201 | The Backend Dilemma: Laravel's Strengths in a JavaScript World

In this episode, Amy and Brad dive into the ongoing debate between Laravel and full stack JavaScript frameworks. They explore both ecosystems from their unique perspectives. Amy shares her real-world experience building a project in Laravel after working extensively with JavaScript frameworks, highlighting where each approach shines and struggles. From Laravel's backend prowess to the cognitive load of context switching between languages, this episode offers practical insights for developers weighing these technology choices.

Show Notes

00:00 - Intro

01:00 - Sponsorship: Sanity

01:59 - Origins of the Laravel vs JavaScript Discussion

03:59 - Amy's Experience Building a Project in Laravel

06:59 - PHP Development and Linting Experience

11:59 - Understanding MVC Architecture

15:00 - Challenges with JavaScript Backend Services

18:00 - Backend Strengths of Laravel

20:00 - Frontend Challenges in Laravel

23:00 - Comparing Laravel and JavaScript Ecosystem Solutions

26:59 - JavaScript Full Stack Frameworks Discussion

30:00 - Architectural Differences Between Frameworks

33:00 - Framework Choice Considerations

38:59 - Picks and Plugs: Newsletter and Cameras

42:00 - Picks and Plugs: Games and YouTube

Links and Resources

• Sanity.io (sponsor)
• Laravel
• Sam's podcast: Frontend First
• RedwoodJS
• Remix
• Next.js
• Astro
• Supabase
• Inngest
• Resend (email service)
• Postmark (email service)
• OpenAI
• Prisma
• PHP Storm
• Laravel Blade (templating language)
• Laravel Livewire
• Alpine.js
• Laravel Breeze
• Laravel Eloquent ORM
• Adonis/AdonisJS
• Episode 54: Why RedwoodJS is the App Framework for Startups, with David Price
• Vite
• Storybook
• Amy's newsletter: Broken Comb
• Insta360 X2 camera
• Insta360 Go 3 camera
• Stardew Valley (game)
• Brad's YouTube channel
• Cloudinary channel and Dev Hints series