The 15 Best Podcasts for Engineers

Hunter Amato  on March 10, 2020

If you've been on the hunt for a new developer podcast, then you understand just how difficult and fruitless that pursuit can be. You can spend hours online sifting through coding podcasts, programming podcasts, and DevOps podcasts only to realize one simple thing: none of them focus on your preferred programming language!

With thousands of different developer podcasts out there, the problem is magnified exponentially.

Fortunately, we at Scout APM have nothing but expertise and time on our hands. We've organized this list of the best programming podcasts for engineers and dipped our toes in the water so that you can skip straight to diving in.

Browse by category to find your next favorite programming podcast:

Best Ruby Podcasts

Ruby on Rails has been rapidly increasing in use over the past 20 years. Web developers frequently turn to Ruby for its simplicity, and it's ease of use.

The Ruby podcasts that we've selected here are the best that we could find. Each program has its own list of highlights and appeals to its own array of listeners. Whether you're an expert Ruby developer or you're looking for tips on how to code with Ruby, these Ruby-centric podcasts might interest you.

Here are the three best Ruby on Rails podcasts:

#1: The Ruby Rogues

The Ruby Rogues podcast takes the cake in this category because of the skill of the hosts is not only comedy and entertainment but also in all things Ruby.

The hosts of Ruby Rogues discuss Ruby's development across a wide variety of applications, ways to get the most out of the Ruby programming language, and — perhaps most importantly — the best ways to avoid self-sabotaging your Ruby code.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#2: Ruby on Rails Podcast

The Ruby on Rails Podcast focuses on the most important themes found in Ruby development. Every week, the show's hosts meet to discuss the Ruby programming language, open-source software, the programming profession as a whole, and more.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#3: My Ruby Story

The My Ruby Story podcast hasn't been around for as long as the other two on this list, but in just over 100 informational episodes, it has made quite a name for itself.

The hosts frequently cover specific and complicated problems found in the real-life experiences of real people and professional Ruby developers. Much of the content on this podcast takes the form of interviews with easily recognizable and well-known figures in the Ruby community.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

Best Python Podcasts

The Tiobe Index shows Python as one of the fastest-growing and most important programming languages in the world. Python has won Tiobe's programming language of the year award three times since 2007 and has been skyrocketing in popularity since 2004.

Whether you're looking for a Python podcast that deals with game development, software development, or even technological research; these three podcasts have you covered. With countless hours of combined listening time, you can get well on your way to hitting the 10,000-hour requirement of Python programming mastery.

Here are the three best Python podcasts:

#1: Talk Python to Me

This python podcast heavily leans on computer science and tech fundamentals, making it an excellent place for techies and beginner coders alike. Michael Kennedy, the host of the show, founded this programming podcast back in 2015 to fill a void in the tech world: there simply weren't enough developer podcasts that focused on Python.

Since then, Talk Python to Me has grown to become one of the quintessential python programming podcasts, topping just about everybody's lists of the best python podcasts. Whether you're looking to understand Bayesian fundamentals better or to get started with basic variables and constants, Talk Python to Me might interest you.

You can listen on the podcast's website, Soundcloud, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, and just about everywhere else.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#2: Podcast. _ _ init _ _

This podcast is another of the best Python podcasts around. Tobias Macey founded the show for roughly the same reason behind why Michael Kennedy founded Talk Python to Me: there were so few Python-centric programming podcasts around.

Today, Podcast . _ _ init _ _ has nearly 300 episodes ranging from 19 to 69 minutes and covering just about every topic you can think of — all while keeping Python at the core of every discussion. 

The podcast host also routinely produces written transcripts of each episode, so you can read along or check out the podcast when you don't have good enough signal to connect for more substantial downloads.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#3: Teaching Python

Teaching Python is a great way to get started learning to code with Python. Hosted by two middle school computer science teachers, Teaching Python covers material like technological reflection and overcoming coding frustrations and also frequently conducts interviews with experts in the industry.

Although the program has a heavy lean on teaching and learning to code, making it an excellent coding podcast for beginners, it also covers more advanced materials that working professionals might find interesting.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

Best PHP Podcasts

The PHP programming language is powerful, has its own suite of unique commands, and is especially well-suited for use in the field of web development. Quite a few popular websites — like Facebook and Wordpress — have been written in PHP.

If you're looking for PHP podcasts that are as entertaining as they are informational and educational, then the podcasts that we've chosen below — out of dozens of competitors — might interest you.

Here are the three best PHP podcasts:

#1: Voices of the ElePHPant

One of the easiest-to-understand PHP podcasts around is the Voices of the ElePHPant podcast. Available for streaming on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and more, Voices of the ElePHPant's podcast episodes have been downloaded thousands of times each — sometimes even more than 10 thousand times.

This podcast's content includes interviews with celebrity coders and expert programmers as well as PHP DevOps and useful things to know about coding in the PHP programming language.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#2: PHPUgly

PHPUgly markets itself as "the podcast your mother warned you about." The show's four hosts are all seasoned and experienced PHP developers. The program's content has covered just about every aspect of PHP programming, including the good, the bad, and — of course — the PHPUgly.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#3: PHP Roundtable

The staff behind PHP Roundtable work closely with the staff of Voices of the ElePHPant to produce an educational and information PHP podcast that covers the basics of web development with PHP.

There are currently (Feb 2020) just under 100 episodes of PHP Roundtable, covering popular subjects in the PHP world with an in-depth focus on education.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

Best JavaScript Podcasts

JavaScript, invented in 1995 under the name Mocha, has long been the go-to programming language for web development, among other applications (pun intended). Today, there are countless programming podcasts out there dedicated to JavaScript and how to get the most out of it.

These three podcasts had some fierce competition for the top three spots. Still, they've certainly made their case by providing exciting and entertaining content while staying true to the essence of the JavaScript programming language.

Here are the three best JavaScript podcasts:

#1: JavaScript Jabber

JavaScript Jabber's mission is to keep you informed and educated about the JavaScript language while also providing you with high-quality resources that you may not have otherwise known about.

The show's hosts take a deliberate and focused approach to providing an entertaining platform for all things JavaScript. From expert interviews to basic coding hacks, the JavaScript Jabber team covers just about everything there is to know about this incredibly popular programming language.

With over 400 episodes, the Jabber has one of the most expansive subject areas of all programming podcasts. Whether you're looking to listen to a detailed, tech-driven podcast or you're just interested in kicking back and being entertained, the JavaScript Jabber has episodes that do just that.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#2: JS Party

JS Party is a conversational and entertaining platform for all things JavaScript. The program offers live recordings every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time and also posts its recordings to a variety of other hosting platforms — such as iTunes, Overcast, and Spotify.

This developer podcast has episodes ranging from a short 23 minutes to a long 88 minutes, but episodes tend to average about 45 to 60 minutes in length.

The JS Party team uses an entertaining approach to spice up otherwise technical and jargonistic material. If you're interested in a relatively large group of hosts that engage in conversational and occasionally humorous banter focused on JavaScript, then JS Party might be for you.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#3: Real Talk JavaScript

The hosts of Real Talk JavaScript — John Papa, Ward Bell, and Dan Wahlin — extensively cover subjects related to JavaScript and web development stories. This weekly podcast is aimed at tackling today's most pressing web development difficulties with an emphasis on current events.

The hosts frequently invite industry professionals onto the show to engage in "real talk" about how they have personally faced concrete challenges and found solutions in the practical web applications that they built. 

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

Best Java Podcasts

Java is more than just one of the oldest programming languages still in use today; it's the most widely used language in the world. Whether you're a researcher, a programming hobbyist, or anybody in between, chances are you've encountered Java.

These developer podcasts contain a mix of DevOps tips, Java tutorials for beginners, Java tutorials for experts, and a variety of other Java coding hacks. Long story short, these programming podcasts are dedicated to all things Java.

Here are the 3 best Java podcasts:

#1: Java Pub House

Marketed as a tutorial podcast for professional developers and enthusiasts, Java Pub House is a programming podcast dedicated to advanced- and expert- level tutorials. That being said, this Java podcast has a lot more to offer than just that.

Even if you're not a Java expert, the programming tutorials that Java Pub House publishes can help you get there. The educational and entertaining approach that the show's hosts take to podcasting is one that makes it suitable for all audiences, beginner and expert, and alike.

The hosts even offer a category on their website dedicated specifically to their beginner-friendly episodes.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

#2: Enterprise Java Newscast

The Enterprise Java Newscast podcast is another one of the best Java podcasts for a variety of reasons. At the top of that list are the show's hosts' — Kito D. Mann, Ian Hlavats, and Daniel Hinojosa — the ability to be entertaining without sacrificing educational and informational quality.

The show also takes a unique, journalistic perspective, highlighting current events and analyzing how they relate to and what they mean for the Java programming community. The downsides to this podcast are that it's only produced once a month, and the episodes can be upwards of an hour in length, some being as long as 100+ minutes.

#3: Java Posse

Although the Java Posse podcast stopped recording back in 2015, it is still heralded as one of the best Java focused podcasts of all time. With 461 different episodes, each covering various detailed and intricate subjects in the Java community, Java Posse was one of the most listened-to Java podcasts back in its heyday.

Although the current events discussed in this podcast are not so current anymore, the tutorials and educational content still ring true. They are helpful today, years after the program's final episode.

Looking for the best place to start? Try these:

More Coding, Software Development, and DevOps Resources

If you're looking for even more technological resources, be sure to check out the content listed below.

Finding the DevOps podcast that's right for you depends mainly on the team behind the microphones. The teams that run the podcasts listed in this article have proven their ability to entertain while educating experts and beginners alike.