Merge Conflict

493: Git's most powerful but underutilized tool

December 15th, 2025  |  55 mins 53 secs

In this episode of 'Merge Conflict,' James and Frank dive into the intricacies of Git work trees, exploring how they revolutionize local machine development by allowing developers to manage multiple branches simultaneously. Frank initially struggles to grasp the concept, but James breaks down the functionality, explaining how work trees enable parallel branching and commit management. From managing complex code branches to optimizing lighting setups, this episode is packed with insights that are both educational and entertaining, making it a must-listen for developers and creatives alike.

492: SwiftData & CloudKit Sync "Just Work" Right? [Boosted Audio]

December 8th, 2025  |  51 mins 18 secs

James and Frank break tradition by recording Merge Conflict together in person, sharing laughs about ferries, sea shanties, and their annual Seattle holiday meetup. The conversation dives deep into Swift Data versus Core Data, CloudKit syncing, and the quirks of building modern apps with AI assistance. Along the way, James reveals his new weight‑tracking app experiment, complete with charts, HealthKit integration, and lessons learned from coding on planes and trains.

491: Gemini 3.0: AI's Leap in UI Design?

December 1st, 2025  |  50 mins 56 secs

Join us as James and Frank delve into the fascinating world of AI-driven UI design with Gemini 3.0, exploring its creative capabilities and potential to revolutionize aesthetics. Discover the latest AI model advancements, including GPT-5.1 and Codex, and gain insights into real-time trace debugging and distributed programming. Plus, we tackle the evolving landscape of Integrated Development Environments, AI tool integrations in Visual Studio Code, and cutting-edge developments in robotics and virtual reality. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, design, and technology.

490: SwiftUI, SwiftData, Apple Intelligence, All In VS Code??!?!

November 24th, 2025  |  1 hr 4 mins

In this episode, James and Frank explore the intersection of Apple's SwiftUI, SwiftData, and Apple Intelligence. They dive into Frank's inspiring work on the Clean Room app, discussing macOS and Windows UI similarities and the untapped power of modern computers. The conversation shifts to Apple's growing API ecosystem, highlighting how these tools enhance Mac capabilities without extra costs. From maximizing Mac performance to using AI for podcast automation, the episode is a deep dive into leveraging Apple's ecosystem for productivity and creativity. Don't miss this episode for insights on optimizing Mac usage and harnessing AI's potential in development and beyond.

489: .NET 10 and Visual Studio 2026

November 17th, 2025  |  1 hr 13 mins

488: Breaking Down the 2025 Octoverse Report

November 10th, 2025  |  54 mins 41 secs

In this year’s Octoverse, we uncover how AI, agents, and typed languages are driving the biggest shifts in software development in more than a decade.

487: Waymo Review & All The Agents from GitHub Universe 2025

November 3rd, 2025  |  53 mins 37 secs

James heads to San Francisco for this year's GitHub Universe and experience his first Waymo! After a quick review we break down all of the new developer goodies from Universe including new updates to VS Code, Agent HQ, and Copilot integrations everywhere!

486: AI Browsers & Apple Silicon M5

October 27th, 2025  |  36 mins 58 secs

Let's talk ChatGPT Atlas and the broader AI browser space. We also look into the new Vision Pro with a M5 processor! Time to upgrade?

485: N-2 iOS Support Policy

October 20th, 2025  |  35 mins 14 secs

How far back should you go back in your support policy. How do you dig into the data? We debate.

484: Designing for Liquid Glass

October 13th, 2025  |  51 mins 14 secs

We are all in on macOS 26 and iOS 26 which means it is all liquid glass. But how do you actually design for it? What compromises do you have to make and how do you test backwards compatibility?