My guest today is Simon Tis a prominent developer, designer, surfer, and Laravel instructor. Simon, are you ready? I think I'm ready. All right. The clock starts now. Simon, if I gave you a Figma file for a new website build, what is step one for you? Assuming I'm gonna build it with Tailwind, which I probably will, I will try to identify the design tokens, so the colors, the spacing scale that are off the main tailwind schema or theme.

identify the design tokens, so the colors, the spacing scale that are off the main tailwind schema or theme. And then I will codify this so that I have a CSS framework that feels right bespoke for this project that I'm building. That's usually my step one. That That sounds right to me too. Alright, number two. If you are asked to upgrade your video production to the next level, what is the first thing you would do or purchase?

to the next level, what is the first thing you would do or purchase? I've been iterating on my setup for a good 10 years and there's still many things I'd love to do. I'd say I've reached the point of, uh, diminishing in lighting, microphone, everything. So probably my next step would be an additional camera that is not tethered to my space here so I can place it in different areas and do dynamic intros and B rolls and stuff like this.

so I can place it in different areas and do dynamic intros and B rolls and stuff like this. So second angle to make it a bit more interesting. Okay. Diminishing returns. Yeah, that sounds about right. Alright. You are prominent in the Tailwind community. Was your first interaction with it, positive or negative? It was very positive, but because uh, I had made the whole discovery of utility first CSS through another library called Tachyons a bit earlier,

of utility first CSS through another library called Tachyons a bit earlier, my first encounter with Tachyons was not so great at first, but I'm glad I pushed through. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Alright. Name me one maybe less common development tool that is essential to your workflow. Hmm. I'm sort of minimalist guy, but uh, that might sound silly, but the screenshots tool on Mac, I use it hundreds

but uh, that might sound silly, but the screenshots tool on Mac, I use it hundreds of times every day to measure, uh, distances, to check alignment between elements, to take screenshots to paste into mood boards or even take a data table, screenshot it, paste it in chat GPT to get the code, like the text version of the picture. I use screenshots all the time. I agree with you. I use it all the time.

This is just a simple explanation with no code.

if you will tell me one career related insecurity that you have. Ha I uh, career transition into programming at, uh, in my late twenties, almost 30. Um, no computer science degree whatsoever. And so I've always thought, uh, that I don't know enough and 15 plus years into the industry, I still have this, uh, feeling in my head. I'm competing against young people going straight into tech and I always will be playing catch up

I'm competing against young people going straight into tech and I always will be playing catch up and I cannot shake this feeling off. Yes, I think we can all relate to that. Uh, so on that note, what is one tool that you wanna learn but you haven't done so yet? Ah, there are many, many, many, uh, I've watched, uh, your podcast about programming anxiety that you want to know everything. This is my bread and butter,

that you want to know everything. This is my bread and butter, but I would say probably solid js, which is a JavaScript framework. Mm-hmm That takes the good parts of react but makes it much simpler and it compiles to vanilla JavaScript. So solid JS is one of these things that I keep hearing. Good stuff. It's been out for three years now, I think, but I haven't had a chance to check it, so

Good stuff. It's been out for three years now, I think, but I haven't had a chance to check it, so that's probably the one. Interesting. Interesting. Alright, in 10 seconds Simon, can you give us a small, tiny teaser of your next layer cast course? The next course is called Motion for the Web. We look at everything that moves and animates on the web, CSS transitions, key frame animations, SVG animations,

and animates on the web, CSS transitions, key frame animations, SVG animations, JavaScript, animations. So if you like movement, you will like this course. Okay. Simon, lightning round. Are you ready? Here we go. Let's go. You can only pick one. Surfing or basketball? Oh, Basketball. Basketball. View or React. React TypeScript or JavaScript? TypeScript, although it didn't start like this at all.

Type script or JavaScript Type script, although it didn't start like this at all. Same early riser or night owl? Early riser, absolutely. When recording a screencast, you prefer natural light or blackout curtains At heart? Natural lights, but uh, practically control lighting. Okay. Dark mode or light mode? Light modes at heart again.

Okay. Dark mode or light mode? Light modes at heart again. Alright, last one. What is the earliest CSS framework you can remember using in your life Foundation? Probably mm-hmm. Before that I was just writing same for me. Manual. CSS Foundation. Amazing. It goes way back. Alright.

Manual. CSS foundation. Amazing. It goes way back. Alright. And that is all the time we have. Thank you so much Simon. Thanks for having me. And returning the favorite. Absolutely. And we will see you in season two, right? Season two is coming. It's gonna be Great. It's equally stressful for the interviewer, which I was not expecting. Yeah. Trying to ask the question.

which I was not expecting. Yeah. Trying to ask the question. You're trying to provide a little feedback, right? You're trying to keep an eye on the clock the whole time to make sure you get through it. I understand a little more. Simon. This is a little stressful.