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

Here's a big list of the things I use to keep myself productive, build software and just generally enjoy using. I always find these lists fascinating and insightful from others, so thought I'd share!

Workstation

  • 14" MacBook Pro, M1 Max, 64GB RAM (2021)

    Upgraded from Intel 13" 2018 - the ARM chip speeds are lightning fast.

  • LG 27UD88-W - 27" USB-C monitor

    USB-C with sufficient power delivery, it's discontinued now but still my daily driver. I find 27" to be a good balance.

  • 27" Dell U2717D IPS LED Monitor

    My secondary monitor. Older now but still solid after several years.

  • Logitech MX Mechanical

    Switched from the Apple Magic Keyboard. The tactile feedback is a huge improvement, and the backlit keys are great for late-night sessions.

  • Logitech MX Master 3

    Replaced the Apple Magic Mouse. Superior ergonomics, an incredible scroll wheel, and customizable buttons.

  • Herman Miller Mirra

    I can't recommend this enough. Invest in a great bed and a great chair - your back will thank you.

  • iPhone 16 Pro Max

    I like big phones. Exceptional camera for capturing family moments.

  • iPad Air w/ Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard

    My travel device. Surprisingly capable for day-to-day office admin, but not for programming.

Development Tools

  • Claude Code

    Anthropic's CLI tool. I use it for complex refactors and codebase research. It's an essential part of my workflow and pairs brilliantly with Cursor.

  • Cursor

    My daily driver IDE. Fast, lightweight, VS Code-based with a great extension ecosystem and superb tab complete.

  • JetBrains IDEs

    Full-featured IDEs with unmatched refactoring, debugging, and deep language support. PHPStorm, GoLand, DataGrip, Rider and WebStorm in rotation.

  • Apple Terminal with OhMyZSH

    I've dabbled with iTerm 2 and Hyper, but keep coming back to the default Terminal with OhMyZSH.

  • TablePlus

    For day-to-day database interaction. DataGrip from JetBrains for power use, but TablePlus is great for most daily interaction.

  • Tinkerwell

    For testing short snippets or running quick batch scripts against code.

Productivity

  • Alfred

    Apple Spotlight on steroids. Extensible with a strong community of plugins.

  • Things 3

    My day-to-day ToDo list. I follow GTD (Getting Things Done) methodology. Simple and no-frills to avoid procrastination.