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 13” MacBook Pro before 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 with heavy builds and local AI inference.

  • Airpods Max

    Ease of use is the most important feature for me when it comes to headphones. I want to be able to just put them on and have them work without having to think about it. These are the best I’ve found for that!

  • Samsung Odyssey G7 1440p 240Hz

    I’ve been using a 1080p 144Hz monitor for years and I thought it was great until I got this. The extra resolution is great for using with my laptop and the higher refresh rate is great for just about everything. But if I make more I may buy a Pro Display XDR. Sorry, not sorry.

Development tools

  • Visual Studio Code

    I don’t care if it’s bloated. I don’t care if it’s slow. I don’t care if it’s written in JavaScript. It’s the best code editor I’ve ever used and I don’t see that changing any time soon. For me at least the tools I use are a means to an end and I’m not going to waste time optimizing my tools when I could be optimizing my software.

  • ChatGPT + Copilot

    Do I even need to explain this one? How else would I write all of the copy to replace the latin placeholder text in my designs and speed up my development workflow?

  • Termius

    I’ve been using Termius for years. It’s the best SSH client I’ve found for Mac and iOS and it’s got a great UI and UX. The Pro plan is worth it for the sharing between devices alone.

  • TablePlus

    Great software for working with databases. Has saved me from building about a thousand admin interfaces for my various projects over the years. Honestly don’t know how I’d live without it at this point.

Design

  • Figma

    I’ve been using Figma to design all of my projects for the past few years. It’s the best design software for my use case. I love it.

Productivity

  • Obsidian

    I’ve been using Obsidian for a few months now and it’s been great. I’ve been using it to take notes, write blog posts, and even write code. I love the way it lets me organize my thoughts and ideas and the way it lets me link between them. The pure markdown files are great too because I can use them with other tools.

  • Amphetamine

    I use this to keep my Mac from going to sleep when it's running that one mission-critical script that I forgot to put on the dedicated server. Talking about dedicated servers...

Tech Stack

  • OVH

    My journey with OVH's dedicated servers has been nothing short of remarkable. They strike a perfect balance between affordability, reliability, and speed. While their control panel could use some finesse, it's a minor issue in an otherwise stellar service. They effortlessly outshine competitors like Digital Ocean (pricey), Linode (laggy), and AWS (unpredictable). Google Cloud? Let's not go there.

  • Cloudflare

    Cloudflare is my go-to for DNS, CDN, and SSL solutions. Their services, especially for a proud patron of their free plan, are unparalleled. The efficiency of their edge network is unmatched, and their user-friendly dashboard is a joy to navigate. Even their Stream service offers incredible value, a league ahead in pricing (though not necessarily in features) compared to giants like AWS or GCP.

  • Next.js

    My recent foray into Next.js has been a game-changer. It's the backbone of all my latest projects, including my blog/portfolio. The synergy between TailwindCSS and Next.js is a developer's dream, offering robust and efficient solutions for web development. This powerhouse combo has me so captivated, I can't see myself switching anytime soon.

  • TailwindCSS

    TailwindCSS is a revelation in the CSS framework universe. Its utility-first approach revolutionizes the way I work with CSS - pure, straightforward, and free of convoluted syntax. The JIT compiler is the cherry on top, making it a powerhouse tool that perfectly complements my use of Next.js.