Hi, I’m
Shiv Jhalani
Hi, I’m Shiv Jhalani — a backend-focused software engineer at INRIX with a strong interest in data, product engineering, and modern AI-driven systems.
I’m motivated by curiosity and learn best by building: from experimenting with embeddings and search, to prototyping agentic AI systems, to shipping data-heavy features and services in production. I enjoy working with new ideas, new tools, and new technologies, and turning them into real, working products.
I use modern AI tools as part of my workflow — not as a shortcut, but as leverage. I care about shipping faster, iterating intelligently, and then applying strong fundamentals to make the result correct, reliable, and maintainable.
What keeps me motivated is how quickly this field evolves. I have a constant need to keep up — new tools, new approaches, new ideas — and I enjoy turning that motion into real projects that solve real problems. I’m always building, always learning, and always looking for the next interesting problem to dive into.
* P.S. I just love using em-dashes, I promise it’s not what it looks like.
Post-agentic browsers need friendly feeds, so this API keeps my work structured for them.
What I’m Learning
* Shiv edits a JSON file whenever new focus areas rotate in.Documenting how ACP boils down to four merchant-side API calls that publish inventory, receive intents, quote orders, and settle—surprisingly approachable.
Cool realization: the merchant integration really is just four API calls.
Getting into the weeds of how the query vector interacts with K and V to reshape a token’s embedding during attention.
Tracing the Q·K softmax and how the weighted V updates each word.
Exploring x402 as a payment primitive for agent-driven commerce, where software can discover services, transact, and settle value on its own.
Agent-driven commerce feels especially exciting in a world where agents keep getting more capable.
Reading / Watching
* Shiv edits a simple list whenever the queue changes.- •Greenlightsbook · Matthew McConaughey · In progressDidn’t realize he was on the law-school track. Awed by his humility the first time he dealt with fame.
- •Designing Data-Intensive Applicationsbook · Martin Kleppmann · In progressReplicas are more than copies—leaders, followers, and lag windows all add gnarly coordination issues I took for granted.
- •The Dwarkesh Podcastpodcast · Dwarkesh Patel · In progressCurrently on the Andrej Karpathy episode—loved his breakdown of how AI co-pilots reshaped his day-to-day workflow.
- •How I Built Thispodcast · Guy Raz · In progressFavorite takeaway: every single founder seems to be doubted right before their inflection point.
GitHub Snapshot
* Auto-refreshed weekly by a GitHub Action that runsnpm run update:github-summary.Beyond the Screen
Home Chef
Cooking lets me unplug, experiment with flavor, and share something tangible with the people I care about.
I’ll chase fancy plating one night and crave simple comfort food the next—but the through-line is cooking for others. I love recreating restaurant dishes to understand every step, then sharing the results with friends and family.
Weekend Golfer
Golf is my reset button and the newest obsession I’m trying to level up.
I’m still new, but I’m hooked on the pursuit of that one flushed shot that lands pin-high. It’s wild how hard a stationary ball can be to hit—perfect practice in patience and iteration. Fun fact: I just carded a hole-in-one on a 205-yard par 3 by absolutely flushing a 4i, then immediately called everyone I’ve ever golfed with!
Badminton Regular
Quick rallies, quicker decisions (plus the lifting sessions that keep me ready for them).
I grew up playing competitively, so it’s still my go-to for high-intensity cardio. Weekly doubles plus strength work keep the timing, positioning, and explosive movement dialed in.