CodePen, Web Animation, and the Future of AR/VR with Stephen Shaw

Stephen Shaw is a Front End Developer at CodePen. But his journey into the world of web development traces back to his earliest memory, captured in a nostalgic photo from 1987 of him sitting on his dad's lap gazing at a computer tower. Today Stephen contributes to building one of the most widely used code editors for the web. CodePen, as Stephen reveals, is a dynamic social network where people share code samples and demos among a vibrant community. Stephen reminisces about his involvement in working on Ken Wheeler's cash and using classic web animation tools like GSAP (GreenSock Animation Platform). He's also keen on exploring what lies ahead. Stephen predicts that Apple's rumored headset device will harness the power of AR/VR, pushing developers to adapt to the technology. In this episode, Stephen talks to Robbie and Chuck about his challenges using typescript at CodePen, the evolution of web animation tools, and the future of VR and AR on the web. Key Takeaways [00:35] - An Introduction to Stephen Shaw. [01:53] - A whiskey review: Angels Envy Straight Bourbon Whiskey. [07:00] - Tech hot takes. [09:58] - Why Stephen’s team is converting projects to typescript. [18:21] - Stephen talks about his time maintaining cash. [21:11] - How to design web animations. [24:44] - Stephen discusses the future of VR and AR on the web. [35:07] - Stephen’s career journey. [42:45] - Chuck, Robbie, and Stephen explore gaming. [47:48] - Stephen's other hobbies. Quotes [07:32] - “If you have an existing code that works, don’t add typescript. That's not going to make your life any easier.” ~ Stephen Shaw [25:00] - “I think that we’re very close to a crossroads. Similar to back in 2007 when the iPhone was introduced and suddenly everyone was scrambling to have a mobile website.” ~ Stephen Shaw [39:57] - “That’s my idea of a web developer. I want to make information accessible. I want to figure out who the audience is and make them connect with what they need.” ~ Stephen Shaw Links Stephen Shaw Twitter Stephen Shaw LinkedIn CodePen Dribble UI David Khourshid Angels Envy Straight Bourbon Whiskey Woodford Reserve Tailwind CSS Github Visual Studio Code Zod Solid JS React Twitter Rust Ruby on Rails GraphQL Next JS jQuery GreenSock Figma Rive Adobe Apple Oculus Quest Firefox Google Amazon Microsoft CodeSandbox JSFiddle The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdon Nintendo Switch Toys “R” Us Skyrim Virginia Tech Kirby Super Mario Odyssey Lego Star Wars Disney Plus DigitalOcean Connect with our hosts Robbie Wagner Chuck Carpenter Ship Shape Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Whiskey Web and Whatnot Top-Tier, Full-Stack Software Consultants This show is brought to you by Ship Shape. Ship Shape’s software consultants solve complex software and app development problems with top-tier coding expertise, superior service, and speed. In a sea of choices, our senior-level development crew rises above the rest by delivering the best solutions for fintech, cybersecurity, and other fast-growing industries. Check us out at shipshape.io.