Static, Dynamic, Generative: What’s Next for the Web? w/ Guillermo Rauch

Static, Dynamic, Generative: What’s Next for the Web? w/ Guillermo Rauch

Author: Skill Issue Studios May 15, 2025 Duration: 1:09:02

This week, Chuck and special guest co-host Aaron Francis talk with Guillermo Rauch live from React Miami. From early days at Zeit to founding Vercel and launching Next.js, Guillermo shares stories of scaling infrastructure, creating developer-centric products, and navigating startup challenges. They dive into how AI is transforming the web, why thoughtful product expansion matters, and the frameworks guiding Vercel’s future.

In this episode:

  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (02:54) - Rum review and rating: Fleur de Caña 18
  • (04:31) - Every company is now a tech company
  • (11:35) - The early days from Zeit to Vercel
  • (19:03) - Vercel's approach to cybersecurity
  • (23:53) - How Vercel decides what features and products to pursue
  • (29:32) - Wins, misses, and wild ideas
  • (45:51) - What drives Guillermo today
  • (50:00) - Growing up in Argentina
  • (52:05) - Boca or River?
  • (54:21) - Guillermo’s surprising Laravel take
  • (01:02:32) - If not tech, what would Guillermo do instead?
  • (01:06:50) - Plugs

Links

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Connect with Chuck and Robbie

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There's a certain alchemy that happens when you combine deep technical expertise with the warmth of a good conversation, and that's exactly what you'll find in Whiskey Web and Whatnot. Hosts Robbie Wagner, Charles William Carpenter III, and Adam Argyle bring decades of collective experience to the table, but they leave the lecture format at the door. Instead, each episode feels like pulling up a chair with colleagues who are just as passionate about the craft of building for the web as they are about the nuanced flavors in a glass of whiskey. The discussion naturally flows between the concrete details of modern development-like navigating JavaScript frameworks, CSS architecture, or the practical realities of agentic AI and new coding tools-and the broader, human aspects of a software engineering career. This podcast from Skill Issue Studios is built on the idea that the tools and the people who use them are equally important. You'll come for insightful, grounded advice on developer productivity and emerging technologies, but you'll stay for the genuine camaraderie and the occasional spirited debate about which whiskey bottle truly earns a spot on the shelf. It’s a refreshing blend of substance and personality, making complex topics accessible and reminding everyone that there's always a story behind the code.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Whiskey Web and Whatnot
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