
technologyFeb 2, 202650:58pending
975: What’s Missing From the Web Platform?
About this episode
Scott and Wes run through their wishlist for the web platform, digging into the UI primitives, DOM APIs, and browser features they wish existed (or didn’t suck). From better form controls and drag-and-drop to native reactivity, CSS ideas, and future-facing APIs, it’s a big-picture chat on what the web could be.
Show Notes
00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
Wes Tweet
00:39 Exploring What’s Missing from the Web Platform
02:26 Enhancing DOM Primitives for Better User Experience
03:59 Multi-select + Combobox.
Open-UI
04:49 Date Picker.
Thibault Denis Tweet
07:18 Tabs.
08:01 Image + File Upload.
09:08 Toggles.
10:23 Native Drag and Drop that doesn’t suck.
12:03 Syntax wishlist.
12:06 Type Annotations.
15:07 Pipe Operator.
16:33 APIs We Wish to See on the Web
18:31 Brought to you by Sentry.io
19:51 Identity.
21:33 getElementByText()
24:09 Native Reactive DOM. Templating in JavaScript.
24:48 Sync Protocol.
25:52 Virtualization that doesn’t suck.
27:40 Put, Patch, and Delete on forms.
Ollie Williams Tweet
SnorklTV Tweet
28:55 Text metrics: get bounding box of individual characters.
29:42 Lower Level Connections.
29:50 Bluetooth API.
30:47 Sockets.
31:29 NFC + RFID.
34:34 Things we want in CSS.
34:40 Specify transition speed.
35:24 CSS Strict Mode.
36:25 Safari moving to Chromium.
36:37 The Need for Diverse Browser Engines
37:48 AI Access.
44:49 Other APIs
46:59 Qwen TTS
48:07 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
Scott: Monarch
Wes: Slonik Headlamp
Shameless Plugs
Scott: Syntax on YouTube
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads
Get every episode summarized
Each time Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats

1037: WebMCP is here (and you should care)
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Sep 9, 202656:30completed

1036: Cursor & OpenAI Break Up
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Sep 7, 20261:12:19pending

1035: Why everyone is moving to Stylex?
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Sep 2, 202626:36pending

1034: Omarchy Quattro Release
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Aug 31, 20261:15:47pending