UI Dev Insights: Base UI, Convex Components, and the AI Software Engineer
Published on 21.12.2025
Base UI: Unstyled Components for Accessible Apps
TLDR: From the creators of Radix, Floating UI, and Material UI, Base UI is a new unstyled component library for building accessible web apps and design systems. It provides the foundational blocks for building a custom UI, without imposing any specific design.
Summary: The team behind some of the most popular UI libraries in the React ecosystem has come together to create Base UI, a library of unstyled components. The idea is to provide developers with a set of accessible, high-quality building blocks that can be easily customized to fit any design system. This is a significant move, as it addresses a common pain point for developers: the need to build custom UIs without reinventing the wheel for every component.
For architects and teams, this is a compelling proposition. By adopting Base UI, you can standardize on a set of accessible, well-maintained components, while still having the freedom to create a unique look and feel for your applications. This can lead to faster development cycles, improved accessibility, and a more consistent user experience across your products. However, it's important to remember that "unstyled" means you'll need to provide your own styling, which can be a significant upfront investment.
Key takeaways:
- Base UI is an unstyled component library from the creators of Radix, Floating UI, and Material UI.
- It's designed to be a foundation for building accessible web apps and design systems.
- It provides a set of high-quality, unstyled components that can be easily customized.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain a solid, accessible foundation for your design system, but sacrifice the out-of-the-box styling that comes with libraries like Material UI.
Authoring Convex Components
TLDR: A guide to building reusable modules in Convex, a reactive backend-as-a-service platform. Components in Convex can encapsulate functions, schemas, and persistent state, making it easier to share functionality between apps.
Summary: This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to author components in Convex. Unlike traditional libraries, Convex components can have their own database tables, sub-transactions, and isolated functions. This makes them a powerful tool for building complex, stateful applications. The guide covers everything from the basic structure of a component to more advanced topics like function handles, pagination, and testing.
For architects and teams, this is a must-read if you're considering Convex for your next project. The ability to create reusable, stateful components can significantly improve developer productivity and code quality. However, the learning curve for authoring components can be steep, and it's important to understand the trade-offs involved. For example, components can introduce a level of indirection that can make debugging more challenging.
Key takeaways:
- Convex components can encapsulate functions, schemas, and persistent state.
- They can be shared between apps, making it easier to build complex, stateful applications.
- The guide covers a wide range of topics, from basic component structure to advanced concepts like function handles and pagination.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain reusability and encapsulation for your backend logic, but sacrifice some of the simplicity of a monolithic backend.
Link: Authoring Components | Convex Developer Hub
Debug Your Browser Session with Chrome DevTools MCP
TLDR: A new feature in Chrome DevTools allows coding agents to connect to an active browser session, making it easier to debug complex issues. This is a significant step forward for AI-assisted development.
Summary: The Chrome DevTools team has added a new feature that allows coding agents to connect to an active browser session. This means that an AI agent can now access your current browsing session, including any active debugging sessions in DevTools. This is a huge win for developers, as it allows for a more seamless workflow between manual and AI-assisted debugging. For example, you can now select a failing network request in the Network panel and ask an AI agent to investigate it.
For architects and teams, this is a clear indication of the direction that developer tooling is headed. AI is becoming increasingly integrated into the development process, and this new feature is a great example of how it can be used to improve developer productivity. However, it's important to be aware of the security implications of allowing an AI agent to access your browser session. The article notes that Chrome will display a dialog asking for permission before allowing a remote debugging session to start.
Key takeaways:
- A new feature in Chrome DevTools allows coding agents to connect to an active browser session.
- This allows for a more seamless workflow between manual and AI-assisted debugging.
- It's a significant step forward for AI-assisted development, but it's important to be aware of the security implications.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain the ability to have an AI agent debug your live browser session, but sacrifice a degree of control and potentially expose sensitive information if not used carefully.
The AI Software Engineer in 2026
TLDR: A look at the future of software engineering in the age of AI. The author argues that the role of the software engineer will shift from writing code to orchestrating a team of specialized AI agents.
Summary: This article provides a thought-provoking look at the future of software engineering. The author argues that the role of the software engineer will evolve from being a "coder" to being an "Orchestrator" who manages a team of specialized AI agents. This is a compelling vision, and it's one that's already starting to play out in the real world. The author outlines a five-step process for working with AI agents: spec, onboard, direct, verify, and integrate.
For architects and teams, this is a must-read. It provides a framework for thinking about how to integrate AI into your development process, and it highlights the importance of skills like technical direction, code review, and system integration. The author also provides a useful overview of the different types of AI tools that are available, from scaffolding tools to autonomous refactor agents.
Key takeaways:
- The role of the software engineer will shift from writing code to orchestrating a team of specialized AI agents.
- The author outlines a five-step process for working with AI agents: spec, onboard, direct, verify, and integrate.
- The article provides a useful overview of the different types of AI tools that are available.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain a massive productivity boost by leveraging AI agents, but sacrifice the "hands-on" apect of coding and need to develop new skills in orchestration and verification.
Link: The AI software engineer in 2026
Next.js 16.1
TLDR: Next.js 16.1 is here, with a focus on faster development workflows and improved stability. The release includes a number of new features, including a new Bundle Analyzer and easier debugging with next dev --inspect.
Summary: The Next.js team has released version 16.1, which includes a number of new features and improvements. The headline feature is the new Bundle Analyzer, which makes it easier to optimize your bundle sizes for both server and client code. This is a welcome addition, as bundle size is a major concern for many Next.js developers. The release also includes easier debugging with next dev --inspect, as well as improved handling of serverExternalPackages.
For architects and teams, this release is a solid step forward for Next.js. The new Bundle Analyzer is a powerful tool for optimizing performance, and the improved debugging experience will be a welcome addition for many developers. However, it's worth noting that the Bundle Analyzer is still experimental, so you may encounter some rough edges.
Key takeaways:
- Next.js 16.1 is here, with a focus on faster development workflows and improved stability.
- The release includes a new experimental Bundle Analyzer for optimizing bundle sizes.
- It also includes easier debugging with
next dev --inspectand improved handling ofserverExternalPackages.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain better tools for bundle analysis and debugging, but you're still on the "bleeding edge" with experimental features.
Link: Next.js 16.1
React Spectrum v1.0.0
TLDR: The first stable version of React Spectrum 2 is here, with a focus on modern, refined components, better accessibility, and improved styling flexibility.
Summary: The React Spectrum team has released the first stable version of their new design system implementation. Spectrum 2 delivers a set of modern, refined components with a focus on accessibility, performance, and styling flexibility. The release also includes an overhauled documentation website, with more interactive examples, a new search experience, and AI-friendly page markdown.
For architects and teams, this is a significant release. React Spectrum is a mature, well-supported component library, and the new design system implementation is a great step forward. The focus on accessibility and styling flexibility is particularly noteworthy, as these are two areas where many component libraries fall short. However, migrating to a new design system is a major undertaking, so it's important to plan accordingly.
Key takeaways:
- The first stable version of React Spectrum 2 is here.
- It delivers a set of modern, refined components with a focus on accessibility, performance, and styling flexibility.
- The release also includes an overhauled documentation website.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain a modern, accessible, and flexible component library, but you'll need to invest time in migrating from the previous version.
Link: v1.0.0 | React Spectrum
Symbol - JavaScript | MDN
TLDR: An in-depth look at the Symbol primitive type in JavaScript. Symbols are unique and immutable, and they're often used to add unique property keys to an object.
Summary: This MDN article provides a comprehensive overview of the Symbol primitive type in JavaScript. Symbols are a unique and immutable data type that are often used to add unique property keys to an object. This can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as creating "private" properties or avoiding naming collisions. The article covers everything from the basics of creating a Symbol to more advanced topics like well-known Symbols and the global Symbol registry.
For architects and teams, this is a great resource for understanding a an often-overlooked feature of JavaScript. While you may not use Symbols in your day-to-day work, they're a powerful tool to have in your toolbox. Understanding how they work can help you write more robust and maintainable code.
Key takeaways:
- Symbols are a unique and immutable primitive type in JavaScript.
- They're often used to add unique property keys to an object.
- The article provides a comprehensive overview of how to create and use Symbols.
Tradeoffs:
- Gain the ability to create truly unique property keys, but you might be introducing a concept that's unfamiliar to some developers on your team.