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, M1 Pro, 16 RAM (2021)

    I was using an Intel-based 16” MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. I admit to sometimes wanting more RAM, especially with 2 instances of IntelliJ open.

  • Ultimate Hacking Keyboard

    This is the best investment I made in 2023. It took me a while to get used to a split keyboard, but it feels so much better now. Aside from the obvious increased ergonomics, the biggest advantage is how many things you can do with your thumbs.

  • 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.

  • Blue Yeti Microphone

    I use this for all my calls and recordings. It’s a bit overkill for calls but I like the sound quality and it’s nice to have a physical mute button.

Development tools

  • Emacs

    I used to use IntelliJ and Webstorm for Clojure and typescript development but they were RAM hogs. Many of the more experienced devs I saw were using Emacs so I decided to give it a try. I started learning it 5 times before it finally stuck. I’m still learning it but I'm very happy I invested the time. It has been a game changer for me. I would recommend learning emacs if you enjoy thinkering with your development environment.

Design

  • Figma

    We started using Figma as just a design tool but now it’s become our virtual whiteboard for the entire company. Never would have expected the collaboration features to be the real hook.

Productivity

  • Todoist

    This is where I keep my tasks, personal projects and quick add tasks on the fly. I love it for the Siri & email integration so I can capture everything in my life fast and analyse it later.
    This is the home of my GTD system.

  • Alfred

    It’s not the newest kid on the block but it’s still the fastest. The Sublime Text of the application launcher world.

  • Fantastical

    Great tool for scheduling meetings while protecting my calendar and making sure I still have lots of time for deep work during the week.