Dev Tools
VS Code extensions, terminal setups, CLI tools, and developer productivity gear.
bat review: the cat clone with wings that earned a permanent alias
A hands-on review of bat, the Rust cat clone with syntax highlighting, git integration, and paging. Setup, real workflows, gotchas, and whether it should replace cat.
Jul 29, 2026
eza Review: The ls Replacement I Finally Made the Default
A review of eza, the modern ls replacement. Git-aware columns, real tree mode, sane colors, and the two-line alias that made me stop typing plain ls for good.
Jul 27, 2026
Television review: the Rust fuzzy finder trying to unseat fzf
A hands-on review of television (the tv command), a fast Rust fuzzy finder TUI. Channels, previewers, shell integration, and how it compares to fzf.
Jul 27, 2026
Difftastic Review: The Structural Diff That Reads Syntax Instead of Lines
A review of difftastic, the structural diff tool that understands syntax trees. How it reads code changes, the one git config to wire it in, and where it still falls short.
Jul 24, 2026
The Developer Desk Setup Guide (2026): Every Piece of Gear That Matters
The complete developer desk setup guide for 2026. The best desk for programmers, monitors, docks, chairs, and gear that actually earns its footprint.
Jul 23, 2026
Nushell Review: The Shell That Treats Your Data Like a Database Instead of a Text Blob
Four months running Nushell as a daily driver. Structured pipelines, real tables instead of string parsing, and the honest cost of leaving POSIX behind for a shell that thinks in data.
Jul 22, 2026
Git Delta Review: Better Git Diffs (Setup + Config)
Git Delta review after a year as my pager: syntax highlighting, side-by-side views, word-level changes, and the setup that made Git diffs readable.
Jul 20, 2026
Lazygit Review: The Git TUI That Finally Retired My Wall of Git Aliases
Eight months running lazygit as my daily git interface. Staging hunks, interactive rebase, cherry-picks, and the one habit it made obsolete. An honest review from real use.
Jul 17, 2026
Helix Editor Review: A Month in the Modal Editor With No Plugins
A month living in Helix, the Rust modal editor with batteries included and no plugin system. The selection-first model, the built-in LSP, and who it is actually for.
Jul 15, 2026
Fish Shell 4 Review: The Rust Rewrite Made My Default Shell Worth Switching For
Six months running fish 4 as my login shell after the Rust rewrite. The out-of-box autosuggestions, the scripting that isn't bash, and the one compatibility tax you pay for all of it.
Jun 24, 2026
Zed Text Editor Review: Two Months Off VS Code
Two months running Zed as my daily editor instead of VS Code. The Rust-powered speed is real, the AI agent panel is good, and the extension gaps are the thing that will or won't send you back.
Jun 22, 2026
Yazi vs ranger: The Rust File Manager That Won Me Over
Yazi vs ranger, tested for three months. Why the async Rust terminal file manager wins on speed, image previews, and bulk rename, plus the exact config to switch.
Jun 17, 2026
Zellij Review: The Terminal Multiplexer That Finally Stuck for Me
Six months running Zellij instead of tmux. The visible keybinding bar, floating panes, WASM plugins, session resurrection, and the honest reasons you might still want tmux.
Jun 15, 2026
Jujutsu (jj) Review: The Git-Compatible VCS That Stopped Me Losing Work to Rebases
Six months running Jujutsu (jj) as my daily VCS on top of git-compatible repos. What it fixes about git, the parts that still bite, and why undo turned out to be the killer feature.
Jun 8, 2026
mise Replaced asdf, nvm, pyenv, and rbenv in My Dev Workflow
Six months running mise (formerly rtx) as my only language version manager across Python, Node, Ruby, Go, and Rust. What it gets right, where it bites, and why I uninstalled the four tools it replaced.
Jun 5, 2026
Ghostty 1.0 Review: A Year Later, Did It Earn the Hype?
I switched from iTerm2 to Ghostty when 1.0 dropped in late 2024. A year and a half in, here is the honest take on speed, config, the macOS native feel, and the rough edges that still exist.
Jun 1, 2026
Logitech MX Master 4 Review: Is the Haptic Feedback Actually Worth It?
Logitech's MX Master 4 adds haptic feedback to the most popular productivity mouse on the planet. After a month of daily coding, here's whether it earned the upgrade from the MX Master 3S.
May 29, 2026
uv Replaced pip, pipx, poetry, and pyenv in My Python Workflow
After six months of running uv as my only Python tool, here's an honest look at what it does well, what's still rough, and why I uninstalled four other tools.
May 27, 2026
Zoxide Review: The cd Replacement I Should Have Installed Years Ago
A review of zoxide — the frecency-ranked smarter cd. What it does, the one config tweak that makes it click, and why it pairs perfectly with fzf and Atuin.
May 25, 2026
Atuin vs fzf: Which Shell History Search Is Better?
Atuin vs fzf for shell history after six months: where SQLite-backed context and sync win, where fzf stays faster, and the config that made Atuin stick.
May 22, 2026
I Replaced My Bash Aliases With a Justfile and It Stuck
A project writeup on switching from a sprawling pile of shell aliases and one-off scripts to a per-project justfile. What just is, what it solves, why it stuck where Makefiles didn't, and the actual workflow I landed on.
May 15, 2026
How to Use Git Worktrees (And Why They Beat Branch-Switching)
A practical guide to git worktrees — the built-in git feature that lets you check out multiple branches in parallel directories, with no stash-juggling and no broken dev servers. Setup, workflow, and the few gotchas.
May 12, 2026
Why I Quit Oh My Zsh (And What I Use Instead)
Oh My Zsh is the default recommendation for shell customization, and it's slower and more complex than it needs to be. A practical look at what I replaced it with and why the simpler setup is better.
May 8, 2026
Best Linux Distros for Developers in 2026
Honest opinions on the Linux distributions worth running as a developer in 2026 — Fedora, Ubuntu, Arch, NixOS, Pop!_OS, and Debian, with the trade-offs nobody on Reddit will tell you.
May 7, 2026
Best Terminal Emulators for Developers in 2026
Your terminal is where you spend half your day. Pick a good one. A no-nonsense comparison of Ghostty, WezTerm, Alacritty, Kitty, and Warp in 2026.
Apr 28, 2026
Best Backup Solutions for Developers in 2026
Your code lives in git. Everything else is one bad drive away from gone. Five backup solutions — from local NAS to cloud sync — that actually protect your work without slowing you down.
Apr 10, 2026
Best Ergonomic Office Chairs for Programmers in 2026
Your chair matters more than your monitor. Five ergonomic office chairs that actually support you through long coding sessions — from refurbished bargains to buy-it-for-life investments.
Apr 3, 2026
Best Docking Stations for Developers in 2026 (USB-C and Thunderbolt)
The best docking stations and Thunderbolt hubs for developers. Five picks that turn one cable into a full workstation, from budget USB-C to premium Thunderbolt 4.
Mar 31, 2026
Best Webcams for Remote Developers in 2026
Built-in laptop cameras still look terrible on Zoom. Here are the best external webcams for developers who spend half their day on video calls — from budget picks to broadcast-quality options.
Mar 27, 2026
Best Ergonomic Mice for Programmers in 2026
Your keyboard gets all the attention, but your mouse hand is the one that hurts at 5 PM. Here are five ergonomic mice that actually solve the problem, from vertical designs to trackballs.
Mar 20, 2026
Best Mechanical Keyboards for Programmers in 2026
Five keyboards worth typing on all day. From budget-friendly to ergonomic split designs, these are the best mechanical keyboards for software engineers who care about how their tools feel.
Mar 17, 2026
Best Monitors for Coding: Ultrawide vs Dual Setup
Ultrawide or dual monitors? After years with both setups, here's my honest breakdown of the best monitors for software development in 2026.
Mar 1, 2026
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones for Working from Home
I tested the top noise-cancelling headphones for remote work — here's what actually blocks out kids, dogs, and leaf blowers while keeping you comfortable for 8-hour days.
Mar 1, 2026
Best Standing Desks for Programmers Who Code All Day
After testing 5 standing desks over 3 years, here are the best options for developers who need stability, quiet motors, and enough space for multiple monitors.
Mar 1, 2026
Best VS Code Extensions for Productivity in 2026
Top 10 VS Code extensions for developer productivity in 2026. AI assistants, git tools, and quality-of-life improvements.
Feb 22, 2026