My Developer Setup: Tools and Workflows

After years of experimenting, I've settled on a setup that maximizes productivity while keeping things simple.

Daily Tools

Development Environment

• Editor: VS Code with Vim keybindings
• Terminal: iTerm2 with zsh and Oh My Zsh
• Version Control: Git with conventional commits
• Package Manager: Bun (incredibly fast!)

Essential Extensions

{
  "recommendations": [
    "vue.volar",
    "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint",
    "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
    "github.copilot",
    "bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss"
  ]
}

Workflow Practices

1. Morning Routine

I start each day with:

• ☕ Coffee and light stretching (biohacking in action)
• 📝 Review yesterday's progress
• 🎯 Plan today's top 3 priorities
• 🧘 5-minute meditation

2. Development Cycle

# Feature branch workflow
git checkout -b feature/new-feature
# Work in small, focused commits
git commit -m "feat: add user authentication"
# Keep branches up to date
git rebase main
# Clean merge
git push origin feature/new-feature

3. Code Quality

• ESLint + Prettier: Automated formatting
• TypeScript: Type safety everywhere
• Vitest: Fast, modern testing
• Husky: Pre-commit hooks for quality checks

Productivity Boosters

Keyboard-First

I minimize mouse usage:

• Vim motions for editing
• Tmux for terminal multiplexing
• Custom keyboard shortcuts

Automation

// Auto-format on save
// Auto-import components
// Auto-restart dev server
// Auto-deploy on push to main

Focus Time

• 🔕 Turn off notifications during deep work
• ⏰ Pomodoro technique for intense sessions
• 🎵 Lo-fi music for concentration
• 📵 Phone in another room

Staying Healthy

As someone who fights burnout with calisthenics and biohacking:

• Regular breaks: Stand and stretch every hour
• Exercise: Morning calisthenics routine
• Sleep: 7-8 hours, no compromise
• Nutrition: Optimize for mental clarity
• Hydration: Water bottle always nearby

Continuous Learning

• 📚 Read technical blogs and documentation
• 🎥 Follow key developers on Instagram
• 💻 Contribute to open source
• 🧪 Experiment with new technologies
• 📝 Write about what I learn

The key is finding what works for you and continuously refining it!