Bio
Steven Hicks is a web developer with 20 years of experience. He believes that code is for humans, and should be written with them in mind. He is a big fan of JavaScript, and believes that if you ain’t falling, you ain’t learning.
Steve embraces continuous improvement and believes that a developer’s job is to solve problems, not just write code. He is a speaker, a writer, a teacher, a learner, and a teammate.
When he isn’t talking to the duck or smooshing 1s and 0s, you can find Steve outside. He’s probably camping with his family, running trails, or riding his bike.
My Talks
5 Things You'll Love About React
This session is intended for developers searching for a front-end JavaScript framework they can fall in love with. We'll look at five ways that React will delight you as a developer, and a few thin...
Building Quality JavaScript With Test-Driven Development
This workshop will ease the frustration of learning Test-Driven Development. We'll discuss the fundamentals of TDD and work together to solve problems in a test-driven manner. You'll build confiden...
Building Your First React App
In this workshop, you'll learn how to build a single-page app with React. We'll discuss the fundamentals of React development and tips for writing maintainable React code. You'll get hands-on exper...
Code Is Communication
Code is communication. Between you and the compiler, but also between you and the next developer. Code that communicates poorly is code that cannot be maintained, and code that cannot be maintained...
Finding Your Voice - Becoming A Speaker
Conference speakers are amazing. Where do they come from?
The truth is, they are people like you and me. The biggest difference between speakers and the rest of us is that speakers have chosen to ...
Getting Unstuck: Strategies For Solving Problems
Every developer gets stuck. The key to success as a developer is knowing how to get yourself unstuck.
This talk will reframe the act of getting stuck as a positive. We’ll discuss strategies for ge...
Maximize Professional Growth By Doing Scary Things
Fear has lost its value. What once saved us from being eaten by saber-toothed tigers now prevents us from realizing our goals.
In this session, we'll ask questions about the nature of fear. We'll...
Pragmatic Patterns For Maintainable React Apps
Is your React code messy? This session will help you tidy it up.
From ES6+ features that help readability to lessons I've learned packing my suitcase, we'll cover several patterns for improving ma...
The Static Web Revolution
Dynamic back-ends run much of the web, but they come at the expense of simplicity, performance, and security. The current tooling for building static websites is remarkable. This talk will cover st...
Unit Testing Your React Application
This session will introduce you to the tools Jest and React Testing Library, and show how you can use them to write meaningful and maintainable unit tests for a React app. You'll learn what to test...
You Down With TDD? Yeah You Know Me...
Getting started with Test Driven Development can be a challenge. TDD is a discipline, and it takes practice.
If you've never tried TDD, I've got some ways to help you get started. If you've tried ...