Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.

I get asked a lot about the things I use to build software, stay productive, or buy to fool myself into thinking I’m being productive when I’m really just procrastinating. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.

Workstation

  • 16” MacBook Pro, M1 Pro, 16GB RAM (2021)

    I was using an Intel-based 15” MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. I’ve never heard the fans turn on a single time, even under the incredibly heavy loads I put it through. I’m not sure how they did it but I’m glad they did.

  • Logitech MX Master 3S

    The best of the best, in my opinion. I’ve tried a lot of mice over the years and this is the only one that I’ve never had any issues with. I even use vertical scrolling on the side wheel, who would have thought?

  • Anda Seat AD12XL Kaiser II

    Honestly I dont know much about chairs but this one is comfortable and looks cool. I’m not sure what else I could ask for. Also this brand was hyped when I bought it.

Development tools

  • Visual Studio Code

    I’ve tried a bunch of different editors over the years but I always come back to VS Code. It’s just so good and extensible. Some of the plugins I use are:

    • - GitLens
    • - GitHub Copilot
    • - Docker
    • - GitHub Actions
    • - Remote Explorer (for SSH connections)
    • - Prettier
    • - Template string converter

  • iTerm2

    I’m honestly not even sure what features I get with this that aren’t just part of the macOS Terminal but it’s what I use. Some times I prefer to use VSCode’s built in terminal.

  • Local Can

    Alternative to ngrok. It’s a lot faster and has a nice UI. One of the most underrated software out there.

  • Dbeaver

    I’ve tried a bunch of different SQL clients and this is the one I’ve stuck with. It’s free and it works. I don’t need anything else.

Design

  • Figma

    I have been using Figma since 2019 and I love it. It's simply all I need. I use it for everything from wireframing to high-fidelity mockups. It even has a prototyping tool built in. I enjoy the exporting features as well.

Productivity

  • Alfred 5

    I can't use a Mac without Alfred, I mean it's possible but why would you? If you don't have it already then what are you doing bro?

  • Notion

    Simple yet effective. I use it for everything from note taking to project management. I even use it to track my expenses. I don't use the AI features though.

  • Microsoft Outlook

    Managing multiple emails and calendars is a pain. Outlook makes it a little less painful. I use it for my personal and work emails.

  • Cal

    You thought multiple emails are hard? Try managing bookings for multiple accounts and timezones. Cal makes it easy. I use it to manage my personal and work scheduling.