HTML All The Things - Web Development, Web Design, Small Business
The adventures of Matt Lawrence and Mike Karan through the world of web development, web design, and small business management. As web development agency owners for the better part of a decade, they’ve worked with all sorts of technologies, through the rise of responsive web design, the revolution of serverless computing, and the popularity gain of many no-code tools for small business owners. They commonly discuss foundational web development technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript - including popular frameworks and tools such as Tailwind CSS, Svelte, WordPress, Vue, and more.
Why Flip Phones Still Matter in 2025 | w/ Tom Barrasso
In this episode, Matt sits down with Tom Barrasso from Cloud Phone to explore why flip phones are still relevant in 2025. They discuss the rise of digital detox, who’s using feature phones today, and how developers can still build apps for low-spec devices. From KaiOS and Cloud Phone to nostalgia and screen-time reduction—this is a deep dive into the flip phone revival and the tech powering it.
Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcasts/why-flip-phones-still-matter-in-2025-w-tom-barrasso
Use our affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.
What Junior Web Developers Need to Know About DevOps
Even if you’re not "doing DevOps," understanding it can seriously level up your development career. In this episode, Matt and Mike dive into why every web developer should care about DevOps practices, even at a basic level. They explore how deployment pipelines work, how Git supports safe code changes, and how you can prevent and fix production issues faster. You'll hear real-world examples showing how small habits—like writing good commit messages, checking build logs, and knowing when to rollback—can make you a better teammate and a more reliable developer. Whether you're working with GitHub Actions, Vercel, Jenkin...
The Hype Trap: Why Cutting Edge Isn’t Always the Best Choice
In this episode, Matt and Mike explore the temptation to always chase the latest and greatest in tech—whether it's new frameworks, tools, or workflows that dominate developer discourse. While the buzz can be exciting, blindly adopting bleeding-edge technology can lead to serious downsides like poor documentation, tiny communities, and unstable tools. The guys discuss how these risks affect both personal and client projects, when it's actually worth going cutting-edge, and why it's perfectly okay (and often smarter) to use tried-and-true tech. If you've ever felt FOMO seeing everyone jump to the next hot thing, this one's for you.
...Startups vs Big Tech for Web Developers
In this episode, Mike shares his theory that AI will make it easier to prototype and launch startups, potentially opening more opportunities for developers outside of big tech. Matt and Mike compare working in startups versus big tech across several categories like career growth, pace, culture, job security, and more. Drawing on personal experiences and industry research, they explore how each environment can shape a developer’s career—and how AI might change the game.
Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcasts/startups-vs-big-tech-for-web-developers
The Full Stack of a Website: What Clients Often Overlook
In this episode, Matt and Mike explore the full stack of a website, highlighting what clients often overlook when requesting a new site. While it's easy to focus on what’s visible—like product pages, landing pages, and design elements—the real complexity lies beneath the surface. A professional website requires thoughtful planning around content management systems (CMS), performance optimization, SEO, hosting infrastructure, and security. They dive into how CMS setups vary across industries, how performance issues can impact user experience and search rankings, and why hosting choices matter for scalability and deployment workflows. The conversation also touches on spam p...
Should Kids Learn to Code? With Jonathan Schor
On this episode of HTML All The Things, Jonathan Schor joins us to discuss why coding may be the next essential skill for kids in our tech-driven world. We explore the gamification of coding education, how it engages young learners, and why it could transform traditional teaching methods. Jonathan shares insights on whether coding should be part of elementary school curriculums and addresses concerns about AI’s impact on the future of coding careers. Plus, we look into CodeMonkey’s exciting plans and how it’s shaping the future of coding education.
‍Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podc...
Top 5 Code Editors for Web Developers
Choosing the right code editor can make or break a web developer's workflow. In this episode, we dive into the Top 5 Code Editors for Web Developers—exploring their strengths, quirks, and everything in between. From the widely-loved Visual Studio Code to the blazing-fast newcomer Zed, we discuss which editors could suit your coding style. Whether you're a fan of Vim's keyboard mastery, WebStorm's all-in-one features, or experimenting with modern tools like Cursor, there's something here for everyone. Tune in to find the perfect fit for your development journey!
Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcasts/top-5-code-editors-for-web-developers
My Real-World SEO Checklist for New Websites
In this episode, Matt walks through his real-world SEO checklist for launching new websites—based on the process he followed while preparing a recent client site for launch. He covers everything from SEO titles, meta descriptions, and OG images to page performance, link structure, and content considerations. Along the way, Mike shares some of his own experiences, tools, and hard-earned lessons—like why automatic OG image generation can be a pain and how redirects can impact link equity. Whether you're prepping a site for launch or just want to tighten up your SEO workflow, this episode is packed with prac...
AI in Developer Education: Scrimba's Instant Feedback & Backend Courses w/ Per Borgen
Today we had the pleasure of sitting down with Per Borgen to get his insights and opinions on landing a developer job despite current market challenges. We also got his opinions on how AI is shaping both developer productivity and developer education. As the CEO of Scrimba, an online coding school with over 1 million users, Per has unique insights into not only web development, but also the challenges that aspiring and junior developers face as they learn and enter the job market. If you’re looking at getting a job in web development this episode is packed with tips an...
Corporate Burnout: How the CIA Invented Your 9 to 5
Modern office work is a dystopian nightmare, but did you know a WWII sabotage manual describes it perfectly? In this episode, Matt and Mike explore the eerie similarities between workplace inefficiency and deliberate sabotage, diving into burnout, corporate jargon, and the illusion of productivity. From pointless meetings to overcomplicated approval processes, we break down the hidden forces making work feel meaningless. Inspired by the Burnout - When does work start feeling pointless? documentary, we also discuss the origins of corporate buzzwords, ineffective management, and the promises of career success that no longer hold true. If you've ever felt drained...
