HTML All The Things - Web Development, AI, and Developer Careers

AI is finding security holes in old code - but is that making the internet safer or giving attackers more opportunities? After a week spent patching websites, Matt and Mike discuss PHP vulnerabilities, reports of exposed credentials, and the pressure on developers to respond. Matt argues that uncovering existing flaws could lead to a more secure internet, while Mike questions what happens when exploiting those flaws becomes easier and neglected websites remain unpatched. The conversation also explores the hidden maintenance burden of running a side project, why keeping years of customer data “just in case” can create unnecessary risk, and the value - and limitations - of managed hosting. Are we heading toward better security, or an arms race developers can’t keep up with?

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/online-security-are-we-f-cked

Improving your website's SEO doesn't always mean writing more blog posts, investing in expensive tools, or launching a massive content strategy. Sometimes the biggest opportunities are hiding in the pages you've already published. In this episode, Matt and Mike explore 10 low-hanging SEO opportunities that small businesses and web developers can use to improve their existing websites. From finding pages that are close to ranking higher to identifying missed keywords, improving click-through rates, and fixing common technical problems, it's all about making smarter decisions with the data you already have. We also discuss why Google Search Console should be one of your first stops, how to learn from competitors and Google's AI Overviews, and why improving existing content can deliver more value than constantly creating something new. Whether you're managing your own small business website or helping clients with theirs, this episode is about finding evidence before investing more effort.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/10-easy-seo-wins-youre-probably-overlooking

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.

As AI becomes capable of writing more software, could hand-coded apps eventually become the digital equivalent of handmade furniture or artisan jewelry? In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike debate whether people will ever pay a premium for software written by humans, whether users actually care how an app was built, and why the outcome may matter far more than the tools developers use. They also discuss AI backlash in gaming, open-source software, the “software is dead” conversation, and why staying close to what users actually value could matter more than ever.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/would-you-pay-more-for-hand-coded-software

AI coding tools are getting more capable, but learning to use them well is about more than chasing the newest model. In this episode, Matt and Mike break down the fundamentals developers need to work effectively with AI, from models, agents, and harnesses to tools like Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex. We also walk through a practical six-stage progression for building trust in AI-assisted development - starting with small tasks you verify yourself and gradually moving toward agents that can plan, build, review, and test work inside a reliable verification loop.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/ai-basics-for-developers

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.

Is the AI bubble finally starting to pop? In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike discuss OpenAI reducing usage on its $200 Pro plan, the enormous cost of AI infrastructure, and growing questions around whether businesses are actually seeing enough financial return from their AI investments.

They also look at the other side of the argument: AI usage and revenue are still growing rapidly, companies continue pouring money into the technology, and the industry may simply be moving out of an era of heavily subsidized compute. Is this the beginning of an AI correction, or just the next stage of the AI boom?

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/is-the-ai-bubble-starting-to-pop

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.