Product

Episode 36 · · 39:06

In this episode, we'll touch on office setup and soundproofing, with a focus on effective techniques and materials. We talk about the challenges and strategies in finding non-technic...

 Replacing Mint, Finishing Things & Vim

Replacing Mint, Finishing Things & Vim

Episode 35 · · 40:23

Chris and Colin wrap up 2023 chatting about personal finance, website annotations, vim and a growing need to "finish" something over starting yet another thing.Replacing Mint Colin i...

Advent of Code, Economic Development

Advent of Code, Economic Development

Episode 34 · · 37:38

In this episode, Colin and CJ discuss their experience with Advent of Code challenges. They use it as a virtual meetup for their local developer group and the value of solving proble...

Coworking: Grit or Quit & Polish Week at Craftwork

Coworking: Grit or Quit & Polish Week at Craftwork

Episode 33 · · 48:47

This week we're digging into when to hold on and when to call it quits when it comes to a business. The team at Craftwork is paying down tech debt with Polish week. We also chat abou...

AI launches, Docs, Calendars

AI launches, Docs, Calendars

Episode 32 · · 40:57

In this episode, we catch up on recent tech events, discussing in detail the AI launches at both OpenAI and GitHub. We chat about the Hu.ma.ne AI pin, and touch on GitHub Universe. W...

Mint Shutting Down, Project Catchup

Mint Shutting Down, Project Catchup

Episode 31 · · 44:24

Episode 31Intuit is apparently shutting down Mint, pushing folks to Credit Karma Colin's school bus updateBuildingCJ is continuing to build out a comms center for managing customer c...

Building Tools and Staying Accountable

Building Tools and Staying Accountable

Episode 30 · · 33:12

In this episode, we'll share updates and talk about what we're learning and working on. First up, is the exciting prospect of buying a short school bus and converting it into a fun p...

Shiny New Tech: LLMs, iPhones and Ray Bans

Shiny New Tech: LLMs, iPhones and Ray Bans

Episode 29 · · 47:29

No cut off date + multi-modal ChatGPTGenerating AI voices with ElevenLabsLooking cool with New Ray Ban + Meta Smart Glasses?Making an epic screencast set up with Screencasting.com fr...

On Learning

On Learning

Episode 28 · · 32:48

This time around Colin and CJ talk about learning styles and how to learn to learn. We highlight a documentation framework called "Diataxis," which provides a structured approach to ...

Everything Old Is New Again & Niching Down

Everything Old Is New Again & Niching Down

Episode 27 · · 32:27

It's the One Year Anniversary of Build & Learn! In this episode we chat about refreshing OAuth tokens and building CRM features with SMS/voice APIs. CJ and Colin also talk about the ...

Calendar Discord Bot and Turbo Stream Gotchas

Calendar Discord Bot and Turbo Stream Gotchas

Episode 26 · · 40:52

In this episode you'll hear about Colin's adventure of building a Google Calendar Discord bot using CloudFlare, mastering Google Calendar APIs, and navigating serverless Postgres wit...