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

  • 16” MacBook Pro, M1 Max, 32GB RAM (2021)

    I was using an Intel-based 16” MacBook Pro prior to this and the difference is night and day. I’ve never heard the fans turn on a single time, even under the incredibly heavy loads I put it through with various coding projects and docker containers running. Apple Silicon is no joke!

  • Apple Magic Keyboard

    I like to use the Apple Magic Keyboard, however, I also love mechanical keyboards. I have a few that I switch between. If I go with mechanical, I go with the Razer Huntsman Elite with the purple switches.

  • 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.

  • Secret Lab Omega Chair

    Even with this chair, I still sit like a goblin. But at least I’m a goblin with good lumbar support.

Development tools

  • Jetbrains Rider

    I used to use Visual Studio 2022, but I have been using Rider for some time now. I hated using Visual Studio for Mac and Visual Studio Code was not a full IDE that I wanted. Rider works great because I can use it in both Windows and Mac and there is consistency between the two. I also think it's the superior IDE for .NET development.

  • iTerm2

    I love using iTerm2 because there are features I was able to do with my terminal where it looks incredible and has predictive typing from things I have typed in the past. Highly recommend.

  • Azure Data Studio

    I primarily love to use SQL Server databases, so Azure Data Studio does a great job in being able to connect to SQL Server databases and I am happy.

Design

  • Figma

    I'm really trying to learn how to use Figma. I am not very good at being creative and I have a lot of ideas that I want to explore. If you are a designer and want to collaborate, please reach out!

Productivity

  • Screen Studio

    When it comes to screen recording for Mac, this app is pretty awesome. I have used it to record my screen for tutorials, presentations, and for showing bugs to my team and recording what steps to take for testing. It has a lot of built-in features such as zooming in on the screen where you are clicking and it makes your video editing a lot easier and look a lot more professional. It is only for the Mac right now. If you have a Mac and would love to try it out, you can find it for purchase here -> Screen Studio