Wes and Scott talk about how developers can expose powerful tools to AI using the Model Context Protocol. They discuss tool calling, remote MCP specs, authentication, and real-world use cases that make AI more capable through smarter integrations.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:36 What is MCP?
07:23 MCP tools
11:33 MCP resources
13:43 Saving reusable prompts
16:18 Creating and validating MCP tools
18:31 Brought to you by Sentry.io
18:31 Tool calling vs MCP servers
21:28 Remote vs local MCP servers
mcp-remote
26:24 Useful MCP servers
mcp-server-cloudflare
use-mcp
awesome-mcp-servers
32:48 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott: Mario Kart World
Wes: anyloop Kid’s Watch
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
--------
37:49
--------
37:49
919: Better Auth with Better Auth
Scott and Wes recap the current state of web authentication and explore how Better Auth simplifies the whole process. With built-in plugins, modern features, and no need to hand-roll your own solution, Better Auth makes secure login a breeze for developers.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:59 Scott’s history with authentication.
02:05 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
03:15 My opinion has changed on auth.
04:40 Current authentication options.
06:32 Arctic.
06:56 OpenAUTH.
07:36 Auth.js.
08:02 Better Auth.
10:45 Better Auth CLI.
11:37 Email integration.
12:09 Hooks and Tokens.
13:43 CAPTCHA Integration.
14:36 Database Integration.
15:04 Integrations.
15:19 Plugin Ecosystem.
17:40 Admin features.
19:41 The Docs.
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
--------
26:58
--------
26:58
918: Extreme Native Perf on the Web with Superhuman
Wes and Scott talk with Loïc Houssier about how Superhuman builds lightning-fast, delightfully-designed email software. They dig into engineering philosophy, offline-first architecture, local databases, AI-powered productivity, and what it takes to create tools that people love.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
03:05 Inside Superhuman and Loïc’s role
06:49 Is Superhuman native? What’s the tech stack?
08:16 How Superhuman approaches product design and speed
12:17 Local-first architecture – Sync, storage, and performance
Realm
13:46 Vector search, AI, and privacy considerations
18:12 How the team ships fast and stays focused
21:27 Rethinking email for the future
26:54 Brought to you by Sentry.io
27:19 How calendar integration and smart features work
29:54 Where new ideas come from
31:54 Will there ever be a true dark mode?
33:02 Are people actually using keyboard shortcuts?
36:42 How shortcuts work and the role of the command palette
41:28 Engineering for speed – Costs and trade-offs
43:32 How Superhuman’s sync engine works
46:09 What code runs locally and what runs on the server?
46:51 How Superhuman handled the Google and Cloudflare outage
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
--------
48:54
--------
48:54
917: AI Tools You Should Know
Scott and Wes round up the hottest AI tools you should have on your radar; from text-to-speech wizards to self-hosted image generators. They break down what they’re using, what’s worth paying for, and which tools are changing their workflows.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:49 Getting too cozy with your tools.
01:34 Brought to you by Sentry.io.
03:40 LangFlow.
08:44 Super Whisper and Whisper Flow.
15:00 Dia.
23:16 Chat apps.
Claude
ChatGPT
Raycast
Cursor
Midjourney (Imagine.art)
26:58 Self-hosted.
27:01 Comfy UI.
31:27 Automatic1111 and Forge UI.
Xenova Shoutout
34:11 Sick Picks & Shameless Plugs.
Sick Picks
Scott: Rat A Tat Cat Card Game.
Wes: Syntax Hats
Shameless Plugs
Wes: Syntax Hats
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
--------
37:48
--------
37:48
916: I got fired, what should I focus on?
In this potluck episode of Syntax, Wes and Scott answer your questions about maintaining popular open-source projects, where to start after a layoff, impostor syndrome, Scott’s recording setup, whether a computer science degree is still worth it in the age of AI, and more!
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
00:44 Brought to you bySentry.io
04:16 How to maintain a successful NPM package
08:03 What to do in Denver while attending Laracon
11:18 How to branch out and learn new frameworks while balancing work life and family
15:55 Built-in state management vs external state managementFull Stack App Build | Travel Log w/ Nuxt, Vue, Better Auth, Drizzle, Tailwind, DaisyUI, MapLibre
19:43 Suggestion for CSS battles: Removing white space and new lines after the time limit?
23:06 What is Scott’s recording setup?
Aputure Light Dome
Aputure Amaran 150c
Sony FX3
Electro-Voice RE20
27:46 Snake case vs camel caseEye Tracking Study on camelCase and under_score Identifier Styles
31:16 Have you ever had impostor syndrome?
34:56 Is a degree worth it for computer science or machine learning?
38:41 Should I use a reverse proxy server?Ep 798: Self Hosting: Reverse Proxy Servers
42:03 Where to start when updating your webdev skillset
50:11 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott:Cardboard Cutter
Wes:Kitchen Scissors
Shameless Plugs
Syntax YouTube Channel
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax:XInstagramTiktokLinkedInThreads
Wes:XInstagramTiktokLinkedInThreads
Scott:XInstagramTiktokLinkedInThreads
Randy:XInstagramYouTubeThreads
Full Stack Developers Wes Bos and Scott Tolinski dive deep into web development topics, explaining how they work and talking about their own experiences. They cover from JavaScript frameworks like React, to the latest advancements in CSS to simplifying web tooling.