# The Frontend of the Computer

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2023-07-18
- Length: 1h 03m
- Episode: 21
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/8460f5be

## Summary

David Crespo and Justin Bennett from Oxide Computer Company discuss the development of the Oxide Console, the frontend for their rack-scale computer. They detail their engineering philosophy of treating the API as the product, using Dropshot and OpenAPI specs to generate type-safe TypeScript SDKs and mock servers. The team leverages tools like Vite, Playwright, and Mock Service Workers to enable rapid, isolated frontend development and robust end-to-end testing, even before the backend hardware was fully assembled. They also emphasize accessibility (a11y) and the importance of keeping documentation in sync with implementation to maintain a coherent user experience across the CLI, console, and API.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=0) Introduction: David Crespo and Justin Bennett on the Oxide Console
- [0:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=54) David's Elm Talk and the Removal of Signals
- [4:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=252) The Rise of TypeScript and Decline of CoffeeScript/Flow
- [13:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=790) Solving the Bundling Problem with Vite and ESBuild
- [18:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=1098) Browser Compatibility, Chromium Monoculture, and V8
- [25:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=1511) Using Playwright and Accessible Names for Testing
- [33:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=2036) Developing the Console Before the Backend Existed
- [37:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=2227) Dropshot, OpenAPI, and Generating Type-Safe SDKs
- [47:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=2823) Mock Service Workers and Static Preview Deploys
- [52:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer#t=3150) API as Product: Documentation and Design Cohesion

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Factory operations & automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/factory-operations)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Fabrication & craft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fabrication-and-craft)
- [Creator business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/creator-business)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- Elm (other)
- OzCon (other)
- TypeScript (other)
- CoffeeScript (other)
- Flow (other)
- V8 (chip)
- Dropshot (other)
- OpenAPI (other)
- Playwright (tool)
- Vite (tool)
- Mock Service Workers (tool)
- Selenium (tool)
- Robot Framework (tool)
- Adtran (company)
- Cisco (company)
- Mozilla (company)
- Electron (other)
- Chrome (other)
- Firefox (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [103: Tentacles Of the Kraken](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-06-03-103-tentacles-of-the-kraken) (Embedded.fm)
- [342: That Girl's Brain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-08-27-342-that-girls-brain) (Embedded.fm)
- [Can AI Design IoT Hardware? | Flux's Matthias Wagner | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-04-14-can-ai-design-iot-hardware-fluxs-matthias-wagner-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [T-25-010 :  Ioannis Papamanoglou and Narayan Powderly - Engineers transforming how we design, test, and build hardware with atopile](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tradeoffs/2026-01-01-t-25-010-ioannis-papamanoglou-and-narayan-powderly-engineers-transforming-how-we) (TRADEOFFS)
- [205: Advances in Electronic Product Engineering Methods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-12-14-205-advances-in-electronic-product-engineering-methods) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-07-18-the-frontend-of-the-computer. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.