What I use

People say that we, developers, care too much about what IDE everybody uses, what mouse and keyboard, what laptop and of course, what color scheme is that?? I'm not here to tell you that's not true 😅. Here's what I use though.

This is how it looks:

Photo of Catalin Ciubotaru's desk setup

Editor and Terminal 👨‍💻

  • Right now I'm using VSCode. Sometimes I do alternate between that and WebStorm. I like both of them, and I like to take myself out of my comfort zone. So, when I feel too comfortable 🛋️ with one, I switch to the other. It doesn't make any sense, I know.
  • Theme wise, I'm using the Fortnite theme. I love the bright color, the purple tint and the not-so-in-your-face style.
  • As for font, I'm alternating between Dank Mono and JetBrains Mono. I like both of them and I always enable italics and font ligatures.
  • In terms of terminal, I alternate between Hyper and Warp. I do use Fig with both of them for that sweet extra utility added.
  • When it comes to Browsers, right now I'm loving Arc. I do alternate between whatever I'm trying out and Safari usually.
  • Most of this stuff can be found/seen in my Dotfiles repo. Don't just copy paste this stuff. This is what works for me. Take your time and set up your own Dotfiles repo. I really recommend it. I used this course and it was super useful.

Desktop Apps 🖥️

  • For day to day, I can't recommend Sizzy enough. It's something else. For a web developer it's a paradigm shift.
  • I use Raycast as a Spotlight replacement.
  • For task management I use Things and I follow Getting Things Done(or some version of it, tailored for my needs)
  • Right now I use the default Apple Mail app. I keep wanting to change cause it's ugly, but I never get to it.
  • For design, I use Figma. Not happy that Adobe bought it, but it is what it is.

Hardware 🎚️

  • I use a MacbookPro 2021 16”, M1 Max 💻. Overkill for a web developer, I know.
  • For the noise and sound part, I use the AirPods Max 🎧. I know they are expensive, but I love them.
  • Phone wise, I use an iPhone 13 Pro 📱. Works great, good battery, awesome camera.
  • Last but not least, I use the iPad Pro 12.9” 2021 for writing this post right now. It's the thing I use for media consumption, writing articles, quick doodling, note taking, and basically all the things I don't want to carry my laptop for. I am using a keyboard case for it, the Logitech Combo Touch. It's great for typing and for media consumption. It's just a bit heavy.

Desk Setup 💺

  • My monitor is a Lenovo ThinkVision P27h 🖥️. I love it. I read that QHD is better for MacOS Scaling than 4K, and the monitor allows for a 1 cable setup. I love that. USB-C Power!
  • I am one of those people that use a mechanical keyboard. A custom one for that matter. The chassis is from Akko 5075B Plus ⌨️, I modded it with tape, PC board and changed the keys to with the Milk&Honey Cherry Profile 🥛🍯. The switches I also changed them to use the Ajazz Diced Fruit - Kiwi 🥝
  • I use the Apple Magic Trackpad.
  • I do have a couple of Hue 💡 and Twinkly 🌈 lights around my desk, that I automate using HomeKit to make everything cozier. I just love the colors.
  • I also have a Xiaomi Mi Monitor Light Bar. I love the warm light on my desk. Again, it makes everything cozier.

I think this is about it. If there's anything that you want to know about, let me know, and I'll update this.