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

Workstation

  • MacBook Air, M1, 16GB RAM

    I was using an Intel-based MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. The M1 chip is so much better. I've owned this MacBook since 2021 and still have no reason to upgrade.

  • MINISFORUM HX80G, Ryzen 7 5800H, 32GB RAM, RX 6600M

    As my primary Windows machine, this mini-PC packs a serious punch and works well as my gaming PC. It handles even demanding titles like Star Citizen without too many issues. While I tend to use my MacBook more for coding, this compact system is my go-to when I need to run Windows for work.

  • GIGABYTE M27Q PRO: 27 inch 165Hz 1440P

    This display is a great low-cost companion for the MacBook and the HX80G mini-PC. With its 2560 x 1440 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync support, it delivers a smooth and detailed gaming experience. The IPS panel ensures accurate colors and wide viewing angles, making it great for both work and play.

  • Kinesis Advantage 360 Pro

    I recently bought a Kinesis Advantage 360 Pro, and it's fantastic. This ergonomic split keyboard features a unique contoured design called a &quote;key well&quote; that keeps my hands in a more natural position, minimizing strain during long coding sessions. It also has a columnar layout which reduces lateral finger movement. The Pro model is extremely customizable since it uses ZMK and it&quote;s one of my favorite things about this keyboard, but maybe ZMK isn&quote;t for everyone. I'm a fan of the Box White switches—they provide a satisfying tactile feel and sound great if you don&quote;t mind some noise. The split layout promotes comfortable shoulder-width spacing, and the overall build quality is top-notch. After a short adjustment period, this keyboard is one of the best things I have ever purchased.

  • Sennheiser HD 560 S

    For audio, I rely on my trusty pair of Sennheiser HD 560 S. These open-back headphones deliver an exceptional listening experience, whether I'm listening to music, on a call with a client, gaming, or just casual entertainment. The detailed, neutral sound signature and wide soundstage make them great for critical listening, while the comfortable design keeps me immersed for long listening sessions.

Development tools

  • VS Code

    While I like using Vim, VS Code is my go-to code editor. The intuitive interface and vast ecosystem of extensions make VS Code an indispensable part of my development workflow. It's easy to customize and set up exactly how I like it. But beyond just the practical benefits, I genuinely enjoy using VS Code - the smooth experience and thoughtful design make it a pleasure to work with, whether I'm tackling complex projects or just doing some quick coding.

  • Codeium

    This is my favorite AI code generation tool for VS Code. I think it's a lot better than GitHub Copilot and it's free for individuals. This tool is seriously underrated.

  • Poimandres

    This is my favorite dark theme for VS Code.

  • Monaspace

    This superfamily of fonts are my go-to when coding. It was created by engineers at GitHub and designed with programmers in mind. A mono-spaced type usually suffers from an inherent problem of uneven texture, but Monaspace has a feature called texture healing that evens out the density and preserves the grid. There are 5 fonts to choose from and my favorite is Neon, which they call Neo-grotesque sans.

  • Pretty TypeScript Errors

    I am not going to mention a lot of VS Code extensions here, but this one deserves a mention. It makes it so much easier to make sense of TypeScript errors.

  • Obsidian

    This is what I used for note taking. I mostly just use it as a simple text editor for markdown and it's great for that purpose. I also like it because it stores all my notes as markdown files on my system.

  • 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.

  • Rectangle

    This is what I used to move and resize windows in macOS using keyboard shortcuts and snap areas.

Design

  • Figma

    This design tool seems to be the industry standard these days. It's great and I can't imagine using anything else.

  • Excalidraw

    Excalidraw is an open-source, web-based drawing tool built with React. I use it for creating diagrams and wireframes.

Productivity

  • Notion

    I use Notion to keep track of my tasks, projects, and more. It has a lot of features that I use, and I love it. I mostly use Obsidian for note taking, but I use Notion for everything else.

  • 1Password

    This password manager securely stores all my login credentials, allowing me to quickly and easily access the accounts and services I need without the hassle of remembering or repeatedly entering passwords. The seamless integration with my browsers and apps means I can autofill logins with a single click, saving me valuable time. Beyond just passwords, 1Password also helps me organize sensitive information like payment details, software licenses, crypto wallets, ssh keys, and secure notes.

  • Perplexity

    Perplexity has become an essential productivity tool in my daily work. As an AI assistant, it helps me tackle all sorts of tasks - from research and analysis to helping me brainstorm ideas. I can quickly get concise, well-written and cited responses, saving me time compared to using traditional web searches.

  • Raindrop

    As an all-in-one bookmark manager, it allows me to seamlessly save and organize content from across the web - whether it's articles, videos, PDFs, or just general webpages. But what I appreciate most is Raindrop's robust search capabilities, which let me quickly surface relevant bookmarks, even if I can't recall the exact title or URL.