Hey r/reactjs! I just released an interview with Aurora Scharff (DX Engineer at Vercel, React Certification Lead at certificates.dev) and thought folks here might find it interesting.
We talked about:
Her path into React
- Started in robotics and intelligent systems, found her way into web dev
- Went deep on React and Next.js, became a Microsoft MVP
- Recently joined Vercel to work on developer experience
React Server Components
- Why RSCs require a real mental model shift, not just learning new syntax
- Experienced React devs often struggle more than newcomers because they keep reaching for client-side patterns
- How to think about the server/client boundary when designing components
Next.js App Router vs Page Router
- The shift isn't just an API change, it's a fundamentally different way to structure apps
- Practical lessons from rebuilding a legacy government system on the App Router
- Deploying on Vercel vs Azure and what surprised her
React certifications in the AI era
- She's building the React certification at certificates.dev
- Her take: when AI can generate code, proving you understand the fundamentals becomes more important
- Certifications aren't about gatekeeping, they're about depth of understanding
Speaking and community
- How she went from zero talks to 30+ conference appearances
- Why putting yourself out there early matters even when you feel like you're not ready
Full episode here:
- YouTube: https://youtu.be/4Llhem0M1Og
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UW8rszpV4eOAYwxK4trH4
Would love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions!
Also suggest me some guests you want to see!