Apps to install when you got the new Mac
Tags: beginners, webdev, productivity, tutorial
Published: 2020-08-20 18:11:35

#### A guide to set up your Mac and improve your programming experience to another level with Vim/Zsh/Tmux, macOS Apps, Extensions for high productive development

---

## **Inspiration**

Whenever I got a new laptop, it usually takes me up to 2 hours to re-setup everything again, and I start getting tired and annoyed. Every time I set up my Mac again, I learned something new and cool things that improve my programming experience better.

So, I make a collection of setup and apps to share with you my personal guide of setting up a new Mac for software development.

---

## **1. System Preferences**

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/lfnqrhwf0v72r8y95sld.png)
- System Preferences > **Trackpad/Keyboard** > set up as above images
- iCloud > login to your account
- Filevault: On
- Disable Ask Siri
- Location Services: On (Limited)
- Check software updates
- Messages app > add your Number + email
- App Store > install previously installed applications

---

## **2. Terminal**

### [Alfred](https://www.alfredapp.com/)

- It’s a replacement to Spotlight because it’s way much faster when it comes to search any files: `brew cask install alfred`

### **[Brew](https://brew.sh/)**

- Install Xcode: `$ xcode-select --install`

- Install Homebrew: `$ /bin/bash -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"`

- `brew cask install` to install an application

### **[iTerm2](https://www.iterm2.com/)**

- A replacement to Terminal

- [Clovis](https://medium.com/u/792c2e6bc791) wrote an [awesome tutorial](https://medium.com/@Clovis_app/configuration-of-a-beautiful-efficient-terminal-and-prompt-on-osx-in-7-minutes-827c29391961) on how to set up more in-depth

- A [comparison](https://www.slant.co/versus/1713/1715/~iterm2_vs_terminal-app): iTerm2 vs. Terminal

- Install: `brew cask install iterm2`


### Optional: **[ZSH/Tmux/Vim](https://github.com/skwp/dotfiles)**

![https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*Y7MmBIs_8Xfx76MQOSfbiA.png](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*Y7MmBIs_8Xfx76MQOSfbiA.png)

- I used this [awesome guy’s repo](https://github.com/skwp/dotfiles) as a template

## **3. Git**

Git has become one of the main tools that every developer should know how to use it. The new Mac usually comes with Git pre-installed.

- **Install git:** `brew install git`

- **Config git:**

```
$ git config --global user.name "Your Name"
$ git config --global user.email "you@your-domain.com"
```

You will constantly be using Git daily, and SSH will allow you to pull and push to git without re-entering email and password every single time.

- Git already had an article on how to [add SSH to your Mac](https://docs.github.com/en/github/authenticating-to-github/generating-a-new-ssh-key-and-adding-it-to-the-ssh-agent)

---

## **4. Install Mac Apps with command line**

If you’re a fan of command-line, and you don’t want to install apps by going through each of them on Chrome. then you should try **`mas`**

- Install mas for quick setup: `$ brew install mas`

- Search for your app: `$ mas search XCode` . You will find the app ID for each app

- Copy the App ID into 1 command line: `$ mas install <app_id1> <app_id1> <app_id3>`

> Note: If these apps below don’t have an app ID, then you have to install it from the browser. (Links included)

### Work

1. XCode: 497799835
2. [The Unarchiver:](https://theunarchiver.com/) 425424353
3. Microsoft Word: 462054704
4. Excel: 462058435
5. PowerPoint: 462062816
6. [VSCode](https://code.visualstudio.com/)
7. [Postman](https://www.postman.com/)
8. [Docker](https://www.docker.com/)

### Communication

1. [Slack:](https://slack.com/) 803453959
2. [Notions](https://www.notion.so/): 974929595
3. [Zoom:](https://zoom.us/) 884018914

### Entertainment

1. [Messenger](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/messenger/id454638411): 1480068668
2. [WeChat](https://www.wechat.com/en/): 836500024
3. [Line:](https://line.me/en/) 539883307
4. [Chrome](https://www.google.com/chrome/?brand=CHBD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwo6D4BRDgARIsAA6uN1_SszdlH-F-7Lu13jLzZIj8BAfWsSBL5M0zhXeS677r88nwsF0uHrwaAt5GEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
5. [Viber](https://www.viber.com/en/)
6. [Spotify](https://www.spotify.com/us/download/other/)
7. [Open Spotify:](https://open.spotify.com/) This website lets you listen to Spotify music with **NO Ads**

---

## **5. Chrome Extension**

You don’t want to install many Chrome extensions unless you want it to *“eat”* a lot of your RAM or unless you have a powerful computer.

### **Here are the TOP 6 that I used daily:**

1. [Adblock Plus](https://adblockplus.org/): Block all the ads
2. [Grammarly](https://www.grammarly.com/): Used to check my grammar when I write essays, blogs, etc.
3. [Honey](https://www.joinhoney.com/): To find me the best deals
4. [Rakuten](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/rakuten-get-cash-back-for/chhjbpecpncaggjpdakmflnfcopglcmi?hl=en-US): Give me cash back when I shop online
5. [Redux Dev Tool](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/redux-devtools/lmhkpmbekcpmknklioeibfkpmmfibljd?hl=en): For debugging with React
6. [JSON View](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jsonview/chklaanhfefbnpoihckbnefhakgolnmc?hl=en): View JSON on the web browser prettier

---

## **6. VSCode Extension**

1. [Prettier](https://prettier.io/)
2. [AutoClose Tag](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=formulahendry.auto-close-tag)
3. [Auto Rename Tag](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=formulahendry.auto-rename-tag)
4. [Better Comments](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=aaron-bond.better-comments)
5. [Debugger for Chrome](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=msjsdiag.debugger-for-chrome)
6. [ESLint](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=dbaeumer.vscode-eslint)
7. [Gittens](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=eamodio.gitlens)
8. [Go](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/languages/go)
9. [HTML Snippets](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=abusaidm.html-snippets)
10. [Javascript (ES6)](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=xabikos.JavaScriptSnippets)
11. [code snippets](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=xabikos.JavaScriptSnippets)
12. [Python](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/languages/python)
13. [Turbo Console.log](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ChakrounAnas.turbo-console-log)
14. [dotENV](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mikestead.dotenv)
15. [npm Intellisense](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=christian-kohler.npm-intellisense)
16. [Path Intellisense](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=christian-kohler.path-intellisense)
17. [Live Server](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ritwickdey.LiveServer)
18. [Color Highlight](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=naumovs.color-highlight)