Aspect Insights

Keep up with the latest developments in monorepo developer tooling based on the Bazel build tool. Hosted by Aspect Build co-founder Alex Eagle.

Learn about Bazel ctx.actions.map_directory and Dynamic Actions with Dev Tools Engineer Rahul Butani 12/19/2025

Live from BazelCon 2025: Google leads for Bazel open source Yun Peng and Xudong Yang 12/07/2025

How Snowflake Transformed its C++ and Java Build Systems 10/03/2025

State of Swift and iOS in Bazel 09/10/2025

Inside JetBrains' New Bazel Plugin with Justin Kaeser 07/28/2025

Better Bazel Flag Defaults - Feat: Markus Hofbauer from Zipline 07/12/2025

Bazel for Everyone? Hard Questions with Confluent Engineers 07/09/2025

Rethinking Developer Tooling in Monorepos with bazel_env - feat. Fabian Meumertzheim 05/28/2025

Overcoming Deployment Fears: Embracing Continuous Delivery for Reliable Software Releases 12/14/2024

Navigating Compatibility Challenges: Practical Steps to Implement Bzlmod in Bazel Projects 11/20/2024

Navigating Compatibility Challenges: Practical Steps to Implement Bzlmod in Bazel Projects Welcome to Aspect Insights, the podcast where we delve into the intricacies of the Bazel ecosystem and explore practical solutions for developers navigating its evolving landscape. In our latest episode titled "Practical Steps to Adopt Bzlmod," host Alex Eagle is joined by Mike Bland, a platform architect at Inflow and former Googler. Together, they unpack the challenges and opportunities presented by Bazelmod, a significant development as Bazel 8 is poised to phase out workspace support by default. Throughout the episode, Bland shares his insights on semantic versioning and compatibility challenges, particularly with modules like rules_kalla and protobuf. The duo addresses common stumbling blocks in transitioning to Bazelmod, touching on the pitfalls of module.bazel.lock files and dependency management. Despite current hurdles, they emphasize the promise of Bazelmod in improving code quality through streamlined builds and testing practices. Listeners are encouraged to contribute to the Bazel community, not just through code but also by engaging in discussions and providing feedback. As we look forward to the advancements surrounding Bazel 9, this episode serves as a valuable resource for those seeking to stay ahead in an ever-evolving ecosystem. So, tune in to gain practical insights and understand the pathway forward with Bazelmod's integration. --- Mike Bland is a seasoned professional with significant experience in the tech industry. From 2005 to 2011, Mike was an integral part of a pioneering team, witnessing the inception of Blaze. While he did not work on it directly, he was the first to be informed by Johannes Hinkle about the project after an intense development streak. During his time there, he also contributed to launching an internal remote caching execution platform integrated with Blaze, showcasing his versatility and technical acumen. Following his impactful stint, Mike expanded his expertise at Cvent in Northern Virginia, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to innovation and development in the field. /episode/index/show/42747c4c-b392-45c3-974d-cdce922e181f/id/34014612

Navigating Bazel's JavaScript Frontier: Insights from Robinhood's David Agassi 11/12/2024

Bazel and Rust: Optimizing Builds and Cross-Compilation with Daniel Wagner-Hall 10/09/2024

Mastering Bazel Build File Automation with Aspect CLI and Gazelle 10/04/2024

Ed Schouten on Buildbarn’s Evolution and Impact 09/25/2024

The Future of TypeScript in Bazel: An In-Depth Conversation on SWC 09/10/2024

The Future of TypeScript in Bazel: An In-Depth Conversation on SWC In this episode of Aspect Insights, Alex Eagle sits down with Jason Bedard to explore the intersection of TypeScript and SWC within the Bazel ecosystem. Jason, the primary maintainer of rules JS, shares his insights on managing large-scale migrations and the evolving role of TypeScript in modern development workflows. Whether you're a developer looking to optimize your TypeScript builds or you're curious about the latest advancements in SWC, this episode offers valuable strategies and knowledge to enhance your projects. Join us as we navigate the intricacies of TypeScript and SWC with one of the field's leading experts. Jason Bedard is a software engineer specializing in JavaScript and TypeScript. As the primary maintainer of rules JS at Aspect, Jason has led numerous migrations and played a pivotal role in integrating TypeScript with Bazel. With years of experience in modern development practices and a deep understanding of the Bazel ecosystem, Jason continues to drive innovation in build systems and developer productivity. Alex Eagle is a co-founder at Aspect and a long-time contributor to the Bazel project. With a passion for building efficient developer tools and a commitment to the open-source community, Alex has been instrumental in advancing the Bazel ecosystem. His expertise in monorepo management and build optimization makes him a key voice in the ongoing evolution of Bazel. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and overview of the episode. 03:45 Discussion on the latest developments in TypeScript and SWC. 07:20 Challenges in migrating TypeScript projects to SWC. 11:35 Best practices for managing large-scale TypeScript migrations. 16:00 Insights into rules JS and its role in the Bazel ecosystem. 20:15 Enhancing build efficiency with SWC in Bazel. 24:30 Community contributions and the future of TypeScript in Bazel. 30:50 Closing thoughts and takeaways from the episode. /episode/index/show/42747c4c-b392-45c3-974d-cdce922e181f/id/32667297

Navigating Bzlmod: Migrating to Bazel 8 and Beyond 08/21/2024

Navigating Bzlmod: Migrating to Bazel 8 and Beyond In this episode of Aspect Insights, Alex Eagle sits down with Fabian Meumertzheim to dive deep into the world of Bazel, focusing on the pivotal introduction of Bazelmod and what it means for developers as we approach Bazel 8. We explore the key features of Bazelmod, the best practices for migrating to this new system, and how to navigate the potential challenges. Whether you're looking to streamline your project's dependency management or prepare for the upcoming changes in Bazel 8, this conversation offers valuable insights and practical strategies to ensure a smooth transition. Join us as we uncover the advancements that are shaping the future of software development with Bazel. Speakers: Fabian Meumertzheim is a software engineer with a passion for Bazel. After working at Contelligence, where he was heavily involved in all kinds of Bazel-related projects, Fabian realized the importance of correct builds and the speed of Bazel. This passion led him to join BuildBuddy, where he now focuses on contributing to Bazel and its community, as well as developing rule sets around it. With his expertise and drive, Fabian continues to make significant contributions to the world of Bazel. Alex Eagle is a dedicated software developer who has been involved in the Bazel project for some time. His commitment to the project has allowed him to contribute a significant amount of work hours to the Bazel repo, and he is passionate about the recent developments in the project. With the Linux Foundation becoming involved and the establishment of a technical steering committee for the bazel contrib GitHub org, Alex is excited about the future of Bazel. He is also proud to be a part of the rules authors special interest group, which has now been owned by the Linux Foundation. As a result, many repos that are community maintained have been transferred to the Linux Foundation, a move that was recently approved by the Google Open Source Program Office. Alex Eagle is dedicated to improving the Bazel project and looks forward to the positive impact of these recent developments. Timestamps: 00:00 Bazel repo transferred to Linux Foundation, Google approved. 03:54 Google donating Bazel Skylib to Linux Foundation. 06:45 Bazel facilitates transparent integration with package managers. 12:08 Transition to Bazel 7 and rules Python. 15:08 Upgrade rule sets for Bazel 7 compatibility. 18:19 Bezelmod limits visibility, workaround with aliases. 20:39 Textually include files in a smart, non-conflicting way. 23:29 Basal updates and extensions make processes faster. 28:10 Bazel vendor simplifies managing monorepo dependencies. 32:09 Emphasizing improvement in Bazel work efficiency. 33:10 Bazel registry for package management and metadata. 36:35 Appreciation for contributions to the Bazel ecosystem. /episode/index/show/42747c4c-b392-45c3-974d-cdce922e181f/id/32666857

Bazel and JetBrains IDEs 07/09/2024

Bazel's Tracing and Logging Facilities 06/14/2024

What's new in Bazel 7.2 06/05/2024

BazelCon is hosted by the Linux Foundation 05/31/2024

rules_js 2.0 05/24/2024

Never Compile protoc Again 05/17/2024

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