About the event

Join us on Tuesday, May 26, for an evening focused on the honest reality of frontend development in 2026. Four engineers from Applifting and Mews will share what's actually working—and what isn't—in framework decisions, AI workflows, and the human side of keeping up with constant change.

Let's meet in the Applifting meetup space, both in person and online. We’ll start at 18:00.

Who’s speaking?

Michal Čížek, senior frontend developer at Applifting, will open with a side-by-side comparison of Next.js and TanStack Start—two frameworks with fundamentally different philosophies—to help you pick for your next project.

Jan Marek, senior software engineer at Mews, will follow with how frustration and laziness can guide useful AI workflows, automating each “I don't want to do this manually” from Slack thread to announcement.

Tereza Šimková, also a senior frontend developer at Applifting, will offer an honest, non-technical look at the hidden psychological toll of working with AI coding assistants.

Then, they will be joined for the panel discussion by Matyas Mihálka, frontend tech lead at Applifting, bringing a grounded take on what AI coding tools actually deliver day-to-day and how to adopt them without burning out.

Schedule

17:30 – Doors open
Get your ticket ready, say hello to others, and have a drink with us. 🥂

18:00 – Introduction by Filip Kirschner
Our co-founder Filip will give you a short welcome and introduce our speakers.

18:15 — Two philosophies, one decision: Next.js vs TanStack Start in 2026 with Michal Čížek
Next.js has shaped React for years. TanStack Start is the challenger with a fundamentally different philosophy. Which one should you pick for your next project?

18:30 — Boring driven development: Let your laziness and frustration guide your creativity in your AI workflows with Jan Marek
From Slack thread to announcement: how “I don't want to do this manually” can turn each step of development into automation.

18:45 — We need to talk: Confessions of a frontend dev's AI journey with Tereza Šimková 
An honest, non-technical chat about the hidden psychological toll of our evolving relationship with AI.

19:00 — Short break 
Time to stretch, refill drinks, and chat a bit.

19:10 — Panel discussion Living with AI: Tools, anxiety & what actually works with Jan Marek, Michal Čížek, Tereza Šimková, and Matyas Mihálka
AI coding tools are everywhere but between the hype and the fear, what actually delivers in day-to-day work?

20:00 — Q&A session
Your turn. We’re open to any questions or comments you have.

20:30 – Networking, food & drinks 🍻
Snacks and drinks, including draft beer, will be available for you all evening. Get ready to network with Applifters and enjoy the evening together!

22:00 – It’s a wrap!
Some of us may move on to a pub, but the doors of Applifting are closing, and we'll look forward to seeing you next time!

How to reach us? 

Use the inner side entrance, located in the passage between the River Garden A and River Garden B buildings, just behind the corner from the iOpravna shop. The door will be open, we'll be expecting you. Come and chat, get to know each other, and see how we think about things at Applifting.

We look forward to meeting you!