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. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.

Workstation

  • 13” MacBook Pro (2017), 8GB RAM, Intel i5 Processor

    This is my portable workstation. Despite being a few years old, it still has plenty of power for my coding and browsing needs. I’m not a fan of the butterfly keyboard, but I’m not a fan of the new Magic Keyboard either. I’m hoping Apple will eventually release a new keyboard design that’s not terrible.

  • Custom Built PC with AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor, 32GB RAM and RX5600XT GPU

    This is my desktop workstation. I built it myself and it’s been running great for the past years. Even though I wanted a 2060 for a GPU, I couldn’t find one in stock anywhere. I’m hoping to upgrade to a 3060 or 3070 soon so that I can finally learn ML and get some practice. The 5600XT is (or was) a great card for the price and I can run all my favorite games at 1080p with high/ultra settings.

  • 1x ViewSonic 32" 2K & 1x Dell 21" 1080p Display Monitors

    I have two monitors. One is a 32” 2K monitor that I use for coding and the other is a 21” 1080p monitor that I use for browsing docs and previewing my code. I am a big fan of the 32” monitor because it’s big enough to fit a lot of code on the screen at once, but not so big that it’s hard to move my head around.

  • Edifier 1280DBs with a Custom Sobwoofer and amplifier

    Who doesn't like a good tune while coding? I have a pair of Edifier 1280DBs that I use for my main speakers. It's perfect for my setup and produces very nice sound on a budget. I also have a custom subwoofer and amplifier that I built myself which perfectly fills the the slight lack of bass from the speakers themselves.

  • Cougar Puri Cherry Red Mechanical Keyboard

    I have a Cougar Puri Mechanical Keyboard with Cherry Red switches that I use for coding. I love the tactile feel of mechanical keyboards and the Cherry Red switches are perfect for me.

  • Logitech MX Master 3 Mouse

    The MX Master 3 is the best mouse I've ever used. It's comfortable to use, has a great battery life, and has a ton of features that make it a joy to use. It is highly recommended!

Development tools

  • VS Code

    I’ve been using VS Code for years now and I still love it. It’s fast, extensible, and has a great community. I love how it seamlessly integrates with WSL2 in Windows. I use it for everything from writing code to writing this blog!

  • iTerm2 for MacOS

    In my opinion, iTerm2 is the best terminal emulator for macOS. It has a ton of features and is super customizable. I use it for everything from running local development servers to SSHing into remote servers.

  • WSL2 and Windows Terminal

    As much as I love macOS and linux distros, I still need to use Windows for work and playing video games. I use WSL2 and Windows Terminal to run my linux development environment within Windows. It's a great way to get the best of both worlds.

Design

  • Figma

    Although I'm not much of a designer, I still use Figma for prototyping and designing simple UIs. It's a great tool for collaborating with other designers and developers.

Productivity

  • Windows PowerToys

    I use Windows PowerToys to customize my Windows experience. I use FancyZones to create custom zones on my desktop so that I can easily organize my windows. I also use PowerRename to rename multiple files at once. I especially love PowerToys Run which allows me to quickly launch applications and search for files just like Spotlight on macOS.

  • Notion

    I use Notion for everything from taking notes to planning my day. It's a great tool for organizing my thoughts and keeping track of my tasks. I also use it to keep track of my blog posts and ideas for future blog posts.