In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower sits down with Cory House, author, consultant, founder of ReactJSConsulting, and a 12-time Microsoft MVP, to explore what it actually looks like to code effectively with AI today. Cory has trained more than 10,000 developers worldwide and has authored over a dozen courses on JavaScript, React, C#, testing, and web development. Cory and J. talk through the fast-changing landscape of AI-assisted development: choosing between editors and CLI workflows, selecting models, creating custom agents, using MCP servers, handling requirements, improving code review, managing context, and building tighter testing and feedback loops. They also dig into the bigger question underneath all of it: where AI genuinely helps, and where human judgment still matters most. If you’re trying to figure out how to use AI to move faster without creating more confusion, rework, or technical debt, this episode is packed with practical ideas for developers and software teams..

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower sits down with Matthew Soucoup, Principal Cloud Advocate and .NET Cloud Advocacy Lead, to explore how GitHub Copilot’s new App Modernization agent is transforming the way teams upgrade and migrate .NET applications to modern platforms. Matt breaks down the three core capabilities of this AI-powered modernization tool: assessment and scope planning, step-by-step modernization planning, and detailed task execution with persistent memory. Together, they discuss how the agent handles upgrade scenarios, from moving projects forward through .NET versions to migrating legacy .NET Framework applications to the cloud. If you’re working with legacy .NET applications or thinking about modernization, this episode offers practical insights into how AI agents are making these notoriously difficult projects more manageable.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower sits down with Sam Basu, technologist, author, Microsoft MVP, and Lead Developer Advocate at Uno Platform, to unpack the realities of modern cross-platform app development with .NET. Sam shares how Uno Platform enables developers to build native applications for iOS, Android, WebAssembly, Windows, macOS, and Linux, all from a single codebase, and how it compares with other cross-platform frameworks like .NET MAUI, React Native, and Flutter. He also explains the value of Uno’s multiple rendering paths, including native UI and Skia-based rendering, and what those mean for performance and design consistency across devices. If you’re a .NET developer, this episode offers you a grounded, forward-looking take on how we build cross-platform apps in 2026 and beyond.

In this special 10th-anniversary episode, guest host Mark Adams turns the microphone toward the founders of Trailhead Technology Partners — Jonathan “J.” Tower, John Waters, and Josh Eastburn — for a candid conversation about a decade of building great software and a great company. The four partners look back at how Trailhead began — with a shared vision for a consultancy built on purpose, craftsmanship, and long-term client partnerships — and how that vision has evolved through global growth and technological change. They discuss what’s changed and what hasn’t over that time, and how the Trailhead Process and Trailhead Framework help deliver consistent client results regardless. They also cover how trust, collaboration, and curiosity have been the company’s real differentiators. The episode closes with a look ahead at AI, quantum computing, and the ever-human side of technology, as the founders toast to the next 10 years of innovation, partnership, and growth.

In this episode, host J. Tower sits down with Javier Lozano, co-founder of .NET Conf and CEO of Lozanotek, a .NET-focused software consultancy based in Des Moines, Iowa. Javier is a longtime Microsoft MVP, recognized for nearly 20 years for his contributions to ASP.NET, Azure, and the global developer community. In this episode, Javier shares the origin story of .NET Conf, which began as a small virtual event called MVC Conf 15 years ago, well before online conferences were common. He walks through how it evolved into today’s massive, three-day global launch event for the newest version of .NET, with contributions from Microsoft’s product teams and experts from around the world. If you’ve ever tuned in to .NET Conf, or wondered what it takes to bring the .NET community together on a global scale, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower talks with Trailhead’s Chief Architect, John Waters, about how AI is transforming the .NET developer experience. Together, they explore: – How GitHub Copilot’s new agent mode is changing the way developers collaborate with AI – Why Microsoft.Extensions.AI and vector data are becoming the foundational building blocks for AI in .NET – What the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is and how it standardizes connections between AI tools – The tradeoffs of local vs. cloud models for privacy, cost, and performance – Real-world examples of pragmatic AI, from semantic search to warranty claim automation

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower talks with Maddy Montaquila from Microsoft’s .NET team about .NET Aspire—a tool aimed at simplifying modern cloud app development. They discuss how Aspire helps orchestrate services across languages and platforms, improves the local development experience, and introduces powerful diagnostics through OpenTelemetry and AI-powered log analysis. Maddy also shares the story behind Aspire’s creation, clears up common misconceptions, and gives a sneak peek at what’s coming in version 9.4.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower chats with Varun Vachhar from Chromatic about using Storybook to build, test, and document UI components in isolation. The conversation explores best practices for component-driven development, how visual and accessibility testing integrate into the workflow, and what’s new in Storybook 9.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower chats with Steve Smith about the modular monolith, an architecture that delivers microservices‑style modularity within a single in‑process deployment. The conversation covers designing modules, leveraging in‑memory messaging for event‑driven workflows, and choosing between vertical‑slice and clean architecture patterns.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower and his guest, Mary Grygleski, delve into the intricacies of event streaming within distributed systems. They explore the definition of event streaming, its comparison with traditional messaging techniques, and the unique features of platforms like Apache Pulsar and Kafka. The discussion highlights the synergy between AI and event streaming, the challenges of debugging distributed systems, and practical advice for newcomers looking to get started in this field.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower sits down with Guy Royse to explore the power of Redis, an in-memory data store designed around classic data structures. They discuss how Redis enhances application performance and simplifies architectural complexity. The conversation extends to more advanced Redis topics, including its support for data structures like lists and sets, as well as use cases such as session storage, PubSub messaging, and event streams. They also examine Redis’ evolving role as a lightweight document and vector database. Finally, they delve into persistence options, clustering and replication strategies, and best practices for managing connection limits and memory usage.

In this episode, host Jonathan “J.” Tower speaks with Sarah Dutkiewicz about Event Storming and how it helps teams unravel complex systems. They discuss the origins of Event Storming in Domain-Driven Design (DDD) and its effectiveness in bridging communication gaps between technical and non-technical stakeholders. Sarah explains the different types of Event Storming—big picture, process modeling, system design, and refactoring—and shares best practices for facilitating a session. They also compare Event Storming with UML and ERP modeling, highlighting its flexibility and focus on collaboration.