Software, automation, and gear I rely on to build and run things.

My setup changes as the work changes. Right now the center of gravity is agentic development: Claude Code and Codex for focused implementation, Detent for board-driven orchestration, and a small library of team skills for the repeatable business work we do every week.

I wrote more about the workflow behind these tools in How I Use AI to Build Software.

Agentic development

  • Claude Code

    Claude Code is my terminal-based coding agent. I use it when I want to hand off a concrete task, let the agent read the repo, make changes across files, run commands, and keep iterating until the work is ready to review.

  • Codex

    Codex is the other agent in my daily loop. I use it for focused implementation, code review, repo archaeology, UI verification, and second-pass thinking when I want another strong pair of eyes on the work.

  • Detent

    Detent is the orchestration layer I use to run agent work from a board. It turns issues, workflow contracts, isolated worktrees, and review gates into a repeatable system for moving work from idea to pull request.

  • Custom Claude skills

    We use custom Claude skills built for our team to manage repeatable business workflows. They package the prompts, scripts, references, and checklists that should be reliable every time instead of re-explained from scratch.

That same agentic stack is showing up in the work on my projects page. If you want the beginner-friendly version of the workflow, I wrote it up in Vibe Coding in 2026.

Workstation

  • 16-inch MacBook Pro

    Mine is the 2021 M1 Max model with 32GB of memory. The closest current Apple option is the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Max and 36GB of unified memory, which keeps the same big-screen, pro-laptop feel.

  • LG 35" Class UltraWide Curved WQHD HDR10 Monitor

    This is the screen that makes my desk work. I can keep an editor, browser, terminal, and notes visible without constantly shuffling windows around. Paired with an Ergotron LX arm, it feels flexible without taking over the whole desk.

  • Caldigit TS4

    The TS4 is the boring piece of hardware that makes the rest of the desk feel simple. One Thunderbolt cable handles power, display, networking, audio, and all the peripherals I do not want to plug in one by one.

  • Wobkey Crush 80 Mechanical Keyboard

    This is the keyboard that made me stop tinkering for a while. It sounds good, feels substantial, and makes long writing or coding sessions a little more satisfying than they have any right to be.

  • Apple Magic Trackpad

    I still prefer macOS gestures for a lot of navigation, especially when I am moving between browser, terminal, and design tools. The external trackpad keeps that muscle memory available when the laptop is closed.

  • Herman Miller Embody Chair

    Soft seating is great until it turns a workday into a posture problem. The Embody is the office chair I use when I need to settle in for deep work without feeling like I am negotiating with my back by mid-afternoon.

Development tools

  • Cursor

    Cursor is the visual editor in my AI development loop. I like it when I want to stay close to the code, review changes inline, and keep the shape of the app visible while the assistant does the heavy lifting.

  • TablePlus

    TablePlus is still my favorite way to inspect a database directly. It is fast, focused, and has saved me from building plenty of admin screens that only needed to answer one careful question.

Design

  • Figma

    Figma is where product ideas become concrete enough to discuss. It keeps flows, screens, component decisions, and team feedback in one place before the work becomes code.

  • Claude

    Claude is part of my design process now too. I use it to shape early concepts, tighten product copy, pressure-test flows, and get a second opinion before something turns into pixels.

  • Whimsical

    Whimsical is where I like to sketch the shape of an idea before it gets too precious. It is great for flows, lightweight wireframes, sticky-note thinking, and getting a team aligned quickly.

  • Canva

    Canva is useful for the quick visual jobs that should not become a full design project: simple social assets, internal graphics, lightweight presentations, and anything that needs to look finished without opening a bigger process.

Productivity

  • 1Password

    1Password is the first app I install on any device. It keeps personal, client, and product access organized without turning security into a memory game.

  • Raycast

    Raycast is my keyboard-first command center for the Mac. I use it for launching apps, searching, clipboard history, quick actions, and keeping the little things from turning into a dozen context switches.

  • Wispr Flow

    Wispr Flow is the dictation tool that has actually stuck for me. It lets me get ideas, messages, notes, and rough drafts out quickly without having to sit there and type every sentence from scratch.

  • Grammarly

    Grammarly is still useful as a final writing pass. I use it to catch typos, smooth out rushed sentences, and keep everyday communication a little cleaner before it goes out the door.

  • CleanShot X

    CleanShot X is my screenshot and quick annotation tool. It is great for capturing UI details, marking up feedback, recording short clips, and sharing something visual without slowing down.

  • Screen Studio

    Screen Studio is what I reach for when a screen recording needs to look polished. It handles zooms, cursor movement, exports, and all the small touches that make demos easier to watch.

  • Rocket

    Rocket makes emoji feel natural on the Mac. It is small, fast, and does exactly the thing I want: type a shortcut, get the right emoji, keep moving.

  • Bartender

    Bartender keeps the menu bar from turning into visual noise. I use it to hide the things I do not need all the time while keeping the important indicators close.

  • Magnet

    Magnet gives macOS the window snapping I miss when I am arranging a workspace quickly. It is simple, dependable, and one of those small utilities that disappears once it is doing its job.