Uses

Software I use, gear I rely on, and tools I actually recommend.

People ask what I use to build and stay productive. Here's the honest answer: the stuff that's actually on my desk and in my dock, not a sponsored list.

Workstation

Field notes

  • MacBook Pro 14", M3 Pro (2023)

    The M-series chips changed everything. I can run local AI models, spin up Docker containers, and have 40 browser tabs open without the fans ever turning on. I don't miss Intel at all.

  • LG UltraWide 34" Monitor

    One wide screen beats two monitors for me. Enough room to have a code editor, terminal, and browser side by side without any window juggling.

  • Keychron Q1 Keyboard

    Mechanical keyboard with a satisfying thock. Took some getting used to but I type faster and more accurately than I ever did on a laptop keyboard.

  • Herman Miller Aeron Chair

    The tax on sitting at a desk for eight hours a day. Worth every penny once your back stops complaining.

Development

Field notes

  • Cursor

    AI-first code editor built on VS Code. The tab completion and inline chat are genuinely magical. It's the first tool that made me feel like AI is actually augmenting my thinking rather than just autocompleting boilerplate.

  • Claude Code

    For longer, more complex tasks where I want an agent to do real work in my codebase. Built this site with it.

  • Warp

    A terminal that doesn't feel like 1987. AI command suggestions and shared runbooks make it way more useful than iTerm2 ever was for me.

  • TablePlus

    The best database GUI. Works with Postgres, MySQL, SQLite, Redis, whatever you're running. Has saved me from building a thousand admin interfaces over the years.

  • Bun

    Faster installs, faster test runs, faster everything. I've switched all my projects over and haven't looked back.

Design

Field notes

  • Figma

    The obvious choice. I use it for design, wireframes, and as a virtual whiteboard when thinking through product flows. The collaboration features are the real killer feature.

  • Shadcn/UI

    Not exactly a design tool, but it's how I build UIs. Copy-paste components that are actually well-designed and fully customizable. Pairs perfectly with Tailwind.

Productivity

Field notes

  • Raycast

    Replaced Spotlight and Alfred for me. The extension ecosystem is huge and the AI features are actually integrated sensibly. I use it for clipboard history, window management, and quick calculations dozens of times a day.

  • Linear

    Issue tracking that doesn't get in your way. Fast, opinionated, and beautiful. The keyboard shortcuts alone make it worth it.

  • Notion

    Docs, wikis, and light project management across my ventures. Not perfect for everything, but it's where team knowledge lives.

  • Cal.com

    Open-source Calendly alternative. I host it myself and it connects directly to Google Calendar. No unnecessary subscription fees.