Podcasts by A Question of Code

53: What are some good things to build? from 2020-03-09T20:00

We think that the best way to learn *is* by doing (it works for us, but your milage may vary). So when you are learning to code, what should you be doing? What are good things to build ...

52: What gear do you use? from 2020-03-02T20:00

We've talked before about the essential equipment you need when learning to code, but this week we take a look at all the tech and tools that we use everyday. Get two nerds in ...

51: What is a Minimum Viable Product? from 2020-02-24T20:00

Creating an MPV (Minimum Viable Product) is a big deal in "startup land". But what are they, exactly? How do they differ from a normal proof-of-concept or technical prototype, and are they a use...

50: What's so special about the command line? from 2020-02-17T20:00

What is a CLI, and what is a GUI? What are the key differences? And why would you choose one over the other? Are there tasks that cannot be accomplished in the command line?

The...

49: What is a build pipeline? from 2020-02-10T20:00

At some point you're going to want to put the code you've written onto the internet. In the "bad old days" you should FTP your files onto a server and boom; you've got a working website. Easy pe...

48: Agency or product? from 2020-02-03T20:00

What are the differences between working at an agency and working "in house" for a single company or product? How much does team size factor into the different experiences that the developers ha...

47: How do you build a blog? from 2020-01-27T20:00

We think that every developer should have a blog of some sort. But they shouldn't be hard to create. In this episode we dive into the mechanics of building and hosting your own blog. We run thro...

46: How do you apply to speak at a conference? (with Tony Edwards) from 2020-01-20T20:00

AQoC takes on a new flavour this week with the addition of our first ever guest: the magnificent Tony Edwards, organiser of the Future Sync tech conference. Tony tells us all about the history o...

45: Should you take a bootcamp? from 2020-01-13T20:00

When you're pivoting to a career in tech, software bootcamps can seem very attractive. The idea that you can learn to code in three months, and have a guaranteed job at the end of the p...

44: What is the difference between a framework and a library? from 2020-01-06T20:00

When coding, we often make use of external tools and snippets to make our life easier. Importing existing code into your codebase is a common occurrence. But what is the difference between code ...

43: Yearly Themes: 2020 from 2019-12-23T20:00

Throughout 2019 Tom and Ed have both been applying a "Yearly Theme" to their lives. We've talked a lot about the concept of Yearly Themes before, but this episode is a deep-dive into the whole i...

42: What does a developer do all day? from 2019-12-16T20:00

Every developer's average work day will be different, but there are habits and patterns that crop up all the time. If you're a developer, the chances are you'll have sat (or stood) through plent...

41: How long does it take to get a job in tech? from 2019-12-09T20:00

When you've decided you want to get a job as a professional programmer, it can be hard to know how long to expect the learning process to take. We only have two hosts, and while their stories ar...

40: Can you trust recruiters? from 2019-12-02T20:00

This week we finally get into a thorny issue that's raised it's head in several previous episodes. What do our hosts think of tech recruiters?

What do recruiters do? Are they us...

39: Do you have impostor syndrome? from 2019-11-25T20:00

There comes a point in every developer's career when they're afraid of being caught out. Afraid their colleagues will discover that they're a fraud. Afraid that everyone will notice that they do...

38: If it's not broken should you fix it? from 2019-11-18T20:00

Every developers wants to refactor all the things all the time. But is it always a sensible decision? How should you deal with "not invented here" syndrome (as much as a problem for programmers ...

⚡️ Help us, listeners. You're our only hope from 2019-10-14T20:00

We're hoping to do a "how long does it take to learn to code?" episode, but need more data points than just our own. With that in mind, we're inviting you to tell us your experiences. The best w...

37: When are you ready for a coding job? from 2019-10-07T20:00

An oft-heard bit of advice is "apply as soon as you can, before you think you're ready". It's good advice, and it's advice we ourselves have given many times on this very podcast. But i...

36: How do you keep track of your knowledge? from 2019-09-30T20:00

When learning to code, you need to remember an awful lot of new information. In fact, this is true for every stage of your career. Storing and recalling the things you've learned effici...

35: Do you git it? (What is version control?) from 2019-09-23T20:00

Ed's been finding something unusual is taking up most of his time at his new job. This week Tom and Ed discuss why you should be using version control everyday, as well as some tips for getting ...

34: How do you learn a new programming language? from 2019-09-16T20:00

Having started his new job, Ed has discovered he'll need to learn C#. He's already learned a few different languages, notably Python, and has dipped his toe into the world of C++. So how should ...

33: How much tooling is too much tooling? from 2019-09-09T20:00

Now that Ed is a "professional" programmer, he needs to think seriously about his "tooling". And by that, we mean all the supporting technology that comes alongside actually writing code. Gear l...

32: How do you prepare for a new job? from 2019-09-02T20:00

So you've accepted an offer for your dream coding job. You start next week; what should you do between now and then to make sure you're as prepared as possible? There are plenty of options. Do s...

31: Should you pivot? from 2019-08-26T20:00

This week Ed has some news that puts the future of this podcast in jeopardy (spoilers: not really). We talk about that, as well as the concept of "pivoting". What does a career pivot look like? ...

⚡️ How much time do you spending coding in a coding job? from 2019-08-19T20:00

In this lightning question Tom and Ed discuss the work:non-work ratio of coding for a living. When writing code is your job, how much time do you spend actually writing code? How much time gets ...

⚡️ How long should you spend on a take home coding challenge? from 2019-08-12T20:00

In this lightning question Tom and Ed discuss take-home coding tests, and how much time you should budget for them. Most tech companies will set a challenge as part of their interviewing process...

⚡️ Tabs or spaces? from 2019-08-05T20:00

In this lightning question Tom and Ed discuss whether or not you should use spaces or tabs in your code. Spoiler alert: "spaces" is the only correct answer.

30: What do you get from going to a tech meetup? from 2019-07-29T20:00

We often recommend that developers should attend tech meetups. But what does this involve, and is it useful for everyone? Should your level of professional experience effect whether you go to me...

29: What's wrong with developer culture? from 2019-07-22T21:00

In general, developers are awesome people. Both our hosts have been helped and supported by some fantastically friendly and generous engineers. But there are some bad eggs. And given th...

28: How do you stay motivated? from 2019-07-15T20:00

July is a good time to revisit our yearly goals and motivational tactics. Hey, we're nerds; it's always a good time to talk about organisational systems! We first touched on this topic ...

27: How do you deal with crazy bugs? from 2019-07-08T20:00

Boy, oh boy; bugs can be frustrating. A tricky bug can often make feel like a bad programmer, but fear not. Bugs happen to everybody. They're an unavoidable part of the coding process, and deali...

26: What is functional programming? from 2019-07-01T20:00

Tom is absolutely nuts about Functional Programming. He goes on about it all the time (mentioning it in almost every episode so far!) but Ed doesn't really know what it is. So what is this fancy...

25: Do you need to be good at maths to become a programmer? from 2019-06-24T20:00

It's a common assumption that all programmers are maths wünderkinds. But is that necessarily the case? Many coders do come have a strong mathematical background, but does the correlatio...

24: Should you write about what you've learnt? from 2019-06-17T20:00

An oft-heard piece of advice is to "write about what you learn". But what does that actually mean? And who are you supposed to be writing for; just yourself, or for other people in similar situa...

23: How do you write a good CV? from 2019-06-10T20:00

A good CV is an important part of finding a job in any industry. But are there specific things you should do to improve your chances in the tech industry? Are there any parts of Tom's old resumé...

22: Why should you write tests? from 2019-06-03T20:00

Ed doesn't have much experience with automated testing for his code. This week he asks Tom about the principles behind testing, and some of the benefits and downsides. Does Tom think Ed should l...

⚡️ What does it mean to be a full stack developer? from 2019-05-27T20:00

In this lightning question Tom and Ed discuss the term 'full-stack'. What does it mean and is it even possible for one person to do all the things?

⚡️ How closely should you match a job description before applying? from 2019-05-20T20:00

In this lightning question Tom and Ed give you a quick overview of how many of your skills need to match a job description before you apply.

21: How do you get started with open source? from 2019-05-13T20:00

Ed has found the world of open source software both intimidating and intriguing. Did Tom feel the same when he started out? What even is open source, anyway? And is getting involved use...

20: What's it like to attend a tech conference? (Live at Future Sync) from 2019-05-06T20:05

In a new venture for the aQoC team, we took our show on the road. Future Sync is a tech conference keeping you in-sync with the latest digital trends. We attended for a day of talks, interactive...

19: What's it like being a remote developer? from 2019-04-29T20:00

This week Tom tells Ed what it's like to be a remote developer. They talk about accountability and motivation, as well as the importance of Gifs to a happy distributed workplace. Does Tom miss a...

18: What's the interview process for a tech job? from 2019-04-22T20:00

In this episode Tom describes his most recent round of interviewing. What tasks and challenges did he find? How many rounds did he have to go through? And is any of this representative of interview...

17: How do you find a mentor? from 2019-04-15T20:00

• Coding Coach - https://codingcoach.io/
• Exercism - https://exercism.io/
• Future Sync - Listen

16: When should you specialise? from 2019-04-08T20:00

When should you specialise in your career? Is specialising even necessary at all? The week Tom lays down some hard-earned wisdom (which Ed is smart enough to unpick and not take too seriously). Doe...

15: What happens in a kick off meeting? from 2019-04-01T20:00

• Notion: https://www.notion.so/
• Postman App: https://www.getpostman.com/
• Listen

14: How do you learn? from 2019-03-25T20:00

• Anki flashcard system: ankiweb.net
• Exact Instructions Challenge - Dad makes his...
  Listen

13: Project Introduction from 2019-03-18T20:15

• GIT: https://git-scm.com/
• GitHub: https://github.com
• Notion: https:...
  Listen

12: Should you get a CS degree? from 2019-03-11T20:00

• Code, by Charles Petzold Listen

11: When should you change to your second language? from 2019-03-04T20:00

• Learn You The Node
• r/learnprogramming here be dragons! Listen

10: Is coding less fun when it’s your job? from 2019-02-25T20:00

• Halt and Catch Fire TV show: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/oct/16/farewell-to-halt-and-catch-fire-the-best-show-that-nobody-watched 
• Startup Podcast: https://www.g...
  Listen

9: Where do you find jobs? from 2019-02-18T20:00

• Indeed: https://www.indeed.co.uk/
• StackOverflow Job Board: https://stackoverflow.com/jobs Listen

8: When should you quit your job? from 2019-02-11T20:00

• Picobel audio wrapper: https://github.com/tomhazledine/picobel 

@aQoCode

@edPython

@thomashazledine

7: Where do you learn? from 2019-02-04T20:00

• Refactoring UI, by Adam Wathan & Steve Schoger: https://refactoringui.com/book/
• Automate the Boring Stuff, by Al Sweigart: https://automatetheboringstuff.c...
  Listen

6: What tools do you need? from 2019-01-28T20:00

• VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/
• PyCharm: https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/ ...
  Listen

5: Which language should you learn first? from 2019-01-21T20:00

• Import antigravity https://www.xkcd.com/353/ ‘it just works’
• Node_modules meme: Listen

4: How do you manage your time? from 2019-01-14T20:00

• Cortex podcast: https://www.relay.fm/cortex 
• Toggl time tracker: https://toggl.com/ 
• #100DaysOf...
  Listen

3: Freelance or full-time? from 2019-01-07T20:00

This week Tom and Ed get to grips with freelancing and working full time. What are the pros and cons of each? Which is the best way to start a career? Is working for yourself necessarily better tha...

2: Frontend or Backend? from 2018-12-31T20:00

• Bootstrap - https://getbootstrap.com
• Web developer roadmap: https://github.co...
  Listen

1: Why are you learning to code? from 2018-12-24T20:00

• Tom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thomashazledine 
• Ed on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ed...
  Listen

Trailer: A Question of Code from 2018-12-24T19:00

Why should you listen to our podcast? Check out our trailer with Tom and Ed!