Chats with Kent C. Dodds

What does it mean to test in production? Simply put, testing in production means testing your features in the environment where your features will live. So what if a feature works in staging, that's great, but you should care if the feature works in production, that's what matters.An excellent tool for testing in production is feature flagging. Feature flagging allows you to separate your code deployment from your feature release. So, when you use a tool like future flagging, you're able to target specific users to see your feature, and you can test your feature and make sure it works and fix any bugs.HomeworkWatch Talia's talk and read her blog postNordic.js 2019 • Talia Nassi - Testing in ProductionSet Up Feature Flags with React in 10 MinutesResourcesSplit Feature FlagsLaunch DarklyRobot FrameworkGuest: Talia NassiTwitter: @talia_nassiGithub: @talianassi921Host: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

Dr. Michaela Greiler is focused on helping teams make code reviews their superpower!During Dr. Michaela's time at Microsoft, they found that developers were spending six hours a week doing code reviews. You have to ask yourself if that time is really being well spent.How do you ensure that code reviews are worth the time? There is a huge variety of experiences with code review. It can be really good, and it can be really, really horrible as well. There is not a lot of formal training around it.Formal training would improve the consistency and value of code reviews, and it would be especially helpful for Junior Developers. It would give them such a self-esteem and confidence boost if they would know, "This is what we're actually looking for, this is how we give code review feedback"HomeworkWatch 10 Tips for Respectful and Constructive Code Review Feedback then take a previous code review you gave and critique your own review.*ResourcesCode Review WorkshopsGuest: Dr. Michaela GreilerTwitter: @mgreilerGithub: @mgreilerWebsite: michaelagreiler.comHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

The internet is one of those resources that we have available to us, and it's fantastic at what it does. However, there's a lot of content that isn't super curated and isn't in a format that makes it digestible. Courtney is interested in making the web accessible not only in the way we typically think of accessibility for people with disabilities who need screen readers and other assistive technologies but also for people with mental disabilities or difficulty learning.We can help by improving the way we present the information, make it more accessible, and use words and phrases that are more inclusive. It enhances the experience for everybody, not just those who have learning disabilities.Courtney is starting a Salt Lake City chapter for Devs with Disabilities. They are creating a support system for people with disabilities wanting to get into development and using the community around to assist those people.HomeworkAttend an event (like a meetup) where you're a little outside of your comfort zone. If you already go to meetups, talk with people who you don't typically talk with.ResourcesJohnny BellDevs with Disabilities websiteGuest: Courtney McCleveTwitter: @courtneyyenGitHub: @courtyennHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

In her free time, Amelia Wattenberger enjoys creating "code sketches." On the surface, they might just look like silly examples, but she's learned concepts or ways of doing things through these tiny code examples. You can learn a lot by playing with something in isolation and then trying to see how you can apply it to a production application later.Amelia then goes on to share her process of creating a blog post. Step one is thinking of the main idea she wants to communicate. Step two is asking herself who she is trying to communicate with and what context are they in. Step three is sketching out her ideas.People remember things better when they're flashier and more novel. We kind of ended up just porting newspapers into web format. But, the web is so much more powerful than it used to be, which gives us this fantastic opportunity to create unique experiences for people when communicating our ideas.HomeworkDo something unconventionalResourcesFullstack D3 and Data VisualizationWebsite GitHub repoGuest: Amelia WattenbergerTwitter: @WattenbergerGitHub: @WattenbergerWebsite: wattenberger.comHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

Thorium is the software that space centers use for the computer controls and the flight director controls of simulated space ship experiences!The cool thing about Thorium is that it's entirely web-based. Alex is using React to build Thorium and a 3D universe. The 3D universe is being driven by react-three-fiber by Paul Henschel, which is a fantastic piece of software.Alex says that if you are privileged enough to have the time and the energy and the resources to be able to do side projects, that you should go for it. He believes side projects give you a lot of benefits outside of just the enjoyment of doing them.Work-life balance is essential, though. There was a time where Alex just completely stopped working on it for about a month and a half. And that was necessary for him to be able to recenter, refocus, and get in a good place where he could be motivated and energized about it again.HomeworkSet a timer for 10 minutes and write down one thing you would like to accomplish and break it down into small and simple actions that can be done over time.ResourcesThoriumTwitter ThreadWonder-driven Development: Using React to make a Spaceship | Alex AndersonGuest: Alex AndersonTwitter: @ralex1993GitHub: @alexanderson1993Website: ralexanderson.comHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

Laurie has a tough time saying no, and she ends up trying a lot of different things, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Attempting to learn something new gives you the fresh perspective of a beginner starting from nothing. We get comfortable and take for granted the pieces of knowledge we have on our skills.You have to find a balance, though. It's demotivating to feel dumb all of the time. You need to use the thing you learned for some time, so you advance beyond the beginner phase of the skill. If you jump from skill to skill too fast, you'll feel like you're going nowhere. Try to figure out everything that is contributing to your success that you don't have any experience in, and these are the areas where you'll probably want to dig deeper.HomeworkTry to do something outside of your comfort zone, and use that experience to help you learn how to empathize with those who are unfamiliar with the things that you already know.ResourcesKent C. Dodds - How to get experience as a software engineerGuest: Laurie BarthTwitter: @laurieontechGitHub: @laurieontechWebsite: laurieontech.comHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

A lot of times, when people are learning something new, they feel, "Oh, I have to learn this fast and my manager's counting on me to learn this," and everything's super stressful. As software engineers, we continually have to learn new things, and carrying that stress is tough on our mental health, so we must learn how to mitigate it.Don't worry about being an expert. Try to be okay with being a beginner at something. You shouldn't expect more than that from yourself when you start learning something new.It's essential to break your goal down into multiple steps so that it's not this vast, daunting leap that you have to take. Smaller steps of minor discomfort are a lot easier to cope with.HomeworkThink of one goal you have and take 10 minutes to break it down into smaller chunksResourcesReact Rally 2018: Everything You Need to Know About GraphQL in 3 Components; Eve ProcelloMoon HighwayGuest: Eve PorcelloTwitter: @eveporcelloGitHub: @eveporcelloHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

Almost every demo Ken has done at a conference was wildly out of his league technologically. The deadline for the conference pushes him to grow rapidly. Conference-driven development. Elon Musk says, "If it's physically possible, then we can make it happen." Take stock of the situation and ask yourself what the reality of it is, is it possible? If so, then you can accomplish it.It's not possible to take the second step or even the last step unless you've taken that first step. Finding a simple way to take that first step and just going for it is critical to becoming the person that you want to be.Even to this day, Ken still is anxious to get on stage, but it's always awesome afterward. Some talks go well, and others don't, but even if it didn't go well, you still went up there and did it. The audience is rooting for you, and despite what you might think, the majority of them don't know the subject of your talk, and the few that do still want you to succeed.HomeworkWrite down three things that you've been holding back onChoose one of those things and write down the steps that you can take to accomplish that!ResourcesPrinciples in ActionGuest: Ken WheelerTwitter: @ken_wheelerGitHub: @kenwheelerWebsite: kenwheeler.github.ioSoundCloud: thekenwheelerHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

Erik built the Redux Form library to help manage form states in Redux. He decided to open-source Redux Form, and it exploded and became very, very popular.People kept coming up to Erik with additional use cases, and the form library itself kept growing to the point where the bundle size got out of hand and saying yes to all the requests for features created a monster.So Erik came up with his second form library "final-form." This time he created a plugin architecture to reduce the maintenance and make the library more capable of handling unconsidered use cases.Erik talks about the key things that need to happen for a library to take off. First, it has to be documented well, and the motivation has to get explained clearly. Second, someone who has a following needs to love it and share it with people. Third, you've got to be there on the ground, ready to make quick fixes as people give them to you.HomeworkRelease some open-source software!ResourcesFinal FormRedux FormHow to Write an Open Source JavaScript LibraryHow to Contribute to an Open Source Project on GitHubOSCON 2014: How Instagram.com Works; Pete HuntGuest: Erik RasmussenTwitter: @erikrasGitHub: @erikrasKeybase: @erikrasHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev

Visual testing is like snapshot testing with images. So when your application is in the state that you want it to be in, you verify this as a human being, and then utilize tools to take a picture of your application in that state.Visual testing isn't a new concept, but the technology was previously flaky. But now, Applitools is using AI and machine learning to be able only to detect the things that we care about as human beings.Visual testing catches issues that your scripts won't detect, and Applitools is especially powerful at it. The processing gets offloaded onto the Applitools servers, and snapshots of your app are tested on multiple platforms so you can be confident that no visual bugs get created anywhere!HomeworkGo through Angie's Visual Testing Course: Automated Visual Testing: A Fast Path To Test Automation SuccessResourcesTest Automation UniversityAutomated Visual Testing: A Fast Path To Test Automation SuccessGuest: Angie JonesTwitter: @techgirl1908GitHub: @angiejonesWebsite: angiejones.techHost: Kent C. DoddsWebsite: kentcdodds.comTwitter: @kentcdoddsGitHub: @kentcdoddsYouTube: Kent C. DoddsEpic React: epicreact.dev