I recently got a new MacBook Pro and had to set it up for work. It was a little bit chaotic as I didn't have a written list of things that are crucial for my day to day. So I decided to document my journey to make it easier for my future self (and maybe for you too).
NB: If you're just looking for a list of tools I use, you can skip this post and check out my uses page.
CLI Tools
First things first, I needed to start with some essential command-line tools. It all started with downloading XCode command line tools, they don't come pre-installed on Apple Silicion so this was quite the wait.
Once that was done, I turned my attention to the terminal. In a past life, I was a customization fanboy but now, minimal does it for me. I install Oh My Zsh, just to style the default zsh shell that comes with Mac and I copied over my currrent .zshrc file from my old laptop – and home again. I might make this version controlled just in case.
Next up was Homebrew, the unofficial package manager for macOS. Along with Homebrew came Rosetta, Node, and NVM.
Git comes pre-installed on Macs (one less thing to worry about!). So I spent a few minutes configuring my Git settings.
Populating the Dock: Essential Applications
With the command-line tools sorted, it was time to fill up my dock with applications.
First up was Arc, my browser of choice. I have started using it since the month it became available for download and there is really no going back. Then VSCode, the Settings Sync feature made setting this up quicker and it didn't take time before, the UI felt familiar.
Figma was a runner up after VSCode. As someone who collaborates with designers, it's an essential part of my toolkit.
Docker and Postman rounded out my development toolkit. I installed Pandan for time tracking, it is light-weight and easy to use. Spotify is a must-have for me, it's my go-to music player, only because of the Playback Synchronization feature. Lastly, I installed Notion for taking notes and keeping track of my tasks.
Extensions and Accounts
With the major pieces in place, it was time for the finishing touches. Browser extensions might seem small, but they can make a big difference in daily use. DevTools like React, Axe and Redux for debugging, uBlock Origin for ad-blocking, Are.na to save things I like, The Marvellous Suspender because at the end of the day, Arc is just a chrome wrapper, Loom to record videos and Return YouTube Dislike — yes, please.
Finally, I set up my online accounts, GitHub, Vercel etc.
Note(s)
- Don't forget to add
codetoPATH, so you can interact with VSCode from your terminal. To do this, open the command palette in VS Code with CMD + SHIFT + P and type "shell command". Confirm by pressing enter or clicking on Install 'code' command inPATH.