Mostly Technical 13: The SQL Injection Slide with Sam Selikoff
Nov 3, 2023
Sam Selikoff discusses React Server Actions & Server Components, having one set of opinions, and the infamous SQL Injection Slide at NextConf. They explore the differences between front-end and back-end development, the advantages of using JavaScript, and the concept of the ceiling in UI development. They also highlight the benefits of abstraction and composition in building React apps and share their experience with controversy on Twitter.
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High Floor Versus High Ceiling For Web Frameworks
- Sam frames web frameworks as tradeoffs between a high floor (Rails/Laravel) and a high ceiling (raw JavaScript), explaining why teams choose one over the other.
- He illustrates with his D3/backbone survey story: raw JS gave needed browser APIs for rich visual interactions that server frameworks couldn't easily provide.
React's Third Phase With Server Components
- React evolved through phases (class components, hooks) and is entering a third phase with Server Components and Server Actions that shift work back to the server.
- Next.js is the first major framework implementing these new server-side primitives, enabling a new architecture today.
TED Prototype Proved Client-First Magic
- Sam recounts building a live Ember app at TED in 13 minutes using Firebase to send messages to speakers, which convinced him of client-heavy apps' power.
- That rapid prototyping without migrations or infra made him believe front-end-driven products could be magical.