In this episode of the Syntax podcast, the hosts dive into the exciting new features of Svelte 5, particularly highlighting its innovative "runes." This symbol-based system streamlines state management, effects, and props. Key updates include $state for managing reactive variables, $props for accessing props as an object, $effect for handling side effects, and $derived for computing values. While some listeners may find these changes debatable, the hosts believe they enhance clarity and consistency. They also commend the Svelte 5 migration assistant for its user-friendliness, while noting impressive performance gains, including significant reductions in bundle size. The conversation wraps up with a look at promising future developments in Svelte, such as error boundaries and enhanced context APIs.