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.

Make sure to check out uses.tech for a list of everyone's /uses pages!

Hardware

Machines

Software

Software is the most important part of a developer's life. Here is a list of all the software I use on a daily basis.

Development

  • VS Code: My go to code editor. I have custom settings and a theme for VS Code which I use everywhere.
  • PhpStorm: For larger Laravel and PHP projects, nothing beats PhpStorm's refactoring and code navigation.
  • Zed: My go to editor for everything else. It’s lightweight, fast and simple.
  • Markdown Viewer - A simple and fast Markdown viewer for macOS. I use it to preview Markdown files without opening them in a browser.
  • Xcode & Android Studio: For building and running mobile apps on simulators and emulators.
  • Docker: I use Docker for local development. I have a docker-compose.yml file which I use for most of my projects.
  • Yaak: A fast, offline-first API client that replaced Postman for testing and debugging API endpoints.
  • DearSQL & DB Browser for SQLite: For poking around databases without leaving the desktop.
  • Mac Terminal: I use Mac Terminal for all my terminal tasks with Oh My Zsh and the Fira Code font.
  • Termius: I use Termius for all my SSH tasks. It's fast and simple.
  • Homebrew, nvm, pnpm, Yarn and GitHub CLI: The command line essentials I install on every machine.

AI

  • Claude Code: My main AI coding companion in the terminal and the Claude desktop app. It plans, writes and reviews code with me.
  • Cursor: I use Cursor for AI assisted coding inside the editor.
  • Codex: OpenAI's coding agent, handy for a second opinion on tricky problems.
  • ChatGPT & Claude: For research, writing and everyday questions.
  • Ollama: For running open source models locally when I want to experiment offline.

Browsing

  • Chrome: My primary browser on my laptop, mostly for development and DevTools.
  • Arc & Helium: For everyday browsing with a cleaner, distraction free setup.
  • Safari: My primary browser on my phone.

Design

  • Figma: I use Figma for all my design tasks.
  • Canva: I use Canva for all my quick design tasks. It’s fast and simple.

Communication

  • WhatsApp: My primary app for personal chats and group chats.
  • Slack: For community and official communication.
  • Spark & Outlook: For personal and work email.
  • Telegram: I use Telegram for all my random chats and group chats.

Entertainment

  • YouTube: I use YouTube for all my video and music needs with a premium subscription.
  • Games: I play games on my phone. I don't have a specific game that I play regularly.

Social

  • Twitter: I'm active on Twitter and use it to share my thoughts and to connect with people.
  • LinkedIn: I use LinkedIn for all my professional needs, to connect with people and to find jobs.

Productivity

  • Raycast: My launcher for everything, from opening apps to clipboard history and window management.
  • 1Password: My password manager for all my passwords and sensitive information. It’s secure, easy to use, and integrates well with my browsers.
  • Notion & Obsidian: Notion for shared docs and planning, Obsidian for my personal notes and writing.
  • Antinote: A scratchpad for quick throwaway notes.
  • Reeder: To keep up with blogs and news through RSS.
  • Stats: Keeps an eye on CPU, memory and network from the menu bar.
  • AdGuard: Blocks ads and trackers across the whole system.
  • MoneyManager: I use this mobile app to manage my financial activities. It helps me make a budget and see an overview of my expenses.
All of my installed softwares