175 | Designing Infrastructure for Product Engineers

In this episode, James Quick and Amy Dutton chat with James Cowling, co-founder of Convex, about designing infrastructure for product engineers. James explains the innovative features of Convex, including its JavaScript-based queries and real-time data subscriptions, and compares it to Firebase. They also discuss the challenges of edge computing, the importance of user state, and the role of AI in modern development.Show Notes[00:00:00] - Introduction to the Episode[00:01:00] - James Cowling’s Background and Convex OverviewConvex[00:01:52] - Deep Dive into Convex[00:05:29] - User State and Application Development[00:07:05] - Challenges of Edge Computing[00:09:53] - Automatic Caching and Real-Time Updates[00:13:22] - AI and Backend Integration[00:17:01] - Leveraging AI in Applications[00:21:11] - Convex’s Infrastructure and Technology[00:25:28] - Comparisons with Other Platforms[00:30:03] - Server Rendering and Data Storage[00:33:19] - Physical Challenges in Data Centers[00:37:04] - Cost Efficiency and Cloud Platforms[00:40:56] - Final Thoughts on Infrastructure[00:43:30] - Picks and Plugs Introduction[00:44:11] - James Cowling’s Picks and Plugs[00:45:41] - Amy Dutton’s Picks and Plugs[00:48:28] - James Quick’s Picks and Plugs