Alistair Shepherd
@alistairshepherd.uk
Frontend developer, accessibility advocate and development lead at Series Eight.
Work: Front end development, CSS, accessibility, web performance
Personal: Mountains, snowsports, hillwalking, craft, music
Edinburgh, Scotland 🏳️🌈🏴
Work: Front end development, CSS, accessibility, web performance
Personal: Mountains, snowsports, hillwalking, craft, music
Edinburgh, Scotland 🏳️🌈🏴
Pinned
Alistair Shepherd
@alistairshepherd.uk
· Apr 18
In less than a week I'm speaking at City JS conf with my talk "Bill and Ted's Accessibility Adventure"!
I'm sp excited for it! It's the debut of a new talk I am so pleased with and a great line-up.
Next Friday in London, 30% off tickets: ti.to/cityjsconf-l...
#webdev #conference #accessibility
I'm sp excited for it! It's the debut of a new talk I am so pleased with and a great line-up.
Next Friday in London, 30% off tickets: ti.to/cityjsconf-l...
#webdev #conference #accessibility
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Hello internet friends, it's rough out there so I found y'all some tech jobs that have positive (or at least, less evil) impacts on the world. Here's a thread of what I've found for you this week ⬇️
January 13, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Hello internet friends, it's rough out there so I found y'all some tech jobs that have positive (or at least, less evil) impacts on the world. Here's a thread of what I've found for you this week ⬇️
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Still not sure if you should get a ticket?
Check out the amazing speakers and their talks and you'll see you don't want to miss out.
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/tickets/
Check out the amazing speakers and their talks and you'll see you don't want to miss out.
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/tickets/
January 12, 2026 at 11:43 AM
Still not sure if you should get a ticket?
Check out the amazing speakers and their talks and you'll see you don't want to miss out.
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/tickets/
Check out the amazing speakers and their talks and you'll see you don't want to miss out.
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/tickets/
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Speaker reveal time! The speaker, who was obsessed with fonts and is not a fan of Meatloaf is Zach Leatherman! Zach will talk about best practices for using JavaScript.
@zachleat.com
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/speaker/zach...
Our speaker line up is complete! Are you excited for #SotB26?
@zachleat.com
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/speaker/zach...
Our speaker line up is complete! Are you excited for #SotB26?
January 9, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Speaker reveal time! The speaker, who was obsessed with fonts and is not a fan of Meatloaf is Zach Leatherman! Zach will talk about best practices for using JavaScript.
@zachleat.com
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/speaker/zach...
Our speaker line up is complete! Are you excited for #SotB26?
@zachleat.com
2026.stateofthebrowser.com/speaker/zach...
Our speaker line up is complete! Are you excited for #SotB26?
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Scroll through from the tiniest organism right up to the largest. All beautifully hand-illustrated by an actual human.
neal.fun/size-of-life/
neal.fun/size-of-life/
Size of Life
From an amoeba to a blue whale
neal.fun
December 17, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Scroll through from the tiniest organism right up to the largest. All beautifully hand-illustrated by an actual human.
neal.fun/size-of-life/
neal.fun/size-of-life/
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
I think @alistairshepherd.uk did an _amazing_ job keeping is cool as I informed him of the biscuit pairing decision for his talk at @heypresents.com.
I'm sure he'll be celebrating with the family.
I'm sure he'll be celebrating with the family.
December 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I think @alistairshepherd.uk did an _amazing_ job keeping is cool as I informed him of the biscuit pairing decision for his talk at @heypresents.com.
I'm sure he'll be celebrating with the family.
I'm sure he'll be celebrating with the family.
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Rubber AI
The worlds most advanced AI, and it's all yours.
rubber-ai.davidfitz.dev
December 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
how can we keep calm and carry on now
December 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
how can we keep calm and carry on now
All Day Hey speaker announcement the same day as new Jet Lag the Game trailer! The universe really is treating me today!
Maybe this is my little treato for all the legacy JS nonsense at work
Maybe this is my little treato for all the legacy JS nonsense at work
December 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
All Day Hey speaker announcement the same day as new Jet Lag the Game trailer! The universe really is treating me today!
Maybe this is my little treato for all the legacy JS nonsense at work
Maybe this is my little treato for all the legacy JS nonsense at work
I am SO excited to be speaking at All Day Hey next year!
And the final edition too, omg I'm honoured!
Be prepared for the most bizarre accessibility talk you've ever seen, described to me in feedback as:
"Incredibly weird and ridiculous, but very funny and I learned a lot!" 🎸
And the final edition too, omg I'm honoured!
Be prepared for the most bizarre accessibility talk you've ever seen, described to me in feedback as:
"Incredibly weird and ridiculous, but very funny and I learned a lot!" 🎸
Celebrating ten years of All Day Hey! with our final conference. Help us go out with a bang and join on a journey through new techniques, accessibility, web animation, and human connection in a world of increasingly weird and wonderful AI.
December 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I am SO excited to be speaking at All Day Hey next year!
And the final edition too, omg I'm honoured!
Be prepared for the most bizarre accessibility talk you've ever seen, described to me in feedback as:
"Incredibly weird and ridiculous, but very funny and I learned a lot!" 🎸
And the final edition too, omg I'm honoured!
Be prepared for the most bizarre accessibility talk you've ever seen, described to me in feedback as:
"Incredibly weird and ridiculous, but very funny and I learned a lot!" 🎸
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Celebrating ten years of All Day Hey! with our final conference. Help us go out with a bang and join on a journey through new techniques, accessibility, web animation, and human connection in a world of increasingly weird and wonderful AI.
December 8, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Celebrating ten years of All Day Hey! with our final conference. Help us go out with a bang and join on a journey through new techniques, accessibility, web animation, and human connection in a world of increasingly weird and wonderful AI.
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
With talks from an international line-up:
• Bramus Van Damme (Google)
• Léonie Watson (Tetra Logical)
• Fiona Safari (Tesco)
• Jake Archibald (Firefox)
• Alistair Shepherd (Series Eight)
• Cassie Evans (GSAP/Webflow)
• Phil Hawksworth (Deno)
ti.to/hey-presents...
• Bramus Van Damme (Google)
• Léonie Watson (Tetra Logical)
• Fiona Safari (Tesco)
• Jake Archibald (Firefox)
• Alistair Shepherd (Series Eight)
• Cassie Evans (GSAP/Webflow)
• Phil Hawksworth (Deno)
ti.to/hey-presents...
December 8, 2025 at 9:11 AM
With talks from an international line-up:
• Bramus Van Damme (Google)
• Léonie Watson (Tetra Logical)
• Fiona Safari (Tesco)
• Jake Archibald (Firefox)
• Alistair Shepherd (Series Eight)
• Cassie Evans (GSAP/Webflow)
• Phil Hawksworth (Deno)
ti.to/hey-presents...
• Bramus Van Damme (Google)
• Léonie Watson (Tetra Logical)
• Fiona Safari (Tesco)
• Jake Archibald (Firefox)
• Alistair Shepherd (Series Eight)
• Cassie Evans (GSAP/Webflow)
• Phil Hawksworth (Deno)
ti.to/hey-presents...
Everything Everything live 🔥
Yet again life feels sucky then I see some banging live music and I realise life is fucking amazing.
I've had such a shit year but omg the music has been siiiiick
Yet again life feels sucky then I see some banging live music and I realise life is fucking amazing.
I've had such a shit year but omg the music has been siiiiick
November 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Everything Everything live 🔥
Yet again life feels sucky then I see some banging live music and I realise life is fucking amazing.
I've had such a shit year but omg the music has been siiiiick
Yet again life feels sucky then I see some banging live music and I realise life is fucking amazing.
I've had such a shit year but omg the music has been siiiiick
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Interesting, second time I’ve seen someone get hit with a fine because their website made a cached copy of an open graph image from another site. In this case its Ghost scraping the site (cc @alistairshepherd.uk)
Bookmark thumbnails triggering copyright violation claims
Issue Summary I included a bookmark pointing to the Guardian website in a public article here: Stop Rosebank — More than just a Bad Deal for the UK The bookmark widget renders a beautiful short s...
forum.ghost.org
November 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Interesting, second time I’ve seen someone get hit with a fine because their website made a cached copy of an open graph image from another site. In this case its Ghost scraping the site (cc @alistairshepherd.uk)
Another absolute stunner from Alex! 🔥
Even during my post-React rehab I'm happily learning about JS news thanks to hiding it in banging jokes
Even during my post-React rehab I'm happily learning about JS news thanks to hiding it in banging jokes
It's week 2 of The Callback and I've only managed to make it weirder.
Check it out to learn:
- The three scariest acronyms in Web Dev
- How we're finally going to get people to practice accessibility
- How to be maximally bathroom efficient
youtu.be/GYUVIe8xCr4
Check it out to learn:
- The three scariest acronyms in Web Dev
- How we're finally going to get people to practice accessibility
- How to be maximally bathroom efficient
youtu.be/GYUVIe8xCr4
Did they fix Next.js?
YouTube video by Prismic
youtu.be
October 24, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Another absolute stunner from Alex! 🔥
Even during my post-React rehab I'm happily learning about JS news thanks to hiding it in banging jokes
Even during my post-React rehab I'm happily learning about JS news thanks to hiding it in banging jokes
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
there are basically only two positions in the debate about AI.
1. i do not use it to generate things that strip the humanity out of anything that could bring joy
2. i use it. i am a big fuckin baby living in fear of epiphany and I suck at everything i am a huge baby and i am a sad little baby man
1. i do not use it to generate things that strip the humanity out of anything that could bring joy
2. i use it. i am a big fuckin baby living in fear of epiphany and I suck at everything i am a huge baby and i am a sad little baby man
There are basically only two positions in the debate about AI.
1. I’ve barely invested any time in learning how to use it effectively. AI sucks.
2. I’ve invested in learning how to use this tool. Holy cow, it’s transformational.
Position #1 has lower barriers to entry.
1. I’ve barely invested any time in learning how to use it effectively. AI sucks.
2. I’ve invested in learning how to use this tool. Holy cow, it’s transformational.
Position #1 has lower barriers to entry.
October 17, 2025 at 11:04 AM
there are basically only two positions in the debate about AI.
1. i do not use it to generate things that strip the humanity out of anything that could bring joy
2. i use it. i am a big fuckin baby living in fear of epiphany and I suck at everything i am a huge baby and i am a sad little baby man
1. i do not use it to generate things that strip the humanity out of anything that could bring joy
2. i use it. i am a big fuckin baby living in fear of epiphany and I suck at everything i am a huge baby and i am a sad little baby man
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
This is the most personal project I’ve made in years.
I launched a new show called The Callback. It’s weekly web dev news with my dumb humor sprinkled on top.
If this pilot does well I get to make more, so watching, liking, and sharing would be DEEPLY appreciated 💜
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMOD...
I launched a new show called The Callback. It’s weekly web dev news with my dumb humor sprinkled on top.
If this pilot does well I get to make more, so watching, liking, and sharing would be DEEPLY appreciated 💜
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMOD...
Remix needs to fix this…
YouTube video by Prismic
www.youtube.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:04 PM
This is the most personal project I’ve made in years.
I launched a new show called The Callback. It’s weekly web dev news with my dumb humor sprinkled on top.
If this pilot does well I get to make more, so watching, liking, and sharing would be DEEPLY appreciated 💜
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMOD...
I launched a new show called The Callback. It’s weekly web dev news with my dumb humor sprinkled on top.
If this pilot does well I get to make more, so watching, liking, and sharing would be DEEPLY appreciated 💜
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMOD...
It's been a great — and by great I mean fucking appalling — day for clients taking SEO advice from AI and trying to implement all sorts of crap with no critical thinking 🥴
(examples in reply)
(examples in reply)
October 17, 2025 at 9:34 AM
It's been a great — and by great I mean fucking appalling — day for clients taking SEO advice from AI and trying to implement all sorts of crap with no critical thinking 🥴
(examples in reply)
(examples in reply)
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
It's here. JavaScript for Everyone is now available to…everyone!
The amount of effort and experience packed into this course is unbelievable and we know you're going to love it.
Get yours for £189, down from £249, for 2 weeks and super-charge your career prospects
piccalilli.link/js4e-launch-...
The amount of effort and experience packed into this course is unbelievable and we know you're going to love it.
Get yours for £189, down from £249, for 2 weeks and super-charge your career prospects
piccalilli.link/js4e-launch-...
JavaScript for Everyone
A high quality, expansive written course that will elevate your JavaScript skills to a level you never thought was achievable.
piccalilli.link
October 14, 2025 at 8:21 AM
It's here. JavaScript for Everyone is now available to…everyone!
The amount of effort and experience packed into this course is unbelievable and we know you're going to love it.
Get yours for £189, down from £249, for 2 weeks and super-charge your career prospects
piccalilli.link/js4e-launch-...
The amount of effort and experience packed into this course is unbelievable and we know you're going to love it.
Get yours for £189, down from £249, for 2 weeks and super-charge your career prospects
piccalilli.link/js4e-launch-...
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Great words by @matthiasott.com, someone I'm delighted to call a friend
> the Web isn’t just a bunch of servers and websites. The Web is the people building it. The Web is community.
matthiasott.com/notes/the-li...
> the Web isn’t just a bunch of servers and websites. The Web is the people building it. The Web is community.
matthiasott.com/notes/the-li...
The Lifeblood of the Web · Matthias Ott
Matthias Ott is an independent user experience designer and web design engineer from Stuttgart, Germany. He also teaches Interface Prototyping at the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design.
matthiasott.com
October 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Great words by @matthiasott.com, someone I'm delighted to call a friend
> the Web isn’t just a bunch of servers and websites. The Web is the people building it. The Web is community.
matthiasott.com/notes/the-li...
> the Web isn’t just a bunch of servers and websites. The Web is the people building it. The Web is community.
matthiasott.com/notes/the-li...
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
Hey #WDC2025, if you want a talk to watch on the way home, my talk from @heypresents.com was published today!
I make some Daft Punk with a MIDI controller and a web browser.
I make some Daft Punk with a MIDI controller and a web browser.
Not only that, but we managed to interrupt a movie playing in the screen next door with the volume of the demo. It certainly woke us all up before heading off to the social. It sounded incredible! Watch the talk and find out more here:
heypresents.com/talks/around...
heypresents.com/talks/around...
Around the wwworld: Web MIDI, Web AUDIO and what the web does best
So, you don't use the Web Audio and Web MIDI APIs in your day job - does that mean they have nothing important to tell us about the nature of the Web? Think again! Katie Fenn takes us on a tour of the...
heypresents.com
October 10, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Hey #WDC2025, if you want a talk to watch on the way home, my talk from @heypresents.com was published today!
I make some Daft Punk with a MIDI controller and a web browser.
I make some Daft Punk with a MIDI controller and a web browser.
I'm down in Bristol over the next couple of days for Web Dev Conf! Super excited for it and looking forward to seeing all my web pals! ❤️
I'm there from 7–8pm this evening if anyone is also around and wants to grab food/a drink together?
webdevconf.com
@webdevconf.com
#webdevconf
I'm there from 7–8pm this evening if anyone is also around and wants to grab food/a drink together?
webdevconf.com
@webdevconf.com
#webdevconf
WDC2025 - October 10 2025, Watershed, Bristol, UK
WDC is the web conference based in Bristol, taking place in autumn each year. With great speakers and attendees alike.
webdevconf.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:25 AM
I'm down in Bristol over the next couple of days for Web Dev Conf! Super excited for it and looking forward to seeing all my web pals! ❤️
I'm there from 7–8pm this evening if anyone is also around and wants to grab food/a drink together?
webdevconf.com
@webdevconf.com
#webdevconf
I'm there from 7–8pm this evening if anyone is also around and wants to grab food/a drink together?
webdevconf.com
@webdevconf.com
#webdevconf
I too wish ill on JK Rowling, I hope she keeps accidentally stepping on upturned plugs.
And that Bluesky mods pull their heads out their arse.
(would encourage others to do the same)
And that Bluesky mods pull their heads out their arse.
(would encourage others to do the same)
Oh, good…
Nice to see how the “new” Bluesky Moderation is being handled.
Nice to see how the “new” Bluesky Moderation is being handled.
August 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
I too wish ill on JK Rowling, I hope she keeps accidentally stepping on upturned plugs.
And that Bluesky mods pull their heads out their arse.
(would encourage others to do the same)
And that Bluesky mods pull their heads out their arse.
(would encourage others to do the same)
Reposted by Alistair Shepherd
The first reported effects of the bill was the de-listing of LGBTQ+ resources from the Reddit search.
Not only are they trying to stop queer kids from growing up, they’re doing it in the name of our “safety”. The subtext is that trans kids don’t get murdered for being trans if they’re cis.
Not only are they trying to stop queer kids from growing up, they’re doing it in the name of our “safety”. The subtext is that trans kids don’t get murdered for being trans if they’re cis.
It absolutely guts me that one of the "faces" of the UK censorship act is a trans girl who was murdered for who she was.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Brianna Ghey’s mother hits out at potential watering down of Online Safety Bill
Bill could reportedly be softened as part of US-UK trade deal
www.independent.co.uk
July 26, 2025 at 9:18 PM
The first reported effects of the bill was the de-listing of LGBTQ+ resources from the Reddit search.
Not only are they trying to stop queer kids from growing up, they’re doing it in the name of our “safety”. The subtext is that trans kids don’t get murdered for being trans if they’re cis.
Not only are they trying to stop queer kids from growing up, they’re doing it in the name of our “safety”. The subtext is that trans kids don’t get murdered for being trans if they’re cis.
For anyone in the Edinburgh area next Tuesday I'll be at the Edinburgh IndieWeb meetup: events.indieweb.org/2025/07/home...
We meet the last Tuesday each month, and discuss the web, personal sites, blogging and tech in general.
It may just be me as we've got a few absences this month, come chat!
We meet the last Tuesday each month, and discuss the web, personal sites, blogging and tech in general.
It may just be me as we've got a few absences this month, come chat!
Homebrew Website Club Edinburgh
events.indieweb.org
July 25, 2025 at 2:43 PM
For anyone in the Edinburgh area next Tuesday I'll be at the Edinburgh IndieWeb meetup: events.indieweb.org/2025/07/home...
We meet the last Tuesday each month, and discuss the web, personal sites, blogging and tech in general.
It may just be me as we've got a few absences this month, come chat!
We meet the last Tuesday each month, and discuss the web, personal sites, blogging and tech in general.
It may just be me as we've got a few absences this month, come chat!
New blog post! 🚀
A few months ago a media org demanded a license fee for an open graph image I linked. I paid the fee because I was worried, but it raises serious questions about open graph usage on the web!
This goes through how it went and my thoughts.
alistairshepherd.uk/writing/open...
A few months ago a media org demanded a license fee for an open graph image I linked. I paid the fee because I was worried, but it raises serious questions about open graph usage on the web!
This goes through how it went and my thoughts.
alistairshepherd.uk/writing/open...
I displayed an open graph image and had to pay how much?! - Alistair Shepherd
A media company demanded a license fee for an Open Graph image used on my twitter archive. I gave in and paid it, but what does that mean for open graph images and copyright?
alistairshepherd.uk
July 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
New blog post! 🚀
A few months ago a media org demanded a license fee for an open graph image I linked. I paid the fee because I was worried, but it raises serious questions about open graph usage on the web!
This goes through how it went and my thoughts.
alistairshepherd.uk/writing/open...
A few months ago a media org demanded a license fee for an open graph image I linked. I paid the fee because I was worried, but it raises serious questions about open graph usage on the web!
This goes through how it went and my thoughts.
alistairshepherd.uk/writing/open...