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the web comes with so many absurd benefits everything from access globally to your software to powerful native platforms you don't have to build yourself to immediate over theair updates whenever somebody loads a page

💨 tl;dr

Web dev has flaws but is powerful. JavaScript's ubiquity, modern tools like React, and open standards drive innovation and efficiency. Critics often miss the complexities and benefits.

💡 Key Ideas

• Web development has imperfections, but its strengths are often overlooked.
• JavaScript's ubiquity and 'good enough' nature have built a vast ecosystem, despite its flaws.
• Tools like Create React App (CRA) and Vite address inadequacies in earlier tools, enabling faster and better development.
• The web's open standards and rapid innovation cycle lead to continuous improvement and broad access.
• The web facilitates cross-platform development, which native apps cannot match in updates and feature richness.
• Gmail revolutionized browser-based email, showcasing the web's potential for ease of access and rapid iteration.
• Modern web tools help handle backend tasks, reducing inefficiencies in server-side data handling.
• Big companies prefer web apps over native desktop apps due to ease and user preference.
• Critics of web development often lack deep understanding of its complexities and benefits.
• Modern web tools and technologies are essential for efficient development, countering the elitism in the field.
• Learning and using modern tools like React can prevent developer burnout and improve workflow.

🎓 Lessons Learnt

• Embrace web development's flaws: Despite its imperfections, web development has created a powerful shared, reusable platform and revolutionized software.
• JavaScript is foundational: JavaScript, though problematic, has been crucial in building the web ecosystem we rely on today.
• Expect chaos with new frameworks: Early versions of frameworks can be unstable and complex but they lead to better and faster development over time.
• Focus on user and developer experience: Managing dependencies well can greatly enhance both user experience and development efficiency.
• Innovation stems from shortcomings: New tools often emerge because existing ones are inadequate, driving continuous improvement.
• Outdated tech causes problems: Not keeping up with new versions can lead to issues that newer solutions have already addressed.
• Tech evolution is universal: Problems with backward compatibility and dependencies are common across all development fields, not just web dev.
• Standardization is beneficial: Platforms like Electron enable cross-platform compatibility, making software more accessible.
• Web tools democratize app development: Without web-based tools, many popular apps wouldn't exist due to the challenges of native app development.
• Rapid changes cause developer fatigue: Constant innovation can be exhausting, especially for newcomers.
• Open source reduces dependency risks: Open-source tech offers more flexibility compared to proprietary software.
• Open standards lead to better software: Web-based open standards foster more accessible and continuously improving software.
• Proprietary tools can hinder progress: Non-open standard tools often lag in development and usability.
• Web tech simplifies UI creation: Building user interfaces is faster and more efficient with modern web technologies.
• Proper API management is crucial: Poorly designed APIs can add unnecessary complexity and performance issues.
• Web devs can handle backend tasks: Tools like Next.js allow web developers to manage backend tasks, reducing reliance on backend developers.
• Client-side apps boost performance: Client-side routing and applications often offer better performance than server-side solutions.
• Web offers global software access: The web provides global access, powerful native platforms, and easy updates without version concerns.
• Preferences favor web-based solutions: Both users and developers often prefer web-based solutions for their ease and effectiveness.
• Continuous improvement is necessary: Perfecting software on the first try is unrealistic; ongoing updates are essential.
• Recognize real vs. perceived issues: Distinguish between actual and exaggerated problems in software development.
• Adapt to modern development practices: Staying updated with modern tools and practices is crucial for all developers.
• Standardize on modern tools: Using tools like Unity or modern web tools streamlines development, despite some trade-offs.
• Avoid developer elitism: Support inclusivity and new developers rather than fostering elitism.
• Prioritize practical, usable software: Focus on creating functional and efficient software over perfecting code aesthetics.
• Modern tools prevent burnout: Adopting modern tools like React can simplify tasks and reduce developer burnout.

🌚 Conclusion

Embrace web dev's imperfections. It's foundational, constantly improving, and democratizes app development. Stay updated with modern tools to avoid burnout and enhance workflow.

In-Depth

All Key Ideas

Web Development Insights

• Web development has imperfections, but criticism often overlooks its strengths.
• The web’s potential as a universal platform is revolutionary.
• JavaScript, despite its flaws, has become the go-to for web development due to its universality.
• JavaScript's creation aimed to replicate the cross-platform success of Java, but it's unrelated to Java beyond syntax.
• Alternative technologies to JavaScript like Dart and Flash have failed.
• JavaScript's 'good enough' nature has enabled the building of a vast ecosystem.
• Create React App (CRA) had a rough start but played a crucial role in advancing web development practices.
• Despite its chaotic development, CRA empowered teams to build faster and better software.

Web Development Insights

• Vite exists because tools like create-react-app were inadequate
• Old versions of technology can present challenges but are crucial for progress
• Issues with backward compatibility are not unique to web development
• The web's centralization on Electron facilitated cross-platform development
• Native apps wouldn't have existed without web technologies like Electron
• The web's rapid innovation cycle involves continuous improvement despite initial failures
• New developers may feel overwhelmed by the fast pace of change in web development
• The web community doesn't face the same proprietary issues as other tech communities due to open-source nature

Web Development Insights

• Alternatives to the web are often proprietary and chaotic
• Apple’s Xcode has not progressed significantly and lacks important features
• The web is built on open standards, providing broad access and rapid improvement
• Web development enables faster and better user interface creation
• Issues like long load times are often due to backend/API problems, not web development
• Modern web tools allow developers to handle backend tasks themselves
• Client-side applications have grown due to inefficiencies in server-side data handling
• The browser is the most used piece of software for accessing applications

Key Points on Web Development

• Gmail was revolutionary because it provided the first good browser experience for email, becoming the default quickly due to ease of access and iteration.
• The web offers massive benefits like global access to software, powerful native platforms, and immediate over-the-air updates.
• The preference for web development over native apps is due to both developer and user preference.
• Big companies don't build native desktop apps because it's not easier or better than web apps.
• Market dynamics suggest that if web development tools were so bad, better alternatives would have emerged.
• Native apps may be technically superior but often have fewer features and less frequent updates.
• The concept of software changing over time is foreign to older game developers who are used to shipping a finished product.
• Critics of web development often lack a deep understanding of modern software development complexities.
• Anti-web arguments are often weak and come from a lack of exposure to different systems.
• The profession has failed in educating about the true complexities and benefits of web development.

Web Development Insights

• Modern tools and technologies are essential for efficient web development.
• Startups using native technologies move slower than those using modern tools.
• Standardizing on platforms helps in building better software.
• The elitism in web development is disheartening and creates a divide between old and new developers.
• Modern web tools have increased the number of developers and users, but also elitism.
• Some developers prioritize the craft of coding over building good software.
• Learning modern tools like React can prevent developer burnout.

All Lessons Learnt

Key Insights in Web Development

• Embrace the imperfections of web development: Web development, though flawed, has revolutionized software and created a shared, reusable platform.
• Understand JavaScript's foundational role: Despite its issues, JavaScript enabled a globally shared platform and has been crucial in building an incredible web ecosystem.
• Expect and tolerate initial chaos in new frameworks: New frameworks like Create React App can be chaotic and fragile, but they enable faster and better software development in the long run.
• Focus on the end-user and developer experience: Managing complex dependencies can lead to a better user experience and facilitate more efficient development processes.

Key Insights on Technology Evolution

• New technology often arises from the shortcomings of old ones: Vite was created because Create React App was inadequate, demonstrating that problems drive innovation.
• Using outdated tech can lead to issues: If you don't keep up with new versions, you'll face problems that were stepping stones to current solutions.
• Tech evolution is common across all development fields: Problems with backward compatibility and outdated dependencies are not unique to web development; they occur in other fields like Python and Game Dev too.
• Standardization has benefits: Centralizing on platforms like Electron allows for cross-platform compatibility and broader software availability, especially on less popular systems like Linux.
• Web tools have democratized app development: Without web-based tools like Electron, many popular apps wouldn't exist, as native app development wasn't meeting the demand.
• Constant innovation causes developer fatigue: Rapid changes in technology can be exhausting for developers, especially newcomers trying to keep up with the latest trends.
• Open source mitigates dependency risks: Unlike proprietary software, open-source web technologies reduce the risk of being tied to a single company's decisions.

Key Points in Modern Software and Web Development

• Open standards foster better software development: Using open standards like those on the web leads to more accessible and constantly improving software.
• Proprietary tools can stifle innovation: Tools that aren't based on open standards, like Apple's Xcode, tend to lag in development and usability.
• Web development simplifies user interface creation: Building user interfaces is faster and more efficient with web technologies compared to older methods.
• APIs need proper management: Poorly designed APIs can create unnecessary complexity and performance issues in web development.
• Modern web tools allow web devs to handle backend tasks: With tools like Next.js, web developers can manage backend tasks without relying on backend developers.
• Client-side applications improve performance: Client-side routing and applications are popular because they can be faster and more responsive than server-side solutions.

Key Insights on Modern Software Development

• Web development offers massive advantages: The web provides global access to software, powerful native platforms, and immediate over-the-air updates without worrying about app versions.
• User and developer preferences matter: Both users and developers prefer web-based solutions because they are easier and often better than native apps.
• Continuous improvement is crucial: Perfect software crafted as a sculpture first try is unrealistic; continuous updates and improvements are necessary.
• Understand the complexity of modern software development: Modern software development involves continuous changes and updates, unlike older game development where the product was finalized upon release.
• Market forces drive software quality: If web tools were truly inadequate, better alternatives would emerge and dominate due to market demand.
• Recognize the difference between real and made-up problems: It's important to distinguish between actual issues and perceived or exaggerated ones in software development.
• Adapt to evolving development practices: Older developers need to adapt to the complexities and ongoing nature of modern software development.

Best Practices for Modern Development

• Standardize on modern tools and platforms: Using standardized tools like Unity or modern web tools helps streamline development, even if it comes with some trade-offs.
• Avoid elitism in the developer community: The rise in the number of developers using modern tools shouldn't lead to elitism; it's essential to be inclusive and supportive of new developers.
• Focus on building practical, usable software: Prioritize creating functional and efficient software rather than getting caught up in how the code looks or feels.
• Adapt to modern tools to prevent burnout: Learning and adopting modern tools like React can prevent developer burnout by simplifying complex tasks.