I didnt forget you all last week... I was on holiday!
Its the longest break from my laptop in over a decade. I made an executive decision to ignore it, and I hope that most of you will forgive me.
And for the subject line: Im working off a couple of hours of sleep since I got in this morning, and Im feeling silly.
Now, here are all of this weeks picks.
This Weeks Picks
Next-level frosted glass with backdrop-filter (10 min)
In this post, youll learn how to make the slickest frosted glass ever. Youll also learn quite a bit about CSS filters along the way!
Tailwind CSS v4.0 Beta 1 (release)
See whats new in the latest Tailwind release and whats coming in Tailwind 4.0.
An Introduction to HTTP Caching (video)
Caching is the backbone of fast, responsive apps, but when done wrong, things get BAD. Learn all about caching so you can do it right.
The State of Frontend (video)
Scott and Wes dive into the State of Frontend 2024 Survey, breaking down the latest trends, tools, and frameworks shaping the developer ecosystem.
What is AI Engineering? (11 min)
And what you need to break into the role.
React Data Fetching Patterns (5 min)
Dive into common data fetching patterns in React.js to pick the best one for your needs. Focusing mainly on fetching the inside of your components.
Book of the Week
If youre tired of building features that users ignore, this book is your gateway to creating self-selling products. Bush breaks down how companies like Slack and Dropbox grew exponentially by making their products their primary growth engine.
What makes it great for developers:
Practical frameworks for instrumenting user onboarding and measuring product engagement
Clear guidance on building viral loops and network effects into your product architecture
Real examples of feature prioritization that drives organic user acquisition
Technical insights into implementing freemium models effectively
The book is especially valuable if youre working on SaaS products or considering a move into product management. Bushs emphasis on data-driven decision-making and user behavior analysis aligns perfectly with a developers analytical mindset.
Learn how to transform your technical features into clear user value, ensuring adoption happens naturally rather than through aggressive sales tactics.
Something Cool
Nope, not another random subject line. Its a game I played a good bit while I was away. Its a simple card game but great fun.
Players take turns saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," or "pizza" while simultaneously flipping cards. When the word matches the card, everyone races to slap the pile. Last hand down draws cards. Its quick with 10-15 minute rounds.
My stomach hurt from laughter playing this one, so it might be the perfect thing to pick up for the holidays.
Quick Links
If you have any ideas or feedback, reply to this email.
Thanks, and stay awesome,
Niall
Founder @ Codú