Why Open Source Might Be Your Best Career Move w/ Shruti Kapoor

Recorded at All Things Open 2025, Robbie Wagner and guest co-host Jason Lengstorf chat with developer-turned-creator Shruti Kapoor about her leap from Slack and PayPal to YouTube, the joys and pitfalls of open source, and eternal web dev debates.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:37) - Wine rating & review: Fre Sparkling Brut
• (06:33) - Hot Take: git rebase vs. git merge
• (09:11) - Hot Take: Is HTML a programming language?
• (09:41) - Hot Take: Is CSS a programming language?
• (10:20) - Hot take: classes vs. functional components
• (11:13) - Hot Take: Remix, TanStack, or Next.js?
• (15:02) - Hot Take: console.log vs debugger
• (16:11) - Hot Take: Were React server components a mistake?
• (20:42) - How open source changed Shruti’s career
• (22:23) - The real value of contributing to open source
• (26:05) - What is the React Foundation and why it matters
• (28:58) - Highlights from React Conf and new features
• (31:01) - From Slack engineer to independent creator
• (34:34) - Choosing what content to make (and why)
• (37:58) - Shruti’s dog, discipline, and life lessons
• (40:01) - What would Shruti do if not in tech?
• (40:30) - Where to find Shruti online

Links

• Fre Sparkling Brut: https://www.frewines.com/
• Wes Bos: https://wesbos.com/
• Syntax: https://syntax.fm/
• Slack: https://slack.com/
• PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com
• React: https://react.dev/
• JavaScript: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript
• HTML: https://www.w3schools.com/html/
• CSS: https://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/
• Ember: https://emberjs.com/
• TanStack: https://tanstack.com/
• Next.js: https://nextjs.org/
• Remix: https://remix.run/
• Astro: https://astro.build/
• VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/
• All Things Open: https://allthingsopen.org/
• GitHub: https://github.com/
• React Conf: https://conf.react.dev/
• React Foundation: https://react.dev/blog/2025/10/07/introducing-the-react-foundation
• Linux Foundation: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/
• Vercel: https://vercel.com/
• Google Home: https://home.google.com/welcome/
• Primeagen: https://x.com/ThePrimeagen
• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
• MCP: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/
• Shruti's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@shrutikapoor08
• 16 Common React useEffect Mistakes You’re Making: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGOPO2V6MHI

Connect with Jason

• Website: https://jason.energy/
• X / Twitter: https://x.com/jlengstorf
•  

Connect with Shruti

• Website: https://shrutikapoor.dev/
• X / Twitter: https://x.com/shrutikapoor08

Connect with the hosts

• Robbie Wagner: https://x.com/RobbieTheWagner
• Chuck Carpenter: https://x.com/CharlesWthe3rd
• Adam Argyle: https://x.com/argyleink

Subscribe and stay in touch

• Website: https://whiskey.fm
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whiskey-web-and-whatnot/id1552776603
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19jiuHAqzeKnkleQUpZxDf
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1552776603
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhiskeyWebAndWhatnot

Whiskey Web and Whatnot Merch
Enjoying the podcast and want us to make more? Help support us by picking up some of our fresh merch at https://whiskey.fund.