Software I Use
I share with you all software I use as a software developer. Here is the list of all programs, apps, .. all software products and services.
Web Browser ๐
I use Google Chrome, Google Chrome Dev, Mozilla Firefox, Firefox Developer Edition, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge and Brave. As a full stack web developer I need to use them all for testing websites.
I striked out the web browsers I uninstalled from my main work machine/laptop.
But I mainly use Chrome and Firefox for my daily tasks, follow up and surfing the internet.
Operating System ๐
I have an old Macbook Pro laptop, so I use MacOS 70% of the time. I use Ubuntu Linux as my chosen Linux operating system. I rarely use Windows OS.
Programming Languages ๐
Programming languages I used but I do not use any more:
- Visual Basic 6
Programming language I checked out or semi-learned but do not use for software projects:
- Rust
- V
- Zig
- Jai
- Mojo
- D
Programming language I use to maintain legacy software but intend to not use for new software projects:
- C
- Java
- Swift
- Lua
- Python
Programming language I used and I intend to use for future software projects:
- Go
- PHP (in Laravel framework)
- Javascript (in frontend; browser only; DOM-only)
- Kotlin (for Android development)
- Dart (in Flutter framework for cross-platform dev)
- Bash (for local scripts and CI/CD scripts)
Programming Frameworks ๐
I used Laravel โ the PHP-based full stack web framework.
I used Flutter - the Dart-based cross-platform framework.
So, I like Flutter for mobile app development, and Laravel for full stack web development for small and medium size projects.
But I prefer Go for heavily customized web projects and big/huge web projects.
Package Manager ๐
I use Homebrew on Mac OS as my package manager of choice to install and uninstall programs, apps, packages and programming libraries.
I use APT and Snap on Ubuntu to install and uninstall programs, apps, packages and libs. They are the default on Ubuntu Linux.
Terminal Shell ๐
I prefer FISH shell as it provides a better user experience than ZSH and Bash. I use the default shell as a fallback if I need it. The default shell on Ubuntu Linux is Bash, and on Mac OS is ZSH.
Code Editor ๐
All plain text editors can get the job done, but it is always about developer experience and ease of use. I actually do not have a hard choice here. I tend to stick with visual studio code for now because no code editor is better yet.
I use Zed, VS Code, Lapce, VIM, nvim (neovim), Android Studio and XCode. Everyone of them is better is a specific use case. I see VS Code as a somehow good choice for most cases.
I hope Zed or CodeEdit can outperform VS Code in developer experience soon.
Note that I can not try CodeEdit as it require macOS 13+ and I stuck on macOS 12.7.3 but I hope they get better as I love native optimized blazingly fast software .
Terminal Emulator ๐
I use the default terminal emulator on Mac OS and Ubuntu Linux. I see them as good enough.
Video Editor ๐
I use Final Cut Pro X as my video editor. I plan to migrate to DaVinCi Resolve soon.
Screencasting ๐
I use the native screencast program in Mac OS as my screen capturing/recording app. I see it as good enough in 95% of cases.
I use OBS Studio on the other 5% cases on Mac OS and Ubuntu.
Photo Editing ๐
I use Adobe Photoshop on Mac OS to edit photos for my social media and website. I use GIMP on Ubuntu to do the same tasks.
SVG Editing ๐
I use Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape for basic vector image edits. I use those programs less and less as I prefer to edit the SVG code manually.
Remote Access/Control Software ๐
I use AnyDesk, Teamviewer, Zoom and sometimes Google Meet. I mainly use them for meetings and tech support for colleagues and friends.
Database Browser ๐
I use Sequel Ace as a browser for MySQL and MariaDB databases. And I use DB Browser for SQLite as its name says. Sometimes I prefer using sqlite3
in the command line.
Local Development Environment ๐
I prefer Docker as a local dev env for all my software. I use Laravel Sail for my local dev env for full stack web projects developed in Laravel. Laravel Sail is built on docker.
Mac OS utilities ๐
- LuLu : app firewall.
- AlDente : set max charging percentage to preserve battery life.
- Macs Fan Control : edit the logic that controls my macbook fans. I usually make them kick earlier as I live in Upper Egypt which tends to have a hot weather.
Video Player ๐
I rarely play videos from my storage. But when I do so, I use the default video player or the famous VLC media player.
Torrent Download Tool ๐
I use qBittorrent on Mac OS and Transmission on Ubuntu Linux.
I do not know why I stuck with qBittorrent on Mac OS while Transmission is availabe too. I need to change that.
Word Processing ๐
I use Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer and Google Docs. I tend to use Google Docs more.
Spreadsheets ๐
I use Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc and Google Sheets. I tend to use Google Sheets more.
Presentations ๐
I usually use Google Slides but sometimes I use Microsoft PowerPoint and sometimes LibreOffice Impress.
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