By Thanh0x in Apps —

The Apps I Actually Use: My Minimalist Daily Driver Stack

Overwhelmed by productivity tools, I spent more time configuring apps than working. Here is the minimalist tech stack I actually use across Mac, iOS, and Android to stay focused.

If you looked at my app history over the years, it would look like a graveyard of abandoned productivity experiments. I used to test every new tool that popped up on Product Hunts, only to waste hours configuring plugins I never touched.

Over time, I learned a simple rule: The best tool is the one that stays out of your way and solves a real friction point.

Since I work across Android and backend development, manage a home server, and try to keep my digital life organized, here is the exact stack running on my devices today—no fluff, just what works.

1. The Mac Environment (My Daily Driver)

My Mac is where the heavy lifting happens. Everything here is chosen to make switching between writing code, managing infrastructure, and daily tasks as frictionless as possible.

AI & Coding

  • Claude Pro: My go-to for coding, heavy critical thinking, and complex architectural requirements.
  • Gemini Pro: My daily driver for general questions, quick lookups, and brainstorming.
  • Cursor: My primary editor for writing code, heavily augmented by AI.
  • Android Studio: My heavy artillery for native Android development, Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP), and Spring Boot JVM development.
  • Xcode: Unavoidable for Apple ecosystem development (iOS, Apple Watch, macOS).
  • OrbStack: A massive upgrade over Docker Desktop. It's lightweight, resource-efficient, and optimized for macOS.
  • Iterm2: The terminal, but better.

Utilities & Workflow

  • Raycast: The heart of my Mac setup. It replaces Spotlight and acts as a launcher, window switcher, and control panel all through keystrokes.
  • Shottr: Hands down the best screenshot app on Mac for quick markups and clean captures.
  • AltTab: Brings Windows-style app switching to macOS, which feels much more natural for multi-window workflows.
  • Stats & Ice: Stats lives in my menu bar to monitor CPU, RAM, and disk usage, while Ice keeps the menu bar clean by hiding clutter.
  • Tailscale: My virtual private network lifeline. It lets me securely tunnel back to my home lab and access my local machine when I’m working from a cafe.
  • LocalSend: A lifesaver for quickly transferring files across my internal network, especially between my Android phone and my Mac.

Browsing & Privacy

  • Safari: My primary browser because it syncs seamlessly across my Apple devices—bookmarks, reading lists, and history. Plus, it runs essential extensions like Raindrop.io and Userscripts.
  • Userscripts: A web manipulator extension I use to customize my web experience—blocking YouTube Shorts, skipping sponsors, bringing back YouTube dislikes, and forcing old Reddit.
  • Raindrop.io: My central hub for bookmarking, web highlights, and capturing notes while surfing the web.
  • Brave Browser: My secondary browser. I use it for privacy, its built-in ad-blocking, and its offline music player capabilities.

Focus & Learning

  • Screen Zen: Blocks distracting apps and websites, but more importantly, it forces me to pause and breathe before I mindlessly open a time-sink.
  • Anki: My tool of choice for spaced-repetition learning.
  • Toggl: How I track my time, avoid burnout, and stay mindful of my ADHD. (Read more about my setup in My Productivity Apps).
  • Notion: Task management, note management, and literally everything.  (Read more about my setup in My Productivity Apps).

(Note on what I've dropped: I used to use Things for tasks and Obsidian for notes, but I've moved toward Notion for collaborative simplicity. I also dropped Timery because of Toggl's API changes, and Rectangle since macOS handles basic window snapping well now).

2. iOS & Android (The Mobile Pocket Stack)

My phone isn't a secondary device; it's an extension of my workflow and media consumption.

On iOS (iPhone 15 Pro Max)

  • Cursor & GitHub: For checking code pushes, reading notifications, and even handling quick edits on the go.
  • Immich & Google Photos: Immich handles my self-hosted photo backups, while Google Photos remains part of the wider cloud ecosystem.
  • Manet: A clean music player that connects directly to my self-hosted Jellyfin server at home.
  • 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare VPN): Essential for bypassing restricted networks when traveling or working remotely.
  • Timemark: Automatically stamps photos and videos with time and location data, which is great for logging field work or travel.

On Android (Oppo Find X7 Ultra)

My Android device serves specific utility functions alongside daily media:

  • Camera & Photos: Since I’m using the Oppo Find X7 Ultra, this phone acts as my primary camera device for mobile photography, paired with Immich + Google Photos for backup.
  • Musicolet: An offline music player with deep configuration settings, replay gain, and precise folder management.
  • IR Remote Control: When my air conditioner remote broke down unexpectedly, this built-in phone feature came in like an absolute hero.

The Takeaway

I’ve tested tons of apps over the years and stripped away almost all of them. These lists represent the tools I've relied on for the last several years—and honestly, the ones I'll likely use for the rest of my life.