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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.