Development Work Environment

Terminal14:30

$ neofetch --ascii_distro arch,ubuntu,tux

Records the currently built work environment, updated regularly.

2023.4 First draft
2023.5 Updated Synergy
2024.2 Annual update
2025.2 Annual update
2025.11 Coinciding with blog update

Desktop

Main daily driver is macOS
- Mac mini M4 Pro 48GB + 10Gbps
- MacBook Air M1 8GB (For mobile use on the go; stutters slightly when too many things are open, mainly used for remote work, battery life is truly excellent)
Desktop hardware configuration:
- Standing desk + ergonomic chair + vertical monitor arm to take care of physical health
- Dual monitors: 32" 4K main monitor + 27" 4K secondary monitor (rotated 270 degrees vertically), simultaneously connected to Win PC and Mac mini
- USB KVM: Switches between the desktop and Mac mini, while providing USB expansion and USB Type-A adapters for the Mac mini
- External SSD enclosure: Repurposed NVMe SSD to expand the Mac mini's storage space
- A hand-me-down Sony stereo system from family, though rarely used; after all, when I have free time to play video games, it's at night and I'm afraid of disturbing people's peace

macOS Environment

System
- AeroSpace: A Windows Tiling Manager. Compared to yabai, its advantage is that it doesn't require modifying system files, and it smartly avoids macOS Mission Control's Space management to create virtual workspaces, making switching displays very convenient.
- BetterDisplay: Paid software that adjusts the built-in screen and adjusts external monitor brightness via DDC/CI. It supports direct adjustment via hotkeys and has more practical features than MonitorControl, such as toggling the external monitor on/off, which is very helpful for environments where the external monitor input source is frequently switched.
- SetApp: A subscription-based App source outside of the App Store, featuring many useful tools. No longer subscribed.
- Surge: A powerful network proxy tool used to establish system routing rules when away from home. It can be used with both public networks and local network VPNs for private self-hosted services, balancing both.
- Windows App: Microsoft's official RDP Remote Desktop.
- Moonlight + Sunshine: Actually, it can also stream the desktop, but the main function of this suite is game streaming. Features include support for HDR, hardware codecs, and high refresh rates. My only complaint about it is that under macOS multiple desktops, it's inconvenient to move the mouse cursor out of the remote desktop area.
- Vaultwarden: A self-hosted password vault, restricted to intranet access only, replacing the previously subscribed 1Password.
- Synergy: Creates a multi-desktop setup across macOS and other operating systems (rarely used, since I mostly use SSH for remote development now).
Productivity
- Raycast: A versatile quick launcher that can search, manipulate windows, quickly control or search specific application content, or execute custom scripts.
- Obsidian: My main note vault management software.
- TexSnipper: A compact OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool residing in the menu bar, supporting both English and Chinese.
- Bob: Select words to quickly call an LLM for translation; can be configured to connect to Ollama.
Literature
- PDF Expert: Better than the built-in "Preview" because it has Night and Sepia themes, as well as vertical and horizontal split modes.
- Zotero: A literature management software with the same Gecko core as Firefox. Simple and powerful, it allows organizing literature directly within Microsoft Word, and has a Dark Mode plugin. (Now I just use LLMs + pure CLI).
- Typora: A simple and easy-to-use Markdown Editor.
- Apple Notes: For storing quick notes about daily chores; syncs most seamlessly across Apple devices.
Development
- Homebrew: An essential package management software on macOS.
- Visual Studio Code: Loaded with a bunch of plugins, including remote SSH connection for development.
- Sublime Text: Fast, simple, and easy to use; I use it like Windows' built-in Notepad.
- Warp Terminal: Built-in assistive features for calling LLM Models, directly calling the Claude Model to analyze server status and suggest commands (free version has Credit limits), and predicting the next command.
  - Ghostty: An emerging Terminal software with good support on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Orbstack: A container and VM manager on the Mac mini that is better than the official Docker Desktop.
- Zsh + antidote: An enhanced Shell that can reduce tedious command switching.
  - Powerlevel10k: Has entered a pure maintenance state; the author says no new features will be developed.
  - Starship: Simple to configure, but runs slightly slower than Powerlevel10k.
- Forklift: A veteran dual-pane file manager supporting multiple remote transfer protocols.
- Proxmox VE: Manages the soft router and all Self-hosted services at home, occasionally deploying data crawlers.
- Ollama: Local LLM deployment and test management tool.
- xinference: Local LLM and other Inference Model deployment and test management tool.
- Codex, Claude Code, Gemini Cli..... and other AI development tools
  - Because iterations are too rapid, tools may be replaced at any time.
  - The main principle is that I have started using pure CLI to handle many tasks that originally required looking up syntax or multi-layer task decomposition.
  - I use whichever performs best in a given aspect, simultaneously depending on Quota limits.
Audio, Video & Images
- IINA: A compact media player wrapping mpv.
- Infuse: Can connect to a NAS and supports multi-format media playback, positioned as a media library manager. It can automatically upscale.
- Pixelmator Pro: A concise yet professional image editing software.
- Noir: A Safari plugin that converts all web pages to white text on a black background; supports custom whitelists.
- Occasionally use other browsers, purely to separate browsing history and bookmarks.

Desktop PC

Windows and Linux dual booting on the same SSD
- Tons of pitfalls, mainly because EFI partition boot is prone to issues.
- To avoid stepping on landmines, it is still recommended to separate them into two independent hard drives.
Network card and BIOS set up for Wake-On-LAN, allowing for direct remote wake-up and startup.

Windows

Dedicated gaming machine.
Used for tax filing.
I don't use WSL due to various random pitfalls.

Linux

Arch Linux (CachyOS)
- I used to jump back and forth between Gnome-shell and KDE.
- The recently released Cosmic Desktop also feels pretty good.
- However, after using the Linux desktop for a while, I'm still more used to the macOS desktop.

Ubuntu
- Because recent important project Demos require a stable development environment.
- Additionally, I found that some anti-cheat programs on Windows require Secure Boot to be enabled. The official Ubuntu Kernel has signature verification, allowing for a smooth boot.

Desktop

Main daily driver is macOS

Mac mini M4 Pro 48GB + 10Gbps
MacBook Air M1 8GB (For mobile use on the go; stutters slightly when too many things are open, mainly used for remote work, battery life is truly excellent)

Desktop hardware configuration:

Standing desk + ergonomic chair + vertical monitor arm to take care of physical health
Dual monitors: 32" 4K main monitor + 27" 4K secondary monitor (rotated 270 degrees vertically), simultaneously connected to Win PC and Mac mini
USB KVM: Switches between the desktop and Mac mini, while providing USB expansion and USB Type-A adapters for the Mac mini
External SSD enclosure: Repurposed NVMe SSD to expand the Mac mini's storage space
A hand-me-down Sony stereo system from family, though rarely used; after all, when I have free time to play video games, it's at night and I'm afraid of disturbing people's peace

System

AeroSpace: A Windows Tiling Manager. Compared to yabai, its advantage is that it doesn't require modifying system files, and it smartly avoids macOS Mission Control's Space management to create virtual workspaces, making switching displays very convenient.
BetterDisplay: Paid software that adjusts the built-in screen and adjusts external monitor brightness via DDC/CI. It supports direct adjustment via hotkeys and has more practical features than MonitorControl, such as toggling the external monitor on/off, which is very helpful for environments where the external monitor input source is frequently switched.
SetApp: A subscription-based App source outside of the App Store, featuring many useful tools. No longer subscribed.
Surge: A powerful network proxy tool used to establish system routing rules when away from home. It can be used with both public networks and local network VPNs for private self-hosted services, balancing both.
Windows App: Microsoft's official RDP Remote Desktop.
Moonlight + Sunshine: Actually, it can also stream the desktop, but the main function of this suite is game streaming. Features include support for HDR, hardware codecs, and high refresh rates. My only complaint about it is that under macOS multiple desktops, it's inconvenient to move the mouse cursor out of the remote desktop area.
Vaultwarden: A self-hosted password vault, restricted to intranet access only, replacing the previously subscribed 1Password.
Synergy: Creates a multi-desktop setup across macOS and other operating systems (rarely used, since I mostly use SSH for remote development now).

Productivity

Raycast: A versatile quick launcher that can search, manipulate windows, quickly control or search specific application content, or execute custom scripts.
Obsidian: My main note vault management software.
TexSnipper: A compact OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool residing in the menu bar, supporting both English and Chinese.
Bob: Select words to quickly call an LLM for translation; can be configured to connect to Ollama.

Literature

PDF Expert: Better than the built-in "Preview" because it has Night and Sepia themes, as well as vertical and horizontal split modes.
Zotero: A literature management software with the same Gecko core as Firefox. Simple and powerful, it allows organizing literature directly within Microsoft Word, and has a Dark Mode plugin. (Now I just use LLMs + pure CLI).
Typora: A simple and easy-to-use Markdown Editor.
Apple Notes: For storing quick notes about daily chores; syncs most seamlessly across Apple devices.

Development

Homebrew: An essential package management software on macOS.
Visual Studio Code: Loaded with a bunch of plugins, including remote SSH connection for development.
Sublime Text: Fast, simple, and easy to use; I use it like Windows' built-in Notepad.
Warp Terminal: Built-in assistive features for calling LLM Models, directly calling the Claude Model to analyze server status and suggest commands (free version has Credit limits), and predicting the next command.
- Ghostty: An emerging Terminal software with good support on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Orbstack: A container and VM manager on the Mac mini that is better than the official Docker Desktop.
Zsh + antidote: An enhanced Shell that can reduce tedious command switching.
- Powerlevel10k: Has entered a pure maintenance state; the author says no new features will be developed.
- Starship: Simple to configure, but runs slightly slower than Powerlevel10k.
Forklift: A veteran dual-pane file manager supporting multiple remote transfer protocols.
Proxmox VE: Manages the soft router and all Self-hosted services at home, occasionally deploying data crawlers.
Ollama: Local LLM deployment and test management tool.
xinference: Local LLM and other Inference Model deployment and test management tool.
Codex, Claude Code, Gemini Cli..... and other AI development tools
- Because iterations are too rapid, tools may be replaced at any time.
- The main principle is that I have started using pure CLI to handle many tasks that originally required looking up syntax or multi-layer task decomposition.
- I use whichever performs best in a given aspect, simultaneously depending on Quota limits.

Audio, Video & Images

IINA: A compact media player wrapping mpv.
Infuse: Can connect to a NAS and supports multi-format media playback, positioned as a media library manager. It can automatically upscale.
Pixelmator Pro: A concise yet professional image editing software.
Noir: A Safari plugin that converts all web pages to white text on a black background; supports custom whitelists.
Occasionally use other browsers, purely to separate browsing history and bookmarks.

Desktop PC

Windows and Linux dual booting on the same SSD

Tons of pitfalls, mainly because EFI partition boot is prone to issues.
To avoid stepping on landmines, it is still recommended to separate them into two independent hard drives.

Network card and BIOS set up for Wake-On-LAN, allowing for direct remote wake-up and startup.

Dedicated gaming machine.

Used for tax filing.

I don't use WSL due to various random pitfalls.

Arch Linux (CachyOS)

I used to jump back and forth between Gnome-shell and KDE.
The recently released Cosmic Desktop also feels pretty good.
However, after using the Linux desktop for a while, I'm still more used to the macOS desktop.

Ubuntu

Because recent important project Demos require a stable development environment.
Additionally, I found that some anti-cheat programs on Windows require Secure Boot to be enabled. The official Ubuntu Kernel has signature verification, allowing for a smooth boot.