NodeJS Levels Up, And ChatGPT Is Getting Artsy. This Week In Web Development (October 20, 2023).

Another weekend is approaching (Yay! 😊), but I still want to tell you about the latest news in the web dev world.

I have got some exciting updates from Netlify, Node.js, ChatGPT, and TanStack Query to cover. Netlify launched a new composable web platform that makes building dynamic sites faster and simpler. Node.js released version 21 with performance optimizations and new capabilities like WebSocket support. ChatGPT now integrates Dall-E 3 so you can generate custom images with just a text prompt. And TanStack Query's long-awaited version 5 massively improves its React data fetching API.

Netlify Composable Web Platform

Netlify just released a new composable web platform that's got developers pumped. It lets you build sites faster and ship web projects more efficiently by connecting all your CMSs and data sources into one unified content layer. The platform also optimizes and accelerates deployment with its front-end cloud solution. Non-developers can even create and publish content through the new intuitive visual editor. Basically, Netlify's composable architecture lets you build dynamic sites and scale them easily without getting locked into any one framework or vendor—this thing's future-proof and built for speed.

Learn more here and here.

NodeJS Going To Version 21

Node.js just released version 21 and it's looking juicy for developers. This release brings major upgrades like the V8 JavaScript engine bumping up to 11.8 for a speed boost. There's also built-in support for the WebSocket protocol so you can build real-time apps more easily. Node.js v21 makes fetch() and WebStreams stable, and adds glob pattern matching for running tests. Plus experimental flags let you flip between CommonJS and ES Modules more flexibly. With performance optimizations across streams, HTTP, and more - Node.js keeps getting faster. Overall v21 brings improved stability and better standard support.

Learn more here.

Dall-E 3 Coming To ChatGPT

ChatGPT's new Dall-E 3 integration lets you generate custom images with just a text prompt. No more sifting through stock photos or paying a graphic artist - just describe what you want and Dall-E handles the rest.

This is a game changer for quickly mocking up designs, icons, banners, or any custom graphic your site needs. Want a hero image that perfectly matches your brand? A quirky cartoon mascot? Unique photos for a case study? ChatGPT's got you covered.

Dall-E 3 makes great illustrations, logos, concept art, you name it. And you can tweak the results until they're just right.

Learn more here.

Tanstack Query V5 (Finally 🎉)

After a year of alphas, betas, and more, TanStack Query just launched version 5 and it's a game-changer! v5 streamlines the API so hooks like useQuery are way more intuitive now. No more messing with countless overloads or callback functions, who wants to do that 😩.

The new unified syntax makes Query hooks easier to use and understand. And v5 introduces killer features like built-in support for React Suspense and server component streaming. Optimistic updates got simpler too.

There are major improvements under the hood as well. TanStack redesigned its tools from the ground up, so debugging data fetching is smoother. v5 is lighter weight while handling more functionality.

If you build React apps, this update is essential. TanStack Query keeps getting better and v5 makes async data fetching incredibly powerful yet easy. So go ahead and upgrade to simplify your components and queries. Your app's data flow will thank you!

Learn more here.