Essentials

MacOS comes with python3, ruby, git preinstalled. We will install other missing essential tools used frequently by Developers.

Tools

Command-line tools

Install essential command-line tools

• watch — watch will run a command repeatedly and then display the output in an ncurses friendly manner.

• jq — jq is like sed for JSON data

• git — git is a version control system CLI

• cocogitto

Better CLI Alternative Tools

• gh — GitHub CLI brings GitHub to your terminal.

• bat — A syntax highlighting clone of cat and can stand in for less

• delta — A syntax highlighting pager for diff-ing

• fd — A user-friendly version of find

• htop — An interactive replacement for top

• procs — A modern replacement for ps

• eza — A modern replacement for ls

• ripgrep — An improved grep

• dust — A more intuitive version of du

• duf — A better df alternative

• prettyping —A pretty wrapper around ping

brew install watch
brew install jq

brew install git
brew install gh # GitHub official command line tool.
# for first time use, run `gh auth login`

# Better CLI alternative Tools
brew install ack
brew install tree
brew install eza # replacement for LS. https://eza.rocks/
brew install bat # a better `cat`
brew install git-delta  # a better git `diff`
brew install fd # user-friendly alternative to `find`
brew install procs # a modern replacement for `ps`
brew install dust # a better `du`
brew install ripgrep # a better `grep` use: rg
brew install htop # a better `top`
brew install httpie # a better `curl`
brew install cocogitto # monorepo version/release management

Fonts

We need developer friendly fonts for Terminals (ghostty, macOS Terminal app) and Editors (IntelliJ, VSCode, sublime-text) to enhance visual experience. You can explore various fonts for IDEs at Programming Fonts website.

We recommend:

• Editor Font: Source Code Pro, Fira Code or Jetbrains Mono

• Terminal Font: Meslo LG, FiraCode Nerd Font or Hack Nerd Font from nerd-fonts

# Terminal Fonts
# brew install --cask font-<FONT NAME>-nerd-font
brew install --cask font-meslo-lg-nerd-font
#brew install --cask font-fira-code-nerd-font
#brew install --cask font-hack-nerd-font

# Editor Fonts
brew install --cask font-source-code-pro
#brew install --cask font-fira-code
#brew install --cask font-jetbrains-mono

After installing your choice of font, you have to configure each Editor and Terminal to use this font, which is covered in Apps section.

Apps

Install essential Apps via brew cask

Since many of us won't have admin rights on Company issued MacBooks, we will be installing software into User's Applications (i.e., ~/Applications) directory:

If you have admin privilege, you can skip --appdir=~/Applications flag

Development Tools

• ghostty: macOS Terminal Replacement

• Sublimetext: lightweight text/markdown editor

• VSCode: lightweight code editor

• Jetbrains: toolbox to install jetbrains IDEs

brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications ghostty
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications sublime-text
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications visual-studio-code
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications webstorm
# orbstack/container need to be in system apps
brew install --cask container # Apple’s Native Alternative to Docker: MacOS 26 needed
# brew install --cask orbstack  # alternative to apple native container
# optional
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications windsurf # VSCode alternative
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications marta

Apple’s container Docs

Other benefit of installing Apps via Brew is, it links binaries to /opt/homebrew/bin which is added to $PATH.

'subl' to '/opt/homebrew/bin/subl'
'code' to '/opt/homebrew/bin/code'

So, you can open projects/directors from command-line in VSCode or Sublime-text with:

code ~/Developer/Work/tools/macbooksetup
subl ~/Developer/Work/tools/macbooksetup

Productivity

• Alfred: Spotlight on steroids.

brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications alfred

Other

• Google Chrome

• Microsoft Remote Desktop: rdp (optional)

• OBS: Record your screen with audio, mouse highlight and other features. (optional)

• logitech-options: logitech driver, install only if you have MX mouse (optional)

• slack: app for communication (optional)

brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications google-chrome
# Logitech Options software - will prompt for password.
brew tap "homebrew/cask-drivers"
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications logitech-options
# Remote communication (optional)
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications zoom
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications slack
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications discord
brew install --cask --appdir=~/Applications obs

Customize above applications further from: Apps docs