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Episode

Fabian Hiller - Valibot, Standard Schema, Formisch

Podcast
devtools.fm: Developer Tools, Open Source, Software Development
Published
Feb 2, 2026
Duration seconds
3050
Processing state
processed
Canonical source
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/devtoolsfm/episodes/Fabian-Hiller---Valibot--Standard-Schema--Formisch-e3egs21
Audio
https://anchor.fm/s/dd6922b4/podcast/play/114896385/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-1-2%2F417290112-44100-2-af4274ccf8058.m4a
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Markdown
/podcast/devtools-fm/fabian-hiller-valibot-standard-schema-formisch.md

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Summary

Fabian Hiller discusses the evolution of modular schema validation and the collaborative effort behind the Standard Schema specification. He explores how interoperability between libraries like Valibot and Archetype can unify the ecosystem.

Topics

  • Valibot
  • Standard Schema
  • Formish
  • TypeScript
  • Open Source
  • Bundle Size Optimization
  • Schema Validation
  • Software Architecture

Highlights

  • Main idea: Standard Schema provides a unified interface to allow different validation libraries to work together seamlessly
  • Practical takeaway: Using modular architectures and compilers is a primary way to achieve significantly smaller JavaScript bundle sizes
  • Failure mode: Highly complex TypeScript type inference can degrade editor performance and developer experience in large projects
  • Main idea: The 'pipe' API in Valibot uses actions and methods to build complex, composable validation schemas
  • Practical takeaway: Formish aims to provide a framework-agnostic, signal-based approach to form management to solve common React-era pain points

Chapters

  1. 1:00 Introduction to Fabian Hiller: Fabian shares his background in open source, his work in Germany, and his transition from software engineering to maintaining major libraries.
  2. 8:40 The Thesis of Modular Architecture: A look into how research on modular patterns and compilers can be used to optimize bundle sizes for modern web development.
  3. 24:00 The Birth of Standard Schema: The story of how a collaborative effort between library authors led to a new industry standard for schema validation and types.
  4. 33:25 Valibot's Modular Design: An explanation of Valibot's internal building blocks, including actions, methods, and the powerful pipe API.
  5. 39:20 Solving Form Complexity with Formish: How the lessons learned from building previous form libraries led to the creation of Formish and its focus on stability.
  6. 47:10 TypeScript Performance and AI: Discussing the limits of TypeScript's type system and how complex type calculations impact developer experience and LLM accuracy.