Originally posted on boogerbuttcheeks.com
1. Raycast
Raycast is like a GUI terminal. It has features baked in that Sherlock other apps on the platform. The free version of Raycast includes functions like:
- an app launcher
- a clipboard manager
- a colour picker
- an emoji picker
- a file searcher
- an uninstaller
- a natural language calculator
- a currency converter
- a window manager
- an app switcher
- a script runner
and much more. Those are all native, baked in features. There’s a robust and active extension store filled with integrations with your favourite apps and additional utilities. You can control apps like Spotify, Notion, and Homebrew all in Raycast.
Raycast has a premium subscription plan where users get access to colour themes, improved AI integration, and more. It starts at $8USD/month. They also have a pricing plan for enterprise customers. I use the free version.
Raycast is a VC funded company.
Alternatives: Quicksilver, Alfred (free with one time $45USD purchase option), Monarch (one time purchase while in beta)
2. Visual Studio Code
Check out my config files.
VS Code is developed by Microsoft. It’s free, popular, open source, configurable, extensible, and perfect for the average pleb.
Alternatives: Neovim, Doom Emacs, WebStorm and Fleet(subscription), Nova (subscription)
3. Chrome
Firefox is a fantastic browser that works on nearly all the sites Chrome does. I enjoy using Firefox and recommend it to others.
Unfortunately I always end up stumbling on to some government or bank website that doesn’t work on Firefox. That reason alone is why I can’t pick Firefox, as much as I’d like to.
Chrome’s dominance and recent changes on ad blocking are concerning.
Alternatives: Firefox, Safari, Ladybird, Brave, Opera, Arc, Orion (paid)
4. WezTerm
Switched from iTerm2. I like that WezTerm’s configuration is done through a file and not a GUI like iTerm2. The docs are great and it’s made by a single dude, Wez Furlong. It’s minimal and seems about on par with Alacritty or Kitty in terms of speed (which means it’s fast!).
Alternatives: iTerm2, Kitty, Alacritty, Terminal (Apple), Warp (subscription)
5. BitWarden
Are password managers similar to putting all your eggs in one basket? After what happened at LastPass, are they even offer an advantage over keeping track of your passwords yourself?
I use BitWarden because:
- I only have to remember my master password
- If my accounts get hacked I’ll have someone to blame other than myself
- It’s free and open source
It includes a password generator that I like because you can set it to generate pass phrases, which are human-friendly. You organize your saved logins into folders, and there’s an option to favourite a login if you use it frequently. There’s also a native iOS version in development!
In my experience it’s somewhat unreliable at automatically saving your logins. I enter mine manually which is more tedious. The experience is more hands on but offers greater control and flexibility when compared to something like Apple’s Keychain. And unlike Keychain, it’s available on any platform you can think of.
Alternatives: Keychain (Apple), 1Password (subscription), Proton Pass (subscription)