Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.

I get asked a lot about the things I use to build software, and stay productive. Here’s a big list of all of my favorite stuff.

Workstation

  • 13” MacBook Pro, M1, 16GB RAM (2020)

    The difference between the intel-based Macbooks and the M1 chip is night and day. The M1 chip is such a powerhouse I'm able to design & develop at the same time, with only 16 gigs of RAM. I've never heard the fans turn on a single time.

  • LG Monitor

    Having a second monitor is a must for multitasking, and development. LG makes surprisingly competant monitors at reasonable prices. However I always verify my colors with my Macbook display as the liquid retina display boasts amazing contrast ratios.

  • GMMK Pro Mechanical Keyboard

    There's nothing better than the tactile responsiveness, and sound of a mechanical keyboard. This was a worthy splurge.

  • Apple Magic Trackpad

    Something about all the gestures makes me feel like a wizard with special powers. Gesture controls make my design workflows a breeze.

Development tools

  • Visual Studio Code

    I've yet to find a better code editor than VS Code. The overall universal support and endless library of plugins makes development convenient and enjoyable.

  • React

    I started my web development journey learning HTML, CSS, and JS. React is a modern extension of all 3, as the most popular library it has plenty of updates, support, and flexibility.

  • TailwindCSS

    In my opinion, the developers who loathe Tailwind simply haven't experienced how flexible and modular this framework is. It's essentially a built in design system for devs. When paired with React components making global or unique style changes has never been easier.

  • NextJS

    NextJS is my go-to React framework. Easily solves for common application requirements like routing, data fetching, and caching with a solid developer experience.

Design

  • Figma

    Hands down my favorite design software. I find myself using it for everything from UI design and vector editing, to animations. Yet again the plugins and community contributions make this software king for everything UI design. It also works great for virtual whiteboarding and brain storming sessions. This is my digital pen & paper.

  • Illustrator

    Overall I'm not a huge Adobe fan, but I must admit they make a good product. Illustrator is my go-to for advanced vector editing when needed.