Our favorite open source projects of 2025

Key Concepts

• Just a Job App: Automated job application tracker.
• Marmite: Simple blog generator for developers.
• Summer Kart 64: Open-source N64 flashcard.
• Analog 3D: Modern N64 controller.
• M64: Upcoming N64-style console.
• Homebrew: Unofficial software developed for a console.
• GitHub: Platform for hosting and collaborating on software development.

Job Application Tracking with Just a Job App

Andrea’s pick for 2025 is “Just a Job App,” a solution designed to address the common problem of abandoned job application spreadsheets. The app automates the tracking process by updating a tracker automatically upon receiving a job application confirmation email. A key feature highlighted is its simplicity – it requires no browser extensions or manual copy-pasting of data. Andrea emphasizes the app’s origin: “You know how everyone starts a spreadsheet to track job applications and then they abandon it? Well, Just a Job app fixes that. You apply, you get a confirmation email and your tracker updates automatically.” Notably, the app is built by job seekers for job seekers and operates without venture capital (VC) funding, yet has already successfully tracked 3,000 applications, demonstrating its utility and organic growth.

Simplified Blogging with Marmite

Patchi’s selection, “Marmite,” is a blog generator specifically aimed at developers who frequently express interest in creating a blog but struggle to follow through. Patchi describes it as a simple tool to overcome this inertia, stating, “it is such a simple blog generator but for debs that always say, you know, I want to create my own blog and then they never really do.” Poshi humorously adds, acknowledging her own procrastination, “I’m talking about myself. And look, as someone who also does indeed say, I will create my own blog and then never does. I need this in my life.” The emphasis is on ease of use and removing barriers to entry for blog creation.

Retro Gaming Enhancement: Summer Kart 64

The final pick, presented by the speaker, is “Summer Kart 64,” a fully open-source N64 flashcard. This project allows users to play a multitude of N64 games from a single card, eliminating the need to constantly swap cartridges. The timing of this pick is particularly relevant given the recent shipping of the “Analog 3D” controller – a modern, high-quality controller for the N64 – and the anticipation surrounding the upcoming “M64” console. The speaker personally purchased a pre-built Summer Kart 64 from AliExpress after a two-year wait for the Analog 3D. However, they also point out the option for technically inclined users to build their own. Crucially, the project’s firmware and source code are publicly available on GitHub. The speaker highlights the benefits of flashcards: “flash cutouts are awesome if you want to not have to shuffle between dozens of Nintendo 64 cartridges or for homebrew titles that never got a physical release.” They confirm compatibility with both the Analog 3D and original N64 hardware, having tested it on both systems.

Call to Action & Closing Remarks

The video concludes with a call for viewers to share their own favorite projects of the year and offers holiday greetings, ending with a farewell and anticipation for 2026.

Technical Vocabulary:

• Flashcard: A rewritable storage medium used in gaming consoles to store and play game ROMs.
• ROM (Read-Only Memory): A copy of a game cartridge's data stored on a flashcard or other storage device.
• Firmware: The software that controls the hardware of a device, in this case, the Summer Kart 64.
• Homebrew: Software created by enthusiasts for a console, often not officially supported by the console manufacturer.