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

  • 14” MacBook Pro, M4 Max, 24GB RAM (2024)

    It’s not the most powerful machine on the market but it’s more than I need and I really like the form factor. I've always used a MacBooks since learning to code in 2020 and I don't see myself switching to anything else anytime soon. But if I do switch to something else, it would probably be a Linux machine. I just really like the flexibility of Linux and the fact that I can customize it to my liking. But for now, I'm happy with my MacBook Pro.

  • 49 Inch Odyssey OLED G9 G95SD

    I swapped to this display a year ago from a dual 27 inch setup and I haven’t looked back. It’s a little more expensive than a dual monitor setup but I got it on sale when the new model came out and I think it’s been worth it for the extra screen real estate and the fact that I don’t have to deal with a bezel in the middle of my screen is great.

  • Advantage360 Professional Mechanical Keyboard

    I have never been a fast typer but getting this keyboard has been a game changer for me. It’s a split keyboard with a really nice wrist support and it’s just super comfortable to type on. I don’t know if it’s actually made me faster but with my use of Vim Motions it’s made coding feel like flying a spaceship.

  • Apple Magic Trackpad

    Something about all the gestures makes me feel like a wizard with special powers. I really like feeling like a wizard with special powers.

  • Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 Series Gaming Chair

    If I’m going to slouch in the worst ergonomic position imaginable all day, I might as well do it in an expensive chair. I've had this chair for years now and it’s still in great condition. It’s super comfortable and it has a lot of adjustable features that allow me to find the perfect position for my body. I don’t know if it’s actually good for my posture but it’s definitely better than sitting on a hard chair all day.

Development tools

  • Visual Studio Code

    I started on VScode in 2020 and and have never had a reason to leave it. It has a great ecosystem of extensions and it’s just a really solid editor. I’ve tried other IDEs like PyCharm for Python development and IntelliJ for Java development but I always end up coming back to VScode. It’s just what I’m most comfortable with and it gets the job done.

  • Navicat for databases

    Navicat is by far the greatest database management tool I’ve ever used. It’s a little expensive but it’s worth it for the time it saves me. I use it for managing my SQL databases, my Redis caches, and it has a great interface for running queries, managing tables, and visualizing data. 10/10 would recommend.

Productivity

  • Obsidian

    I’ve been using Obsidian for a few years now and it’s been a great tool for taking notes, organizing my thoughts, and keeping track of my projects. I use it for everything from jotting down ideas to writing long-form content. It’s really flexible and I love the fact that it’s a local-first app, so I don’t have to worry about my data being stored in the cloud. Also, its recent integrations with AI tools have been a game changer for me. I can use it to generate content, summarize notes, and even write code snippets. It’s like having a personal a ssistant that can help me with anything I need.