In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike take a look at a rare piece of good news in the tech industry - software engineering job postings are on the rise. After years of layoffs, hiring freezes, and constant speculation about AI replacing developers, this shift feels like a breath of fresh air. But how meaningful is it? Are companies actually hiring again, or are more job postings simply creating the illusion of recovery? Matt and Mike break down what this data really tells us, why job postings don’t always equal job offers, and how AI may be reshaping hiring expectations rather than eliminating roles altogether. They also discuss economic uncertainties, shrinkage in specific dev areas (ie game development), and draw comparisons to pre-pandemic job posting numbers.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/dev-job-postings-are-rising-but-is-it-enough

Mentioned good news episode: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/some-good-news-for-web-developers

Are websites dead? Is SEO even worth it anymore? With AI-generated answers, Google’s AI overviews, and tools that can build entire sites in seconds, it’s easy to think the traditional web is on its way out. But is that actually what’s happening? In this episode, Matt sits down with agency owner Nat Miletic to talk about what they’re seeing firsthand in the world of web development and client work. From niche sites to WordPress to the future of organic traffic, they break down what’s changing - and what’s not. If you’re a developer, freelancer, or agency owner wondering where things are headed, this is a grounded, real-world look at the impact of AI on websites and SEO.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/are-websites-dead-agency-owner

AI tools can now write code, scaffold entire apps, and even manage parts of the development process - but if building software is easier than ever, why aren’t we seeing a flood of wildly successful new products? In this episode Matt and Mike explore the idea that writing code was never actually the biggest bottleneck in building software. Instead, the real challenges lie in figuring out what to build, who to build it for, and how to get people to actually use it. They discuss the hidden work behind successful products - including product management, marketing, stakeholder alignment, and navigating real-world complexity like infrastructure, edge cases, and legacy integrations. If AI can help us write code faster than ever, what does that mean for developers, founders, and the future of building software?

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/writing-code-was-never-the-bottleneck

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.

AI coding tools are evolving quickly - and the latest generation of “agentic” development tools are changing how developers interact with their codebases. In this edition of the Web News, Mike introduces Matt to Claude Code for the first time. While Matt already uses tools like ChatGPT to assist with coding, he hasn’t yet adopted the newer workflow where AI agents can plan, generate, and modify entire projects directly from the terminal. During the episode, Mike walks through a live demo of Claude Code by attempting to generate a brand-new website for the HTML All The Things podcast and blog. Along the way, they explore features like plan mode, discuss how agent-based tools approach software development, and examine how these tools compare to more familiar AI assistants. Throughout the demo, Matt reacts in real time - asking questions, challenging assumptions, and trying to understand how these modern AI development workflows actually fit into a real developer’s process. If you’ve been hearing about tools like Claude Code, Codex, or AI coding agents and wondering how they actually work in practice, this episode offers a firsthand look at the experience of using them live.

‍Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/trying-claude-code-for-the-first-time

A lot of developers say you should learn a framework from its official documentation - but is that actually a good way to learn React when you’re still a beginner? In this episode, Matt breaks down his experience working through the official React docs, including the Quick Start guide, the Tic-Tac-Toe tutorial, and the “Thinking in React” section. Along the way, he talks about where React starts to click, where the docs shine for beginners, and why understanding project structure, state, and component hierarchy matters so much when you’re trying to move beyond vanilla JavaScript. In this episode Matt and Mike discuss whether the official React documentation is enough for beginners, how React’s learning materials compare to more guided tutorials, and what parts of the docs are especially helpful when you’re trying to build real understanding instead of just copying code.

‍Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/can-i-learn-react-using-the-official-documentation

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.

Working with clients is a normal part of running a web development agency - but every once in a while you encounter a client who refuses to budge, even when their approach is actively hurting their own project.

In this edition of the Web News, Matt Lawrence and Mike Karan discuss one of the most frustrating realities of agency life: stubborn clients who become convinced they’ve already diagnosed the problem. Whether it’s a client insisting their website traffic issues are caused by technical SEO instead of weak content, or pushing for changes that won’t actually improve results, these situations can quickly derail projects.

Matt and Mike break down why these situations happen, how developers can redirect the conversation without damaging the client relationship, and practical strategies for dealing with clients who won’t listen.

If you work with clients - whether as a freelancer, agency owner, or developer inside a company - you’ve likely run into this scenario before.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/when-clients-ignore-your-advice

The web development industry has felt pretty turbulent lately - AI disruption, layoffs, hiring freezes, and endless doom-scrolling. So in this episode, we’re flipping the script. There’s actually some genuinely good news happening in web development right now. From developer job numbers quietly ticking back up, to Nvidia’s internal AI experiment showing productivity gains without eliminating roles, to Interop 2026 launching with all major browser vendors aligned on compatibility - the industry may be stabilizing more than it seems. We also talk about how AI is making our jobs easier (yes, really), why frameworks like React, Vue, and Svelte have matured into stable foundations, and why the “AI bias” toward certain tools is starting to disappear. In this episode Matt and Mike cut through the noise and highlight what’s actually going right in web development - and why this might be one of the best times to adapt rather than panic.

‍Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/some-good-news-for-web-developers

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.

Block just laid off nearly 4,000 employees - cutting its workforce almost in half - and CEO Jack Dorsey says it’s not because the company is struggling. In this edition of the Web News, we break down Jack’s X post explaining the decision and what it signals about AI-driven productivity, flatter teams, and the future of tech companies. Is this a one-off restructuring - or the beginning of a major shift in how companies are built? Matt and Mike also discuss how to remain ready for market changes and how to avoid the fear of what seems like career-level existential threats.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/what-do-the-block-layoffs-mean-for-the-industry