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

  • 14” MacBook Pro, M2 Pro, 16GB RAM (2023)

    I don't like Apple, but I started using this device because Windows has terrible Docker volumes support, and I did not enjoy working with WSL. Despite its drawbacks, I’ve come to appreciate this machine for its small form factor and its battery life, which gives me the freedom to move around without worrying about the charger.

  • ASUS ROG Strix

    I primarily use this machine for personal projects and gaming; it has a 3050, which is more than sufficient to run all the games I want to play. I love this machine, but I wish it had a better battery and a solution to the constant Bluetooth driver issues, although I think that's a Windows problem.

  • 27’’ LG and 22’’ Dell IPS FHD displays

    I can't work without a second monitor, and after trying multiple setups over the years, I've settled on one I like with two monitors. Both of my monitors have IPS panels, which are a must for any monitors I own. I'm fine with 1080p for both work and gaming, but I might get a 4K, 144Hz gaming display sometime in the future.

  • Keychron K4 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (Version 2)

    I use a 100% layout Keychron K4 with Gateron Brown switches as my daily driver. This is my first mechanical keyboard, and I wish it had QMK support.

  • Corne Keyboard

    I'm currently experimenting with split keyboards using the Corne keyboard, which I built from scratch. It's fun to use it daily.

  • Logitech MX MASTER 3S

    I got this mouse to alleviate wrist pain I was experiencing, and while I'm not sure if it made a significant difference, my wrist pains have improved after using this mouse. It has a fantastic battery life; I only have to charge it every 2-3 months.

  • Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

    These headphones are amazing, with excellent noise cancellation and music quality. They also have a great battery life. I use them every day and love the ability to pair them with two devices and seamlessly switch between them.

Development tools

  • VS Code

    I’ve been using VS Code for a long time now. I appreciate its simplicity and vast extension ecosystem. It's not perfect, but after trying out tools like IntelliJ, Sublime Text, Atom, and many more, I prefer VS Code.

  • VIM

    After hearing about how awesome it is from ThePrimeagen, I decided to give it a try. After watching a few videos, I can’t believe I didn’t try it much earlier. I love the idea of a Personalized Development Environment where users build their dev environment. I plan to switch fully to Vim eventually, but for now, I'm using Vim motions in VS Code while setting it up.

  • Warp

    I’ve been using Warp as my terminal for over a year now, and I love it. I wish I didn’t have to log in to start using it, but aside from that, I have no complaints.

  • Windows Terminal

    I’ve been using Windows Terminal for a long time, from its initial announcement to today. While I primarily code on my Mac these days, I still find myself using it on my Windows machine for day-to-day tasks and occasional dev work.

  • Raycast

    This is probably my most-used application on my Mac. I use it more times than I can count every day. I love this tool and its plugins; I even wrote a few custom plugins for it.

  • Beekeeper Studio

    After VS Code (and Docker), Beekeeper Studio is the tool I use the most. I love its design and how it does one thing and does it really well. I've tried alternatives like pgAdmin, DBeaver, and DataGrip, but I’ve never liked their designs and the amount of work I have to do just to open a table and see its contents.

Miscellaneous

  • Autodesk Fusion 360

    This is my go-to software for CAD work. It's relatively simple but incredibly powerful.

  • KiCad

    I use KiCad to design PCBs. I love the fact that it is open-source, which is a refreshing change in a domain dominated by closed, paid software that forces users into their ecosystem, making it hard for them to leave.

  • Ultimaker Cura, Prusa Slicer, AnyCubic Slicer

    A slicer is a software used to generate GCODE, which are instructions a 3D printer can understand. I have two 3D printers, an Ender-3 Pro and an AnyCubic Kobra Neo 2.

  • Tailscale

    Tailscale is a VPN that uses the Wireguard protocol. Since my ISP cannot provide me with a static IP to access my homelab, I use Tailscale to connect to my homelab on external networks.