I had a lot of fun last week talking about agents at the Codú web developer Meetup! We also had a fantastic talk from Brendan Scullion on Async serverless communication with MQTT.
Brendan always impresses me so I am lucky to be able to get such phenomenal talent to our events.
In other news, I have had a few hiccups with partners on AI Crush but I think it will ultimately be a good thing for everyone because:
AI Crush is Going Global: Now Free and Online for Everyone!
Big news, AI community! We are excited to announce that AI Crush 2025 is transforming into a FREE global online experience on May 9th.
While we originally planned to gather in Belfast, circumstances beyond my control have led us to pivot.
As with all new ventures, adaptability is key! This evolution allows us to open our doors to thousands of AI practitioners worldwide who were previously on our waitlist. No more venue capacity limitations, travel barriers, or ticket costs - just pure implementation-focused AI content accessible to everyone.
What is Not Changing:
Our commitment to real-world AI implementation
Our "Building > Talking" philosophy
Our incredible lineup of global AI implementation experts
Our dual Leadership and Development tracks packed with practical insights
Our focus on connecting builders and decision-makers
What is Getting Better:
Global accessibility - participate from anywhere
Free registration - removing financial barriers
Expanded reach - connect with thousands of AI practitioners
Extended access - content available after the event
Launch of the AI Crush Community - continuing the conversation beyond May 9th
This shift allows us to fulfill our mission in an even more impactful way, bringing practical AI implementation knowledge to a truly global audience.
This Weeks Picks
What is WebLLM? (4 min) - WebLLM brings AI models directly into the browser, making them fully client-side and more accessible. As AI evolves, this approach could be a game-changer for privacy and performance in web applications.
Tips for Building AI Agents (Video) - Anthropic Barry Zhang, Erik Schluntz, and Alex Albert discuss the future of AI agents, common mistakes to avoid, and how developers can prepare for what is next.
CodeTracer (Repo) - A time-traveling debugger that records program execution into a sharable trace file. You can step forward and backward through the execution history, making debugging more intuitive across multiple languages.
What is Model Context Protocol (MCP)? (7 min) - A great breakdown of how MCP simplifies AI integrations compared to traditional APIs. If you are working with AI-powered apps, this is worth understanding.
Kibo UI (Library) - A component library built on top of shadcn/ui, providing flexible, responsive UI building blocks designed to reduce boilerplate while maintaining customization.
Functions in CSS?! (9 min) - CSS is getting native function support! Currently experimental in Chrome Canary, these functions allow for argument passing, type checking, and return values - opening up new possibilities for dynamic styling.
Mistral OCR - Mistral AI introduces what they claim to be the world best document understanding API. Their release article breaks down its capabilities.
The Art of Tech Interviewing (4 min) - A look at how top candidates approach technical interviews - thinking out loud, demonstrating structured problem-solving, and turning uncertainty into an advantage.
Expo AI Strategy (4 min) - Expo is evolving into a key player in AI-assisted app development, providing the foundational framework and infrastructure for companies building AI-powered tools.
Book of the Week
Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob) lays out timeless principles for designing software that is scalable, maintainable, and resilient to change.
This book breaks down what makes software architecture "clean" and how to structure applications in a way that avoids complexity traps. Whether you are building small apps or large systems, the insights here will help you write code that stands the test of time. A must-read for developers serious about crafting high-quality software.
Something Cool
I have been completely hooked on Severance. If you have not watched it yet, it is one of the most gripping and unsettling shows out there.
The story follows employees at Lumon Industries, a mysterious biotech corporation where workers undergo a "severance" procedure - splitting their consciousness into two: their innie, who only exists at work, and their outie, who has no memory of what they do all day. It is a mind-bending mix of corporate dystopia, psychological thriller, and existential mystery, with incredible performances and a slow-burn tension that keeps you on edge.
If you are into sci-fi with deep themes about work-life balance (taken to the extreme), identity, and control, this one is a must-watch.
Quick Links
If you have any ideas or feedback, reply to this email.
Thanks, and stay awesome,
Niall
Founder @ Codú