My Dev Setup: The Tools that I Actually Use

A look at the tools I actually keep using VS Code, Raycast, macOS apps, browsers, and utilities that remove friction instead of adding it.

Gourab S.8 min read

I've spent a lot of time trying tools that promised to make me faster. Most of them just created more noise. This post only includes the ones that still earn their place.

My Code Editor Setup

I mostly live in VS Code and Cursor. Cursor is useful when I want AI around. Day to day, I prefer the editor quiet.

Themes

I bounce between a few:

For icons I use Glyph for VSCode (Legacy) and sometimes Symbols + Carbon Product Icons. Clean enough that I don't hate the sidebar.

Extensions

I only keep extensions that remove real friction.

Development

  • Bun for Visual Studio Code
  • Git Graph
  • GitHub Actions
  • npm Intellisense
  • Path Intellisense
  • Nuxt Extension Pack
  • ESLint
  • Oxc
  • Pretty TypeScript Errors
  • Prisma
  • Redis for VS Code
  • Vitest
  • Blockman
  • Auto Close / Complete / Rename Tag
  • Image preview

Containers & Infrastructure

  • Dev Containers
  • Docker
  • Remote Containers
  • Remote SSH
  • YAML

Code Quality & DX

  • Code Spell Checker
  • Better Comments
  • EditorConfig
  • GitLens
  • Import Cost

Web & Content

  • SVG
  • MDX
  • MDC
  • i18n Ally
  • Iconify
  • XML

That's the current setup. It changes the moment something starts annoying me more than it helps.

Raycast

If I had to pick one macOS tool that improved my workflow the most, it would be Raycast.

It completely replaced Spotlight for me.

Browsers

Arc

Arc is my primary browser. I've tried switching away from it multiple times and keep coming back.

Brave

Brave is what I use when I want a more privacy-focused experience, mostly for YouTube and general browsing.

Helium

Helium is a newer privacy-first Chromium browser I've been trying.

Terminal

Warp is my default terminal. I spend enough time in the terminal that a modern one with good search and history actually matters.

Development Tools

  • Bruno is my API client. Open source, local-first, and a better fit for me than Postman.
  • Docker stays essential for running isolated environments and services without turning my machine into dependency soup.

Utilities

  • Itsycal — tiny menu bar calendar. Minimal and fast.
  • LocalSend — easiest way to move files between my Mac and phone on the same network.
  • Rectangle — better window management than the default macOS snapping.
  • Pure Paste — strips formatting on paste. One of those small tools that quietly removes daily friction.
  • Mole - All-in-one toolkit: Combines CleanMyMac, AppCleaner, DaisyDisk, and iStat Menus in a single binary

My Philosophy

I don't want tools that create another layer of work.

The goal is simple:

  • A fast editor
  • A good terminal
  • A reliable browser
  • Strong Git tooling
  • A few keyboard-driven utilities
  • A clean visual environment

The best setup isn't the one with the most tools. It's the one where the tools become invisible so you can focus on the actual problem.

This stack will keep changing. fin :)