Minimal Developer Setup

More tools ≠ better productivity. Here's my minimal setup.

The editor

VS Code with minimal extensions:

• ESLint/Prettier for formatting
• GitLens for git insights
• Theme for aesthetics

That's it. No AI assistants, no Copilot, no bloat.

The terminal

iTerm2 + zsh with:

• Starship prompt (fast, customizable)
• Zsh-autosuggestions
• FZF for fuzzy finding

The essentials

Version control

Git + GitHub CLI. Master the basics, ignore the rest.

Package manager

Use what your ecosystem needs:

• Node: npm/yarn/pnpm
• Python: pip/poetry
• Rust: cargo

API testing

curl first. Add Postman only when needed.

The philosophy

1. Default to built-in: Your tools come with features. Learn them.
2. Add only when painful: Don't install for "might need"
3. Master the fundamentals: CLI over GUI when possible
4. Automate the repetitive: Script it once, use it forever

What I avoid

• Heavy IDEs (slow, distracting)
• Too many extensions (maintenance burden)
• GUI for everything (slower workflow)
• Trendy tools (solve real problems, not imaginary ones)

The result

• Fast startup
• Fewer distractions
• Better understanding
• More time building

Minimal isn't about having less. It's about having what matters.