2026 is shaping up to be a strange time to be an engineer. AI is evolving rapidly, competition is higher than ever, and many developers are trying to figure out how to stay relevant and valuable in an increasingly crowded field. In this episode, we break down what we think actually makes an engineer stand out today. Instead of chasing every trend or trying to learn every new framework, we focus on the skills that consistently matter: strong fundamentals, real-world problem solving, the ability to navigate messy codebases, debugging, judgment, communication, and the business side of engineering. We also talk about how AI changes the landscape - not as a replacement for engineers, but as something that requires thoughtful integration, good judgment, and practical implementation skills. Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned developer trying to stay sharp, this episode is about becoming the kind of engineer teams rely on.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/how-engineers-stand-out-in-2026-skills-that-actually-matter-now

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In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike break down the growing conversation around Project Glasswing, a new cybersecurity initiative from Anthropic. At the center of the discussion is a next-generation AI system referred to as a “Mythos-level” model - a step beyond their previous top-tier models. Instead of releasing it publicly, Anthropic is using Glasswing to test how this model interacts with real-world software systems, particularly when it comes to identifying vulnerabilities. Is Mythos too dangerous to release - or just being handled carefully?

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/is-anthropics-mythos-too-dangerous-to-release

Web development isn’t just about clean code and perfect logic-it’s a deeply human process. In this episode, Matt and Mike explore the creative, messy, and often unpredictable side of building websites and web apps. From client-developer back-and-forth to real-world trade-offs, shifting requirements, and the motivations behind why projects exist in the first place, this episode dives into the parts of development that aren’t written in documentation-but shape every project.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/ai-can-write-code-but-development-is-still-human

Related Episode: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/writing-code-was-never-the-bottleneck

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.