Behind every programmer, there is a great tech stack!
People often inquire about my go-to tools for software development, productivity boosters, and the gadgets I convince myself will magically enhance my efficiency (spoiler: they're sometimes just clever procrastination aids). So, I've compiled this extensive list of my top picks and must-haves. Whether you're looking to upgrade your workflow or just curious about what makes a tech enthusiast tick, dive in and explore my personal toolkit!
Workstation
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, 11th Gen Intel Core i7, 32GB RAM (2021)
I switched from Mac to Lenovo for my main work machine and I'm loving the performance and build quality. The keyboard is a dream to type on, and it handles everything I throw at it with ease.
16” MacBook Pro, M1 Pro, 32GB RAM (2021)
I keep this around for macOS-specific tasks and iOS development. The M1 chip is incredibly efficient - I rarely hear the fans even under heavy loads.
Dual 27” 4K monitors (Dell UltraSharp U2720Q)
Two screens are better than one! These 4K beauties give me all the screen real estate I need for coding, design work, and keeping an eye on system monitors.
Cherry MX Board 3.0 Mechanical Keyboard
While not as classic as the IBM Model M, this Cherry MX keyboard gives me that satisfying tactile feedback I crave when coding.
Logitech MX Master 3 Mouse
The ergonomics and customizability of this mouse are unmatched. The horizontal scroll wheel is a game-changer for timeline-based work.
Development tools
Visual Studio Code
I've made the switch from Sublime Text. The extensibility and integrated terminal of VS Code have won me over.
Windows Terminal (on ThinkPad) / iTerm2 (on MacBook)
Both are great terminal emulators with plenty of customization options.
DataGrip
Great software for working with databases. Has saved me from building about a thousand admin interfaces for my various projects over the years.
Postman
Great software for API development and testing. Allows me easy creation, testing, and documentation of APIs, and can automate API tests.
Design
Figma
Its intuitive interface, powerful prototyping features, and extensive plugin ecosystem empower teams to create, iterate, and share designs effortlessly, making it indispensable for modern UI/UX design workflows.
Flutter
I love using Flutter because it enables fast, cross-platform development with a single codebase, offers a rich set of customizable widgets, and delivers high-performance, visually stunning mobile apps.
Productivity
Jira
Helps me in recording and tracking issues, planning projects, and managing tasks with features like Kanban and Scrum boards.
Slack
I love that I have different channels for different projects, direct messaging, and integrations with various development tools like GitHub, Jenkins, and Trello.