What I use

The tools you use shape the way you build. I don't obsess over every new app or extension, but when something makes my workflow better, I stick with it.

This list isn't a collection of trendy software. It's what I actually open every day to code, plan, debug, and learn. Some are well known, others a little more nerdy, but they all have great value.

If you try a few, you might end up keeping them too.

Zen Browser: I used to swear by Arc, until thebrowsercompany decided to kill it. Zen has been everything I was looking for. It's fast, minimal, and deeply personal. There's also a real community behind it, people sharing themes, workflows, and ideas.
Cursor: VSCode fork that integrates AI into every part of your workflow. It's not just about Copilot. Cursor gives you project wide context awareness and lets you build faster with better feedback loops. I'm convinced by tools like this. As this article puts it: "My AI skeptic friends are all nuts."
Notion (Dark Mode): My all in one space for organizing, planning, and documenting everything. It's clean, flexible, and calming to look at, especially in dark mode. I use it to manage projects, save inspiration, and write reflections.
Xnapper: My favorite way to take clean and focused screenshots. I use it when I want something that looks polished right out of the box. It also auto blurs sensitive data, which is incredibly useful when sharing code or UI.

Languages I use

I've written code in quite a few languages. The first programming language I learned was C. Since that I've worked with many different programming languages. From Assembly and VHDL to Matlab and C#. These days, I mainly use:

JavaScript and TypeScript: For building fullstack apps on the web. Create T3 App ↗ : My favorite starting point for building fullstack TypeScript apps. Comes with Next.js, Tailwind, tRPC, Prisma, and everything is wired up perfectly. Batteries included, but minimal enough to scale however you want.
Python: Great for quick automation, data analysis, and working with APIs. It's the language I reach for when things need to just work.

Component libraries I like

HeroUI: A collection of free and professional looking UI components. When I want something that just works and looks clean, this is a great place to start.
shadcn/ui: My go to for building accessible and well structured UIs with Radix and Tailwind. It feels modern and unopinionated in the right ways.

Little tools that do a lot

JSONCrack: Visualize complex JSON in a tree structure. Makes exploring APIs way easier.
Regex101: Write and debug regular expressions with explanations. It saves so much trial and error time.
Unavatar: Easily fetch avatars from a username or domain. Used all over this page.

YouTube (yes, but curated)

A few channels I keep coming back to:

Theo ↗ : No BS frontend dev takes, strong opinions on frameworks, and deep insight into building real products. He makes me think harder about my stack choices.
ForrestKnight ↗ : Covers the developer journey in a broader, more lifestyle focused way, from career pivots to tech habits. Feels like a friend figuring it out with you.
CodeTV ↗ : I love their WebDev Challenge series, quick creative builds that show off clever tricks and ideas. Inspiring if you're ever feeling stuck or bored.

If a tool helps me think better, move faster, or focus longer, I'm probably going to use it. That's what this list is about.

If you use any of these or want to share your own setup, send me a message. I'm always down to trade favorites or talk through what's working for you.

Thanks for reading.

Respect for stopping by,