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My setup

Uses

The hardware and software I reach for every day

Setup philosophy

A setup built for focus, portability, and low friction

I optimise for tools that help me ship, teach, write, and debug without getting in the way. Nothing here is chosen for novelty. It all earns its place by being useful day after day.

  • Fast enough to stay out of the way
  • Portable between home and office
  • Low-friction tools I genuinely enjoy using

Hardware

The devices I rely on for development, writing, and day-to-day testing.

  • MacBook Pro M1

    Primary machine for all development, writing, and everything in between. Fast, quiet, and the battery life is still ridiculous.

  • iPhone 14 Pro Max

    Daily driver. The large screen is the main reason — reading, notes, and testing mobile layouts.

  • Bose QC35 Headphones

    Wireless noise cancellation for deep focus. A non-negotiable when working in a busy office or open plan environment.

Development

The editor, terminal, and AI tools I use to write, test, and think through software work.

  • VS Code

    Primary editor for everything. Extensions, settings sync, and GitHub Copilot integration make it hard to reach for anything else.

  • iTerm2

    Terminal replacement with split panes, profiles, and better search. Paired with zsh and a minimal prompt.

  • GitHub Copilot

    AI pair programmer used daily at work. Strongest for boilerplate and tests — less useful for architectural decisions.

  • Claude

    Personal AI for writing, debugging, and thinking through problems. Tends to reason better than other models on complex tasks.

macOS Apps

Utility apps that remove friction from planning, window management, and daily navigation.

  • Alfred

    App launcher and workflow automation. Replaced Spotlight years ago and never looked back. The clipboard history alone is worth it.

  • Rectangle Pro

    Window management via keyboard shortcuts. Snap to halves, thirds, and corners without touching the mouse.

  • Only Switch

    Menu bar utility for toggling system settings — Night Shift, hidden files, AirPods switching — without digging through System Preferences.

  • Calendar 366 II

    Full-featured calendar app that shows today's events in the menu bar. The week and year views make planning at a glance much easier.

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